Empirical evidence reveals that race or ethnicity is the leading risk factor in the predisposition of men to prostate cancer. Statistical research data specifically reveals that the risk of developing prostate cancer is 60% higher in black males when compared to their white counterparts (O’Keefe, Meltzer & Bethea, 2015). Furthermore, the negative health effects of prostate cancer are exuberated among black men (Chornokur, Dalton, Borysova & Kumar, 2011). Therefore, as compared to white men, black men have a higher likelihood of suffering from and succumbing to prostate cancer, especially when it is not managed properly. The disparities in the risk to prostate cancer and access or use of health care services motivate the design and implementation of a public health program that will promote the achievement of positive health outcomes and reduce the prevalence and incidence of this type of cancer among black men in Maryland. Surveys among black men indicate that their level of awareness on prostate cancer is significantly low. This would explain the low rate of utilization of screening and treatment services on prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland (Chornokur et al., 2011). Evidence-based discussions on the problems that face black men in the state of Maryland motivate the need for the implementation of health education interventions through public health projects.
In order to eliminate disparities in access and utilization of health care services on prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland, it is necessary to implement a public health initiative that seeks to educate the target population on prostate cancer and the available health care services. The suffering that is associated with prostate cancer can be mitigated through the implementation of effective public health or preventative care programs targeting the affected population (Zenka, 2016). The main challenge that faces public health initiatives in Maryland is funding. This is because state funding of public health projects is not adequate to support the wide range of programs that are designed to meet the divergent needs of the diverse population in Maryland (Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Kuntz, Knudsen, van Ballegooijen, Zauber & Jemal, 2012). Community needs assessment targeting black men in the state of Maryland indicates that there is need for information on a wide range of health related issues within this population, especially on prostate cancer. This is attributed to the necessity of preventing the pain that is associated with prostate cancer and the negative health outcomes that are experienced by the affected black men in Maryland (Chornokur et al., 2011).
The implementation of the public health initiative on prostate cancer screening and prevention targeting black men in the state of Maryland is also motivated by the need to increase general awareness on prostate cancer and to ensure that local health care organizations, corporations, community groups and government agencies cooperate and actively participate in addressing this health problem. The areas which must be addressed in order to reverse the high prevalence and incidence of prostate cancer among blacks in the state of Maryland will be identified through a well-planned public health initiative so that effective strategies can be applied in implementing sustainable solutions to this problem.
Mission, Goals and Objectives
The mission of the proposed public health project is to reduce the incidence, prevalence and negative health outcomes of prostate cancer among members of the target population through the implementation of evidence-based and sustainable public health interventions, such as health education and screening. Through the proposed interventions, long term solutions to the problem would be implemented, such as improving the level of public awareness on prostate cancer and influencing positive health seeking behaviors among members of the affected population. The mission of the initiative is aligned with the principles of public health on the implementation of sustainable solutions to specific health-related problems in the society (Wilkinson, List, Sinner, Dai & Chodak, 2003).
The main goal of the public health initiative is to increase the knowledge of black men in Maryland on prostate cancer, including its risk factors, preventative interventions and health care services or treatment. The initiative also aims at increasing the level of access to preventative care services on prostate cancer among members of the target population. This is inspired by the need to reduce the incidence and prevalence of prostate cancer within this population. In addition, the public health project seeks to promote timely access to treatment services on prostate cancer among affected black men in the state of Maryland. Furthermore, the initiative also aims at promoting community support for black men who are affected by prostate cancer in order to enhance their overall health status while dealing with this health problem. Finally, the initiative aims at promoting collaboration among stakeholders in order to implement sustainable solutions for reducing the incidence of prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland. The specific objectives of the proposed public health project for the first year of its implementation are listed below.
- To implement educational programs on prostate cancer targeting members of the African American community in the state of Maryland
- To provide black men in the state of Maryland with increased access to prostate cancer screening services
- To enroll affected individuals in treatment programs, services and initiatives on prostate cancer
- To engage all stakeholders and multi-disciplinary health teams in collaborative efforts of addressing the problem of prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland
- To reduce the incidence of prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland by at least 5% in the first year of project implementation
Rationale
Addressing the needs of members of disadvantaged populations, such as ethnic minorities is one of the most important goals in public health care practice in the United States (Lansdorp-Vogelaar et al., 2012). Federal funding for health care services, programs and initiatives in the state of Maryland is inadequate in addressing the needs of members of racial minorities who are disadvantaged by increased risk to specific health conditions and disparities in health care practice (O’Keefe et al., 2015). The health seeking behavior among black men is influenced by cultural values, economic status, level of education and personal perceptions on the health care system in general. Therefore, it is through the implementation of public health interventions, such as health education that black men in Maryland would be inspired to adopt positive health seeking behaviors. The factors that limit the willingness of black men in the state of Maryland to access and utilize health care services on prostate cancer can be overcome through the implementation of the public health project, which will entail the realization of a comprehensive public health initiative and health education interventions targeting the African American community.
