Population Health Final Project

Population Health Final Project

Healthcare assessments play a fundamental role in population-focused health promotion by providing a systematic and data-driven approach to understand specific needs, challenges, and strengths of a particular population. Primarily, the assessments detail data collection and analysis within the parameters of health indicators, demographics, and social determinants of health. Profoundly, the assessments equally situate vulnerable communities and populations. The concept of vulnerability alludes to susceptibility of particular individuals or groups to poor health outcomes. Socioeconomic, environmental, and other health-related factors may contribute to vulnerability because they create barriers to accessing healthcare services and vital resources (Slaughter-Acey et al., 2019). Population-focused interventions are common strategies employed when tackling healthcare disparities. The interventions promote public health by targeting entire communities rather than individual patients (Health.Gov, 2020). However, underpinning population-focused interventions is the health policy. Importantly, health policies can regulate health services, address public health challenges, and, more importantly, allocate resources effectively (Health.Gov, 2020). Therefore, this population health assessment paper assesses Miami-Dade County health needs by exploring the health risks of a vulnerable population of infants born to African American mothers over 18 years-old and with less than 12 years of education. Essentially, besides the introduction and conclusion, the paper contains four sections: empirical data and assessment findings of the community at zip code 33030 at Homestead City, Miami-Dade County, discussion of the identified vulnerable population, analysis of the appropriate population-level interventions, and finally an in-depth health policy analysis.

Part 1: Population/Community Snapshot

Zip code 33030 located in Homestead City, Miami-Dade County was selected community for the population health assessment. Demographically, the community has an estimated population of 36,717 residents (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). Interestingly, the Zip code has a majority minority population; 33.22% Latino or Hispanic residents. The rest of the demographic distribution in the community includes 29.86% White, 12.63% Black, 3.01% Native Americans, 0.66% Asian, and 20.53% other races (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). In comparison to the State of Florida demographic ethnic diversity, Latino population is 25.8%, Blacks 15.9%, and Asian 2.7% (Florida Health, 2022). However, Miami-Dade County has 43.81% Latino, 28.04% White, 14.11% Black, 1.38% Asian, 0.34% Natives, and 12.29% others (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). The community county has a majority young population. Zip code 33030 population distribution by age mirrors County and state population. For example, only 10.24% of the population is over 65 years old, a trend observed in the county 17.79% and the state 22.45% (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). 84.7% of the residents are under 65 years-old. Furthermore, 27.88% are under 18 years-old and the community’s medium age is 33.2 years while the county is 41.4 years and the Florida State 43.2 years (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). Interestingly, zip code 33030’s population distribution by gender differs from Miami-Dade County, and Florida state. In the community 52.45% are male and 47.55% female, the county is 48.66% male and 51.34% female, and finally, in the state males are 48.87% and females 51.13% (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). The county’s population mirror the country’s projected demographic diversity by 2050.

As a percentage of the total population, the following statistics capture Zip code 33030’s age distribution. First, under 18years constitute 27.88%, 72.12% for over 18 years, 62.03% for over 25 years, 10.24% for over 65 years, and 1.24% for over 85 years (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). The trend is reflected in the county and state populations. The Zip code community’s population by marital status includes 41.76% never married, married with a spouse present 35.78%, married with absent spouse is 8.89%, divorced 9.35% and widowed 4.21% (Miami-Dade Matters Org, 2023). Household types are largely dependent on cultural practices. For instance, couples with children and extended families are prominent in the country, particularly among Latino population (University of Miami, 2022). Finally, most non-Hispanic/Latino’s have a mixture of one-person households, couples without and with children, and lone-parent households.

The report from the Florida Department of Health reports presents concerning morbidity and mortality rates in Miami-Dade County. Generally, Miami-Dade County ranks 2nd in health outcomes out of the 67 Florida counties (University of Miami, 2022). However, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the county representing 26.24% of the county’s mortality rate and 2.65% in Florida (University of Miami, 2022). Other notable findings include high rates of violent crimes compared to the state; 578.9 versus 439.2 per 100,000 people (Florida Health, 2022). Black infant mortality rate was 4 times higher for Blacks than whites representing 11% against 2.6% (Florida Health, 2022). The morbidity and mortality findings indicate the importance of community awareness and education to improve health outcomes.

The social determinants of healthcare are impacting health outcomes of the residents of Miami-Dade County. First, access to healthcare is limited by high number of residents living below Federal Poverty Level (FPL) at an average of 30.1% (University of Miami, 2022). High FPL diminishes access and affordability of healthcare services. Socially, racial discrimination and linguistic isolation are impacting healthcare outcomes in the community (Shuffrey, Thomason, and Brito, 2022). For example, black residents reportedly lost 2410 years of potential life than whites, reflecting high rates of premature mortality in 2020 (Florida Health, 2022). Households aged over 14 years and unable to speak English fluently face challenges getting adequate care in Miami-Dade (Florida Health, 2022). The economic disparities equally capture challenges of healthcare access. For instance, despite comprising 16.9% of the Miami-Dade population, Blacks account for 56% of homelessness (Florida Health, 2022). High FPL rates in neighborhoods are equally associated with high crime rates and insecurity. With high population in the Miami-Dade metropolis, the built environment discourages physical activity. Finally, most of the healthcare services are concentrated in the built environment, maligning underserved populations.

