Abstract
This paper focuses on the resolution of health issues in the community of Copper City, a small (3000 residents) town in New Mexico. It discusses the health problems of the local population and provides a specifically created resolution program for the three most significant issues.
Factors that impact health in the area
The main factors impacting the health of the population in Copper City are their involvement in hard physical labor in copper mines. Moreover, the city is surrounded by large chicken farms that cause air, soil, and water pollution. As the area is rural, many products consumed by the residents are of local origin and are affected by the unsafe environment. The hot and arid climate is another condition that may negatively affect the health of the population. The low level of education among the Spanish speakers of the city is associated with low level of health literacy. Finally, the population is mainly impoverished which leads to malnurtition.
Assets for problem resolution
The residents of Copper City are strongly influenced by spiritual and religious authorities, so the help of these communities may increase the effectiveness of solutions. The immunization practices are popular in the area. The medical staff available locally consists of a physician, a Family Nurse, and LPN, and a nutritionist.
Evident problems
The evident health problems of the population are tuberculosis, anaemia, pinworms, and disabilities caused by mine accidents.
The most important issues
The health problems that require focus in the Copper City community are tuberculosis (as it affects a large portion of the population), bad nutrition (as it causes anaemia and low immunity), and low health literacy (as it is the basis for the majority of diseases the population of Copper City suffers from).
Why these issues were chosen
The three problems mentioned above were chosen because they are interconnected, serve as the fertile soil for one another, and expose the residents to a variety of more serious problems. Addressing nutrition, immunity, and health literacy issues the medical professionals would create the basis for safer and healthier life in Copper City and prevent many potential threats and the current ones from reoccurring (as tuberculosis is especially dangerous for people with low immunity) (McIntosh & Webberley, 2015).
Program
The population of the city has the need for nutrition education program specifically designed for low-income families from rural areas. Bad nutrition and lack of diversity in the diets of low-income population is a risk factor for such problems as obesity, cancer, heart disease, and stroke (EFNEP/FNP, 2013). In the given community of Copper City, it has caused low immunity, vulnerability to tuberculosis, and anaemia. The education program will be delivered the population of Copper City in a form of evidence-based curriculums with clear messages, and visual aids (pictures, films, slides)(Baker et al., 2014). The population will be divided into groups – adults and children; the former will be gathered and educated in local churches, and the latter will have the educational curriculum as a part of their school program. The programs for minors will address such issues as making healthy food choices, and the adults would be trained to plan their budget to be able to afford diverse diets (UWEX, 2011). Moreover, to make the programs culturally sensitive the practitioners need to ensure that the education is delivered in English and Spanish and that it engages the church communities to help promote healthy practices (FNS, 2010).
Reference List
Baker, S., Auld, G., MacKinnon, C., Ammerman, A., Hanula, G., Lohse, B.,…Wardlaw, M. (2014). Best Practices in Nutrition Education for Low-Income Audiences. Web.
EFNEP/FNP. (2013). Nutrition Education Programs for Low Income Families (EFNEP/FNP) Promote Positive Health Behavior Change. Web.
McIntosh, J., & Webberley, H. (2015). Tuberculosis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments. Web.
UWEX. (2011). Nutrition Education Program Reaches Low-Income Families Across the State. Web.