Analysis of the best outcomes of the proposed public health initiative reveals that the problem of prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland must be addressed in order to mitigate preventable health effects and complications and to promote positive health seeking behaviors for the realization of sustainable solutions to the problem. A critical assessment of the microeconomics of prostate cancer reveals that the high costs that are associated with the management of this type of cancer should be reduced through the implementation of effective public health initiatives and interventions, such as public education, early screening and treatment. Public health initiatives are sustainable when they are supported by the participation and contribution of all stakeholders (Dobbins, DeCorby, Robeson, Husson, Tirilis & Greco, 2010). This is because dependence on federal government funding for public health programs within community and state levels limits the ability of public health initiatives to meet the emerging health needs of disadvantaged and high risk groups. Therefore, the proposed public health project is justified by the importance of involving all stakeholders in implementing sustainable interventions that will lead to significant reduction of the prevalence of prostate cancer among blacks in the state of Maryland. The fact that the implementation of the project is of public good makes it necessary to involve all stakeholders in ensuring that the desired health, social and economic outcomes of its public health interventions are realized with efficiency and effectiveness.
The quality of primary health care services and public health programs is defined by their effectiveness in promoting access to health care services and overcoming the reported racial disparities in the utilization of preventive and curative care (Wilkinson et al., 2003). In line with this argument, the role of the proposed public health project in promoting the realization of the objectives of the health care sector is appreciated. It is through this project that health care organizations and providers within the state of Maryland will move closer to the realization of equitable and high quality care for high risk groups, regardless of their social, ethnic or economic status. It is notable that the public health initiative is aligned with the health care reform agenda in the United States on the issues of access, quality and cost-effectiveness of health care services (Carande-Kulis, Getzen & Thacker, 2007).
Program Plan/Methodology
The public health project will be implemented within black neighborhoods in the state of Maryland. The implementation of the interventions of the project will involve a multi-disciplinary team of public health professionals, health care practitioners from local health care organizations, social workers, community leaders and volunteers. The inclusion of a multi-disciplinary team in implementing the project will guarantee its success in the implementation of innovative health care solutions to the problem. Specific roles will be assigned to members of these groups with a goal of increasing the efficiency of achieving the shared goals and objectives of the project. Messages about the public health initiative, including its benefits, will be spread in black neighborhoods and streets in order to create awareness and motivate participation. Public health professionals and volunteers will play the role of spreading messages about the project. The promotional activities for the project will also target local churches, sporting events, gyms and other male dominated clubs in order to ensure that messages about the project are received and spread across the target population. The questions and concerns of potential participants on the activities of the public health initiative will be addressed with a goal of ensuring that they are appropriately informed and motivated to enroll in the project.
Members of the target population will be enrolled into the public health initiative. Effective promotional strategies, including the use of online platforms will be used to encourage enrolment and participation in the project. The main project activities will include health education, screening for prostate cancer and enrolling the affected men in treatment programs for prostate cancer. Professionals from local health care organizations will be involved in the education activities, including providing members of the target population with information about services in Maryland which support black men with a high risk developing prostate cancer. Several meetings will be arranged with members of the target population in the implementation of the education program on prostate cancer. Collaboration with local health care facilities is an important element in the implementation of the project because it is within these facilities that the enrolled members will be screened for prostate cancer. The screening process will be integrated with counseling activities, especially for those who have prostate cancer. Through the counseling, the affected men will get adequate support and motivation for participation in treatment interventions.
Management Plan
A management team will be appointed to oversee the process of implementing the project. The main roles of the management team include ensuring that resources are allocated and used effectively and efficiently and supporting the achievement of project goals through the coordination of the contributions of all stakeholders. Furthermore, the management team will play an important role of planning for the implementation of the specific events and programs of the project. The management of the project will adopt and implement specific collaborative strategies, including teamwork with a view of ensuring that all participants contribute actively towards the realization of the desired health outcomes among black men in the state of Maryland (Spiegelman, 2016).
Evaluation
All activities of the project will be evaluated against its goals and objectives. The goal of the evaluation process will be to determine the efficiency with which project activities are run in order to recommend corrective measures that will allow members of the project team to realize the mission of the project. The processes of creating awareness about the project, enrolment of members of the target population, health education and screening for prostate cancer will be assessed with a goal of ascertaining that they are aligned with the original plan of the project. The use of financial resources in the implementation of project activities will also be evaluated. The findings of the assessment process will be used to implement improvements in the implementation of the project during subsequent years (Fiszbein, 2009).
