For this assignment, you will research and prepare a community-level strategic plan that addresses a key public health issue.
Potential topics may include:
Using prenatal and infancy home visits to prevent child abuse and neglect
Preventing falls in the elderly
Reducing population salt intake
Preventing risky sexual behavior among youth and young adults
Include the following in your paper:
Provide an overview of the community health issue as described in Part A with identified causes and influences, including knowledge gaps.
Describe potential monetary costs associated with the issue in the United States.
Describe advance practice roles and management strategies that affect change at the community level.
Identify changes or enhancements in community-related services for your selected topic.
Develop a strategic plan that could decrease the prevalence of your selected topic.The goals for this plan needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Include how your plan takes into consideration health literacy, socioeconomic factors, and cultural differences.
Conclusion:
A summary of the goals and challenges
!1
Community Health Assessment
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank
!2
Community Health Assessment
The community considered in this assignment is Los Angeles, California. The community
health area of focus is homelessness. Homelessness are among the most significant conditions
contributing to Los Angeles residents’ poor health. As per the data collected in 2020, the number
of people affected by the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles was estimated to be 66,436
(Chinchilla & Gabrielian, 2021). Due to homelessness, these people are significantly affected by
various health issues, making the issue to be a significant concern in the community. In relation
to homelessness in Los Angeles, the aspects that have been analyzed include health risks in the
community using Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns framework, community resources needed,
strengths and concerns based on Table 8-3, and potential barriers to implementing community
health plans in the community.
Health Risks in the Community as per Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns Framework
Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns framework comprises 11 functional health patterns
for assessing health risks. Through health perception-health management pattern, it can be
evident that Los Angeles community residents affected by homelessness are vulnerable to
various health issues due to poor access to healthcare services for health management and poor
perception of their health and well-being. Besides, nutritional-metabolic patterns show that the
residents are vulnerable to obesity due to their poor access to healthy foods (Chinchilla &
Gabrielian, 2021). Moreover, concerning elimination patterns, the residents affected by the
community health issue are likely to develop various gastrointestinal illnesses due to poor waste
management strategies. In addition, most homeless people live sedentary lifestyles leading to
various health issues such as obesity when considering the activity-exercise pattern.
!3
Furthermore, in terms of sleep-rest patterns, the residents are at a high risk of cardiovascular and
mental health problems due to inadequate sleep caused by weather conditions.
Concerning cognitive-perceptual patterns, the residents are highly likely to develop
mental health disorders due to poor access to healthcare services caused by their low-income
status. Regarding the self-perception-self-concept pattern, homeless Los Angeles residents are
low self-esteem and poor perception due to inadequate psychological support and substance
abuse. In relation to role-relationship patterns, homeless residents experience increased domestic
violence, limited community involvement, and increased social isolation leading to
psychological disorders (Laniyonu & Byerly, 2021). In addition, when considering sexualityreproductive patterns, homeless people are vulnerable to teenage pregnancies and increased
sexually transmitted infections, contributing to poor overall health. Moreover, the coping-stress
tolerance pattern shows that the residents are highly likely to develop stress-related mental health
issues due to their inability to cope with their poor living conditions. Lastly, the value-belief
pattern shows that homeless people have a poor understanding of health and its value, thus
having limited access to care services. This increases their vulnerability to various health issues.
Community Resources Needed in Completing a Community Assessment Plan
There are numerous resources in Los Angeles that can assist in completing a community
assessment plan regarding homeless populations. The first one is local healthcare facilities, such
as clinics and hospitals. Healthcare providers from such facilities can assist in giving insights
regarding the health risks among the populations based on the records of homeless patients who
visit such healthcare centers. The second one is community-based organizations (CBO). Some
CBOs, such as Union Station Homeless Services, regularly assess the condition of homeless
!4
people and the challenges they experience in day-to-day life situations (Laniyonu & Byerly,
2021). Such data can provide much insight into the population. The other resource is homeless
services authorities. These authorities are responsible for several roles especially managing and
coordinating homeless services within a community. Therefore, such authorities can be used to
get information associated with the homeless population.
Assessing The Strengths and Concerns of the Community Based On Table 8-3
According to Table 8-3 provided, there are several strengths that can be associated with
the homeless population in Los Angeles. One of them is that well-child clinics are available for
all children, including homeless people (Chinchilla & Gabrielian, 2020). Besides, numerous
feeding programs are available for older adults, especially homeless people. Moreover, there are
several family planning services, such as free family planning education, available for women. In
addition, there are many interagency practices that involve collaboration with the government in
providing needs for the homeless population.
On the other hand, there are also several concerns involving the homeless, such as the
unavailability of sex education in schools, unavailable fluoridated water systems, dysfunctional
communication systems involving the homeless people, and there are inadequate plumbing
facilities meant for homeless people (Chinchilla & Gabrielian, 2020). These aspects contribute to
increased health disparities within Los Angeles. However, if they are addressed, the health and
wellness of the homeless population can be improved.
Potential Barriers to Implementing Community Health Plans in the Community
One of the potential barriers that may hinder the adoption of a community health plan is
limited resources and funding. There are insufficient resources and funds to cater to all the
!5
homeless people’s needs in Los Angeles. However, this issue can be addressed by seeking
necessary resources from the government or philanthropic organizations to reduce homelessness
(Chinchilla & Gabrielian, 2020).
The other barrier likely to be experienced is limited community participation and
engagement. People with homes are less likely to collaborate with homeless people to improve
their housing needs (Chinchilla & Gabrielian, 2020). This is because many people believe it is
normal for every community to have homeless people. However, this issue can be addressed by
developing programs encouraging other people to recognize the homeless population’s needs.
!6
References
Chinchilla, M., & Gabrielian, S. (2020). Stemming the rise of Latinx homelessness: lessons from
Los Angeles County. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness, 29(2), 71-75. https://
doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2019.1660049
Chinchilla, M., & Gabrielian, S. (2021). Factors associated with unsheltered Latinx
homelessness in Los Angeles County. Cityscape, 23(2), 159-180. https://www.jstor.org/
stable/27039956
Laniyonu, A., & Byerly, S. (2021). More than spare change: A case study of contact and voter
support for the homeless in Los Angeles County, California. Urban Affairs Review, 57(4),
1149-1177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087420905337
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
