Introduction
The results obtained using Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns framework reveal that Miami faces various health risks such as climate hazards, sedentary lifestyles, accidents, water and food contamination, drug abuse, and homelessness. This community assessment paper gives a detailed analysis of these health risks. The discussion also outlines the resources that can be used to complete a community assessment. Barriers to implementing powerful health plans are also analyzed.
Resources
There are various resources that can enable researchers to complete a community assessment in Miami. The first one is the 2015 Miami Community Services. This directory outlines the major services available in the community, such as housing, health care, and rehabilitative treatment (The National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2014). Miami-Dade Resources is another online resource that informs visitors about the medical services available in this community.
The Miami-Dade County Health Department uses its website to offer timely and quality health information. The Florida Department of Health also presents adequate information that can be used to understand the health issues and risk factors facing Miamians (National Health Care for the Homeless Council, n.d.). These resources present timely statistics on environmental health, emerging conditions, and existing medical programs.
Community Strengths and Concerns
The targeted community has several strengths that can be considered to support the health needs of the people. The first strength is that Miami has adequate resources, healthcare centers, and programs that meet the people’s health demands (“Climate and health,” n.d.). The state of Florida implements numerous programs and interventions to support different communities. There are professional associations and healthcare organizations that promote new policies and agendas to transform the lifestyles of many citizens.
On the other hand, some concerns affect the health statuses of different people in this community. For example, obesity and alcoholism are crucial risk factors for poor health outcomes. Some of the existing programs have failed to capture the true picture of Miami’s health status. Homelessness is another concern that should be taken seriously (Smiley, 2016). Additionally, climatic changes disorient the community’s health delivery programs.
Potential Barriers
Effective community health plans can reduce the prevalence of different diseases and improve people’s lifestyles. Several barriers affect most of the community health plans implemented in Miami. The first one is the reduced level of coordination among stakeholders. This gap explains why every program is usually undertaken by a specific group. The second barrier is caused by a lack of adequate resources. This happens to be the case because the local government focuses on specific health conditions such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (National Health Care for the Homeless Council, n.d.). The third barrier arises from inappropriate health policies. Health plans that are not supported by the existing policies tend to fail.
Addressing Such Barriers
The identified barriers can be addressed using a powerful strategy. The issue of coordination can be supported using harmonized efforts that can meet the community’s health needs. The issue of resources can be addressed by attracting more sponsors. The local government should also be encouraged to support every community health plan (The National Association of County and City Health Officials, 2014). Finally, different actors and policymakers should implement powerful initiatives to support every health plan.
Conclusion
This discussion indicates clearly that Miami has adequate resources that can be used to develop powerful community health programs. The community also faces numerous challenges, such as tuberculosis, homelessness, and obesity. Some barriers disorient most of the implemented community health plans. Coordinated efforts, provision of resources, and efficient policies will minimize such barriers and improve patients’ health outcomes.
References
Climate and health. (n.d.).
The National Association of County and City Health Officials. (2014). Multiple challenges, one solution: Using Healthy People 2020 to enhance your health department and improve the public’s health.
National Health Care for the Homeless Council. (n.d.). Florida. Web.
Smiley, D. (2016). Homeless census confirms downtown’s growing street population. Miami Herald. Web.