Despite barriers to healthcare services in zip code 33030, social determinants impacting population health such as discrimination, lack of insurance cover, poverty, inadequate education, and language, several key aspects support care access. The county has locally-based health resources available to the community members. For instance, a free health clinic for uninsured population is located at Homestead (University of Miami, 2022). Furthermore, Miami-Dade has an organization dedicated to educate and increase awareness in communities to prevent domestic violence – Amigos for Children. The organization promotes the drive to positive healthcare outcomes in the country including zip code 33030. Finally, Miami-Dade collaborates with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to promote healthy behaviors in the county (University of Miami, 2022). Conclusively, programs and initiatives are increasingly focusing on more positive outcomes for residents.

One priority identified in the assessment is the access to care. Accessing healthcare in Miami-Dade County is a complex endeavor and residents face multiple racial, institutional, financial, social barriers. For example, according to a report on adult health insurance cover, the uninsured population is approximately 24.6% in zip code 33030 (Healthy Miami-Dade, 2020). Secondly, Miami-Dade is also in the worst 25% of the counties on Medicaid enrolment in Florida (Healthy Miami-Dade, 2020). One strategy of addressing access to healthcare in Miami-Dade is expansion of community health centers to serve medically underserved areas and populations. Community health centers will provide comprehensive, affordable and accessible healthcare services to patients regardless of their ability to pay (Slaughter-Acey et al., 2019). Conclusively, the strategy will promote greater outreach and patient education.

Vulnerable Population Assessment

Infants born to African American mothers over 18 years-old and with less 12 years of education is the identified vulnerable population. Young mothers with minimal education are susceptible to poor health outcomes because they are more likely to face barriers to healthcare access (Slaughter-Acey et al., 2019). Limited education equally contributes to inadequate prenatal and postnatal care, child development, and parenting skills (Ridgway et al., 2022). For example, Miami-Dade Org (2023a) notes that zip code 33030 is among the worst 25th quartile in infants to mothers over 18 years old, but with less than 12 years of education as per the 2021 findings. Therefore, at 43.5%, the community at zip code 33030 has ranks last in healthcare access for this vulnerable population (Miami-Dade Org, 2023). Furthermore, this community has 14.3% to 16.1% incidences of preterm birth. The infant mortality is 9.3% in zip code 33030 (Healthy Miami-Dade, 2020). The statistical representation underlines the seriousness of the teenage pregnancy in Miami-Dade County.

Some notable variables or risk factors that place infants of the 18-year-old black women with less than 12-year education into a vulnerable category include race, mother’s educational level, and age. At a tender age, young mothers lack emotional and financial readiness for parenthood (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). Secondly, race stems from the historical disparities that Blacks face in healthcare, education, and socioeconomic statuses. The disparities promote more vulnerability for the infant and the mother. Finally, low educational levels undermine proper prenatal and postnatal care. Essentially, the situation will lead to suboptimal prenatal care and postnatal support for both the mother and the infant.

One way an MSN-prepared can advocate for the identified vulnerable population is through community education. The approach encompasses advising the community about the importance of prenatal care, nutrition, and child development. Furthermore, the strategy entails implementing educational programs to empower young Black mothers with knowledge to make informed decisions about their healthcare and infants’ needs. Patient and community education aligns with Healthy People Initiative because it promotes health literacy and empowers communities for greater engagement in their healthcare (Health.Gov, 2020). Finally, the strategy aligns with Healthy People Initiative due to its focus on addressing healthcare disparities among vulnerable populations.

Part 3: Population-Level Health Intervention Analysis

Collaboration with organizations is the selected population health intervention within the Miami-Dade County. The initiative entails forming partnerships with community-based organizations, educational institutions, and non-profits to collectively address the population health risks and disparities faced by young black women with infants (Pervin et al., 2021). The strategy seeks to address specific health risks, such as infant mortality, negative birth outcomes, and health disparities emanating from educational and race levels. Finally, access to healthcare services is an outright disparity collaboration with organizations will seek to address.

Profoundly, collaboration with organizations aims to address several concerns. Accessibility is addressed through coordination of healthcare services and reduce barriers hindering young African American mothers from accessing care (Slaughter-Acey et al., 2019). Therefore, the strategy entails social support and mobilization of resources for the vulnerable population. Next, levels of prevention include primary prevention through implementing health programs to raise awareness about healthy behavior and early prenatal care, and reducing possible complications. Secondary prevention features partnerships making healthcare providers move closer to young African American women, where regular screening is performed to minimize complications by detecting health issues early. Collaboration with organizations impacts social determinants of health because it helps young mothers improve their knowledge of their conditions, address financial barriers hindering healthcare access, advocate for affordable housing, and improve mental health through social support networks (Howard and Khalifeh, 2020). Collaboration with organization is an opportunity to enhance outreach and awareness to the population of young vulnerable African American mothers with infants.

