Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

For this assignment, you will utilize information and research from the assignments in previous units to create a concept paper on the community health of the community you have chosen. You will incorporate your opinions and perspectives, supported by research and data you discovered in your previous assignments. Your concept paper should contain best practices, philosophies, and other related issues that you believe should be acted on in the near future for the betterment of the community. It should also illustrate the unique roles and requirements of a community health worker serving this area. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

• Give an overview of your community to include any relevant population, demographic, cultural, social, or economic characteristics.
• Identify a significant determinant of health that impacts your community.
• Identify a specific public health issue that is commonly seen by a multicultural or diverse population in the community.
• Describe a local health promotion program that is failing or lacking in the community that could help meet the determinants of health needs of the diverse population in the community.
• Discuss the community health framework/model that can be applied to the health promotion program. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper
• Discuss a law or policy that could alleviate determinant of health issues if it were in place.
• Discuss the role a CHW would play in addressing determinants of health, multicultural or diverse populations, and health equity in the community.
• Identify the role a CHW can play and the collaboration needed with others in the community to effect system, environmental, and policy changes.
• Discuss the skills and traits a CHW would need to be a successful change agent in this community.
• Conclude your concept paper with recommendations and expectations of positive change in the public health of the community.
  

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Your concept paper will be a minimum of four pages, not counting the title and reference pages. It should be logically arranged to support your analysis and offer strong arguments and evidence. You must use at least four sources (one of which must come from the CSU Online Library) to support the analysis and discussion in your concept paper. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Your concept paper, including all references, will be formatted in APA style.

Maryland Community Population and Geographic Composition

Maryland Community Population and Geographic Composition

Maryland’s community comprises people from different racial groups, cultural backgrounds, and ethnicities. In Maryland, the White Non-Hispanic racial group is 49.8%, African Americans are 29.7%, Asians are 6.35%, White Hispanics are 4.71%, and the others make up 4.74% of the total population (DATAUSA, 2022). Besides racial diversity, diversity is thriving in Maryland in many other ways. Diversity is seen in the language most commonly used in the community. While most of the residents are English speakers, there are many Spanish, Chinese, and French speakers. Another aspect of diversity is settlement and development. There are metropolitans, suburban areas, and rural non-metropolis regions with different settlement patterns and levels of economic development. The rural non-metropolis regions are generally less developed, such as the inner parts of Baltimore occupied by relatively poor residents (DiLisio, 20119). Diversity is also reflected in how the people in this community get employment opportunities and access to economic empowerment programs. On the other hand, culture is also diverse, with each racial group maintaining a particular culture. For instance, the White Non-Hispanic group tends to live in Carroll and Garrett counties, while the African Americans are concentrated in Prince George’s county. In these regions where they live, they maintain their unique cultures. As a result, these cultural differences make Maryland a multi-cultural community like the American society. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

Culture and diversity have played a role in the history of the community, its development, and progression over time. Culture refers to the way of life of certain people or societies. As a result, culture influences how people relate and plan their lives. In Maryland, the rate of economic development and progression has been largely influenced by culture. Some regions like Baltimore have maintained their conservative cultural values to date. As a result, they have remained poor despite the rapid economic development in other parts of Maryland (DiLisio, 20119). Western Maryland was engaged in coal mining, which contributed to its development. Additionally, the regions occupied by the white majority residents are more developed than other regions. However, culture has also played a great role in Maryland’s uneven development and progression because it affects people’s belief systems, children’s upbringing, attitudes toward education, and understanding of their society (Collier, 2017). As a result, people with progressive cultures tend to be more developed than those with retrogressive cultures. In the case of Maryland, the regions with progressive cultures have developed over time, and the residents enjoy high living standards.

A community health worker (CHW) working in this community would need to develop cultural competence specific to this community. One way of developing cultural competence is learning about the history and culture of this community. CHWs should take time to learn about the community’s historical roots, cultural values, and belief systems. As a result, CHWs will know how to offer community health services to the community within their cultural belief systems. Additionally, CHWs can develop cultural competence by training to improve their skills and understanding of cultures. They can also develop cultural competence by interacting with the community members. Such interactions ensure that they integrate and learn the cultural preferences of each other. As a result, CHWs will better understand what the community culture entails and how they will offer healthcare services. The interaction will also help them build trust and confidence with the community because they will understand what they prefer and how to meet those needs.

Maryland’s cultural differences and diversity have led to the prevailing health inequity. However, a CHW can work toward ensuring health equity for all populations in this community. The first strategy for promoting health equity is including the social determinants of health approach. This approach entails improving the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, and age because they form the social determinants of health (Belle-Isle, Benoit & Pauly, 2014). Therefore, CHWs should aim at improving the general living conditions of the people in Maryland, regardless of their race or ethnicity. As a result, they will create favorable social determinants of health for every person, improving overall health, thus reducing inequities. They can also improve access to healthcare for the most vulnerable community members. For instance, they can offer home-based care services or take healthcare services near where the people live. This strategy will ensure equity in the access to quality healthcare services.  Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

CHWs can also act as advocates of health equity through various activities. For instance, they can lobby the government to act as a guarantor and advocate of human rights, including the right to care. As a result, the government will be committed to providing affordable and quality care for all people because it will show their respect for human rights. Additionally, CHWs can advocate for health equity through policy intervention. In this approach, the CHWs will offer policy change proposals that support health equity and equality. They can offer proposals that obligate the government to provide equal access to quality and safe care to all community members regardless of their race or ethnicity. Finally, CHWs can work towards ensuring health equity by collecting and analyzing data on health inequities. This data will help them map out areas where health inequities and inequalities are prevalent before devising the appropriate strategies to address the issue. Working with real-time data promotes accuracy because the strategies adopted to address the situation will be appropriate in every manner.