External auditors will be involved in the evaluation of the budget and its implementation in the realization of project goals. It is through this audit process that valid assessment of the use of grants for the project will be conducted. The audit of the allocation and use of the financial resources of the project is important because it allows stakeholders to gain confidence on the management and implementation of the project (Saunders, 2012). The use of grants for the project will be assessed against an approved budget in order to ensure that issues arising from unintended costs are addressed. It is through the evaluation of public health initiatives that transparency in pursuing intended objectives is guaranteed (Suhonen & Paasivaara, 2011).
Proposal for Renewed Support
Budget
A budget of $151,987 is proposed for the first year of implementing project activities. The main areas in the budgetary allocation for the project include personnel ($108,206), promotional activities ($3,000), health education (12,571), medical equipment ($21,903), travel and extra accessories (6,307). The success of project implementation depends on the availability of adequate financial resources. Justifications for proposing for grants to fund the project are provided in the following section in line with the highlighted budget.
Grant Justification
The implementation of the project currently depends on the financing of health programs and projects in the state of Maryland by the federal government and local government health care agencies and departments. However, there are several competing health care needs which make the financial support from the government inadequate in meeting the wide range of primary and public health needs within the state of Maryland. The success of the project will depend on the contribution of health care professionals into health education and screening for prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland. It is because of this that the largest proportion of the budget is on the financing of personnel. It is anticipated that volunteers will be involved in project activities, such as creating awareness about the proposed public health initiative. The allocation of funds for personnel is based on a wide range of considerations, including the potential for volunteer work and the remuneration of health care professionals within the health care sector in the United States.
Participant support costs, such as travel expenses are included in the proposed budget because they influence the level of motivation among members of the target population to participate in project activities. Travel expenses are allocated with a view of ensuring that a high level of participation in project activities is achieved. A wide range of promotional activities will be used to create awareness on the project. The budgetary allocation for promotional activities includes expenses related to the design and distribution of promotional materials, such as flyers and post cards. In addition, promotion of the project through local print and broadcast media is part of the budget. The funding of promotional activities is important because it facilitates the passing of information about the project, including the dates of implementing specific activities and intervention and venues. Through effective promotion, it is expected that a large percentage of black men in the state of Maryland will participate in project activities. The allocation of funds for medical equipment is aligned with the analysis of the costs that are associated with screening equipment for prostate cancer.
Potential Funding Sources
Government Agencies
Government agencies at federal and state levels are important funding sources for public health programs. These public agencies call for project proposals through which the determination of government funding for various health-related programs and initiatives is determined (Cookson, Drummond & Weatherly, 2009). However, funding from government agencies is not sufficient to meet all public health programs and initiatives United States. It is because of this that funding from non-government sources is proposed for the implementation of a successful public health initiative on prostate cancer among the blacks in the state of Maryland. Government agencies should prioritize their financial resources with a goal of ensuring that public health initiatives that have a significant impact on the affected population and the socioeconomic systems, in general, are adequately funded and supported (Drummond, Sculpher, Torrance, O’Brien & Stoddart, 2005).
Corporations
Business organizations are important parts of the American society because of the important role they play in supporting health, social and economic initiatives. The need to run responsible business practices and the willingness to provide philanthropic donations for public health programs by corporations in the state of Maryland makes them potential sources of funding for the proposed public health project. Most corporations in the state of Maryland fund public health initiatives and programs because a healthy community contributes to a productive workforce and social and economic growth of the society.
Community Groups and Institutions
There are a wide range of community groups and institutions in the state of Maryland, including religious groups, hospitals, colleges and social welfare organizations, which support public health programs. Community groups and institutions are potential grant sources for the public health initiative because they engage with members of the community directly and understand the unique problems and challenges that affect members of ethnic minorities. The involvement of community groups in the implementation of the project is vital to its success because they play a role in influencing the participation of members of the target population in the implementation of project activities (Ensor, 2004).
Conclusion and Recommendations
The success of the proposed public health project will be determined by a wide range of factors, including the funding of its activities, the level of participation and collaboration among stakeholders, the willingness of members of the target population to participate and the quality of screening and support services for prostate cancer. All stakeholders should play important roles in supporting the project because of its importance in eliminating the existing disparities in access and utilization of health care services on prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland. The fact that the risk of prostate cancer is significantly higher among black men than their white counterparts motivates the need to apply effective methods and interventions in the implementation of the public health initiative on prostate cancer among the blacks in the state of Maryland.
The proposed public health project is justified because it is aligned with the goal of public health practice in reducing the prevalence of illness among high risk groups or disadvantaged populations within the American society. The corporate social responsibility of local organizations towards social and economic development should motivate their participation and support of the proposed public health project. The management team of the proposed public health project makes an appeal to both public and private organizations for grants and donations in order to ensure that the goals and objectives are realized. Through successful implementation of the project, the incidence of prostate cancer among black men in the state of Maryland and the associated disparities in health care will be overcome.
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