Term Paper on "Public Health Systems"

Term Paper 4 pages (1347 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Public Health Systems

The value of quality primary care for low-income urban populations is significant as the primary care doctor and her or his staff can serve as an outlet to eliminate or reduce feelings of alienation that this community frequently expresses as a barrier to seeking health care. (Holcomb-Mccoy, 2004, p.188) the office itself can serve as a place where people know the individual patient as more than a set of symptoms, such as would be seen in an emergency room or immediate care center, and can follow the progress of their health and well-being. Additionally, the primary care office can serve as a hub for community information and additional health resources, such as low cost dental and vision clinics, low cost or assistance insurance resources and contact information and even the locations and schedules of low cost or free activities for health, such as open community gyms, cooking classes and even food assistance programs or farmer's markets.

Despite the magnificent march of science, the human being remains a complex animal whose body and mind, self and family, person and community are linked in ways that will resist the effort to compartmentalize every pain or blemish as the domain of an expert but narrow specialist. (Mullan, 2002, p. 5)

Health promotion is clearly a much larger concept than simply making sure than an individual gets a blood pressure check every month. Healthy eating, healthy physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices all play a significant role in holistic health. (Cassell, 2003, p. 8)

Though it is clear that not all primary care offices offer these services or this information the point

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is that many do and those that do not could if given the opportunity of information to do so. A primary care office serves the purpose of following the care and health of an individual through long periods of time, rather than simply treating them for whatever symptom they have currently and hoping it resolves. (Mullan, 2002, p. 77) the context of this long-term treatment can include variations of health that have little to do with physical symptoms. Some examples include understanding the functioning of the individuals family, knowing to some degree what kinds of activities the patient engages in for recreation and health and even knowing what family member to call if an elderly patient needs assistance understanding and being compliant with a new treatment plan. (Cassell, 2003, p. 8) (Netting & Williams, 2000, p. 233) None of these things can be done by specialized care providers, or emergency/immediate care physicians who have not specifically dealt with this individual over a long period, without extensive patient involvement.

The community-based primary care physician and her or his staff is a locust of information and support for many urban low-income patients. Those who seek change and those who do not can be reached to some degree through long-term care of a quality primary care staff. The resolution of primary care physicians to be a part of the community in which their patient's live is frequently a significant though desired commitment. Understanding the whole patient, community, family and body is probably not possible, yet primary care physicians and their staff have a better chance than anyone else to do so to such a degree that the individual patient is supported in holistic health. It is simply not enough for a medical professional to tell a patient to become more physically active, or to make more healthy eating choices the physician and his support staff must be able to offer the individual options for doing so, that fit into their lives and their place in community.

References

Cassell, E.J. (2003). Doctoring: The Nature of Primary Care Medicine. New York: Oxford University Press.

Holcomb-Mccoy, C. (2004). Alienation: A Concept for Understanding Low-Income, Urban Clients. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 43(2), 188.

Mullan, F. (2002). Big Doctoring in America: Profiles in Primary Care. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Netting, F.E., & Williams, F.G. (2000). Expanding the Boundaries of Primary Care for Elderly People. Health… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Public Health Systems" Assignment:

“

In the past two decades, public health professionals have launched a variety of

interventions designed to improve the health of low-income urban populations. According to

your text, public health strategies are defined as organized activities designed to achieve specified health outcomes based on an analysis of causal factors and informed by a theory of health determinants.

Explain why the primary-care setting offers important opportunities for health promotion to low-income urban populations. Then, describe the attempts that have been made to increase low-income urban population access to quality primary care. (A 2page response is required.)

Public Health Resources

Examine the respective Web sites for the organizations listed below (or similar government Web sites) and become familiar with their general contents. Which three (3) of

these Web sites are most useful for providing information and insights related to the question, What is public health? Explain your choices. Summarize your definition of public health and provide the rationale for your definition. Could you suggest other Web sites to add to this list? (A 2-page response is required.)

American Public Health Association - http://www.apha.org/

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials http://www.astho.org/

National Association of County and City Health Officials http://www.naccho.org/

Public Health Foundation http://www.phf.org/

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services http://www.hhs.gov/

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/

State health departments, available through ASTHO http://www.astho.org/

Local health departments, available through NACCHO http://www.naccho.org/

Association of Schools of Public Health, available through ASPH http://www.asph.org/

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