One notable gap in collaboration with organizations concerns inadequate coordination and integration among partnering entities. Some organizations partner independently, duplicate efforts and fragment services. Therefore, to enhance change, it is recommended to established formalized collaborative networks among partnership organizations. For example, creation of a multidisciplinary consortium engaged entirely on maternal and child health is recommended (Klawetter et al., 2019). Profoundly, the recommendations indicate the importance of population health interventions. Population health interventions are critical because they promote health equity by addressing existing inequalities and inequities in the healthcare system. Reducing disparities among vulnerable populations offers a chance to everyone to access healthcare services (Klawetter et al., 2019). The implications for advanced practice nurses support of population health outcomes include greater engagement in health promotion and educational activities at community and personal levels. APNs help patients make informed decisions by adopting healthy behaviors. Essentially, APNs reduce the burden of diseases on the population and contribute to policy development.

Part 4: Health Policy Analysis

Free maternal and child health policy is an outright health policy necessary to remedy the risks experienced by the vulnerable young African American women with infant children. As previously outlined, the young African American mothers face risk factors, such as infant mortality, birth complications, and poor mental health outcomes (Dumas, Chu, and Horswell, 2020). Furthermore, this vulnerable population face disparities in the access to healthcare services. The importance of the maternal and child health program policy stems from its services; it offers prenatal care to monitor the child’s development and the mother’s health (Dumas, Chu, and Horswell, 2020). Other services include postnatal support to promote proper infant care and maternal recovery. Child immunization, nutrition and food security, birth defects prevention, and teen pregnancy are equally captured in this policy.

Profoundly, the intended impact of the policy includes better health outcomes for the infant and the mother, which include mental health and wellbeing, and access to healthcare services. Besides the benefits of the free maternal and child health policy, some of its ethical implications include equitable access to healthcare services for vulnerable population across financial, cultural and geographical barriers. Patient engagement equally improves due to respecting their autonomy through informed consents (Ridgway et al., 2022). Essentially, the policy will improve patient and community awareness of the challenges young African American women with infants and limited education face, hence will advocate for better healthcare services.

Free maternal and childcare policy is closely congruent with Healthy People Initiative. Profoundly, the policy’s goals and objectives align with the Healthy People Initiative, which entails improving health and wellbeing of the population over a decade (Health.Gov, 2020). The policy and the initiative focus on population health by achieving equity, equality, and eliminating existing healthcare disparities. Both interventions recognize the essence of data and evidence-based recommendations to initiate population health change. Conclusively, free maternal and childcare policy strengthens individual and community health by improving outcomes.

Developing a comprehensive community health worker (CHW) program is an alternative strategy to remedy the identified risks, such as infant mortality, birth complications, and disparities like poor access to healthcare services. The implementation of the strategy entails training CHWs and linking them with local leaders to facilitate information sharing. As trusted members of the society, local leaders can bridge the gap between underserved populations and healthcare service providers (County Health Rankings, n, d). The opportunities for collaboration in the program include coordination among healthcare providers, public health experts, social workers, and community organizations (County Health Rankings, n, d). Finally, collaboration may equally entail care planning, resource allocation to enhance the CHWs effectiveness.

Conclusion

Population health assessment is a critical approach of appraising healthcare needs of particular vulnerable population because it promotes positive health outcomes. The assessment addresses factors influencing health, such as living conditions, access, education, and underlying aspects like discrimination. Therefore, population health assessment promotes equity and equality care access while empowering communities, and reducing healthcare costs, disparities to access to healthcare, financial challenges, and stigma. The recommendations improve health outcomes by addressing the root causes associated with social determinants of health. Impact on advanced nursing practice includes creating awareness of the extent of the problems, promoting research, utilizing evidence-based research. Nonetheless, the investigation underlines the existing relationship between risks factors and vulnerability. For instance, risk factors contribute to vulnerability by heightening the likelihood of negative health outcomes; they amplify vulnerability. Masters’-prepared nurses can play a significant role advocating for vulnerable population by engaging in health promotion and education at local, state and national levels. Free maternity and child policy program was recommended to remedy facing the identified vulnerable population because it helps extend prenatal and postnatal care, monitor child development, solve access to healthcare services due to finances and promote patient engagement. Finally, the recommendation for community health workers program stems from their knowledge of the community and bridging the gap between underserved populations and healthcare providers.

Needs help with similar assignment?

We are available 24x7 to deliver the best services and assignment ready within 3-4 hours? Order a custom-written, plagiarism-free paper

Get Answer Over WhatsApp Order Paper Now