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References

Belle-Isle, L., Benoit, C., & Pauly, B. (2014). Addressing health inequities through social inclusion: The role of community organizations. Action research, 12(2), 177-193.

Collier, P. (2017). Culture, politics, and economic development. Annual Review of Political Science, 20, 111-125.

DATAUSA (2022). Profile and Maryland State. DATAUSA. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/maryland#:~:text=The%205%20largest%20ethnic%20groups,home%20as%20their%20primary%20language.

DiLisio, J. E. (2019). Maryland: a geography. Routledge. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

 Social determinant in a Community

Introduction

Every community is faced with various issues which may affect its overall wellness and health outcomes. These issues may influence the capacity to achieve the intended goals since they provide barriers in meeting the increasing trends in matching the desired health standards. Healthcare providers must enhance their overall relationships with their target communities based on the growing demand for better wellness outcomes. It is vital to appreciate that the existing health determinants have created disparities across specific communities. Certain communities have failed to achieve the intended goals concerning their overall health outcomes through such disparities. Social determinants of health provide insights into the potential gaps which define a given society from a wellness dimension.

Discussion and Analysis

Numerous interventions and programs have been created to promote health outcomes for the underlying populations. It is essential to appreciate the issues arising from the existing determinants of health based on the witnessed gaps in meeting the increasing community demands. In this report, one area identified is teenage health, specifically women. While various approaches have been used to promote wellness, limited evidence-based interventions exist to foster awareness amongst adolescents and teenagers on reproductive health matters. The lack of sufficient resources and access to quality education about this field has created a gap leading to increased teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (Knab & Cole, 2020). This report examines the lack of educational materials and poor access to quality health services as the primary determinants of teenage health based on the increasing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases trends. This area is essential because it offers vital insights into the potential gaps that define the current teenage pregnancy trends and sexually transmitted infections. Also, poor access to health education and medical interventions has created a gap that undermines the overall wellness outcomes. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

One of the determinants of interest is access to medical and educational resources. This factor has been selected because it offers information about the current trends in the community setting and the overall effects on teenagers from a health dimension. Poor access to health resources and educational materials has denied the young people sufficient insights into the potential ways to handle their daily trends leading to teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. From a global dimension, countries like Bangladesh have the highest teenage pregnancy rates at around 82.96 births in 1000 teenagers between 15 and 19. The increasing incidents of teenage pregnancy represent this trend due to a lack of sufficient resources and exposure to the right educational interventions. In the United States, teenage pregnancy has affected over 750000 teenagers annually. This trend is increasing with variations across states. For example, the District of Columbia and Arkansas have the highest teenage pregnancy rates. It is estimated that at least 3 out of 10 teenagers get pregnant before 20. This trend has negative effects on the affected pupations from multiple dimensions. One of the immediate effects is the increasing school dropouts amongst these populations. Many teenagers have dropped out of school due to insufficient insights into their health outcomes and getting pregnant.

The selected issue has various factors which influence the overall wellness reported within the underlying communities. It is essential to appreciate the idea that the increasing teenage pregnancy cases are based on the lack of sufficient resources and gaps in sex education amongst school children. With variations and diverse viewpoints about sex education in schools, teenagers are exposed to challenges increasing their pregnancy risks and sexually transmitted diseases. Historically, teenage pregnancy declined between 2009 and 2010 by 9%, where the country recorded the lowest level of 34.3 births in every 1000 teenagers between 15 and 19 (CDC, 2022). It is essential to appreciate that the teenage pregnancy rate dropped 44% between 1991 and 2010. While a decline has been recorded from a general dimension, the country still records high teenage pregnancies (CDC, 2022). It is essential to mention that this problem can be overcome through policy changes and the adoption of effective programs. Such interventions will enhance the overall awareness that the underlying populations exhibit, matching their overall wellness and health outcomes.

As a community health worker, one of the programs that can handle this issue is a community awareness creation intervention. This intervention would include health providers and promoters who will organise educational seminars, executed physically and through online media like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The program aims to create awareness of sexual behaviour on its effects on teenage wellness and pregnancy. Also, the program would provide resources that pregnant teenagers should seek to promote health and ensure educational continuity after giving birth (Wright & Fore, 2021). Such a program would be promoted through the digital and physical spaces to maximise enrolment and effectiveness.

Conclusion

Meeting the increasing community needs requires using the ideal interventions and strategies. Numerous approaches have been created to promote overall health and wellness outcomes. It is essential to mention that teenage pregnancies are a significant health challenge for many young people. As shown above, while the country reported a declining rate, many teenagers have become pregnant. This trend can be reduced through an effective community-based program. The program selected will provide educational, medical and social support to teenagers. The program will be promoted through online media to increase reach. Also, ensuring that the program is available online creates a reliable framework for attracting and reaching the intended audiences. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper

References

CDC. (2022). Reproductive Health: Teen Pregnancy. CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/practitioner-tools-resources/community-mobilization.html

CDC. (2022). Reproductive Health: Teen Pregnancy. CDC. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm

Knab, J., & Cole, R. (2020). Teen pregnancy prevention evaluation technical assistance: A case study. Evaluation Review, 0193841X20975279.

Wright, L. S., & Fore, S. (2021). Community-Engaged Teen Pregnancy Prevention: A Needs Assessment. Health Promotion Practice, 15248399211051407. Columbia Southern University Community Health of Maryland Community Paper