Introduction
The completed Part I identified Elmhurst as one of the neighborhoods in New York State County facing various medical challenges. The section identified various health issues that most of the citizens encountered, such as childhood obesity, diabetes, and preterm births. Proper intervention plans are appropriate to address these issues and transform the experiences and outcomes of most of the residents. The current project is aimed at helping the selected community deal with childhood obesity.
Health Issue and Background
The reason for selecting childhood obesity is because it is one of the primary health problems affecting young individuals at around 24 percent. If left unaddressed, these young individuals with obesity will grow up to become unhealthy citizens. While the findings revealed that the overall life expectancy for the community was around 85.6 years, some conditions were observed to result in premature deaths. For instance, the analysis revealed that heart diseases were responsible for 16.3 deaths per 100,000 people (Dwicaksono et al., 2018). Similarly, cancer was observed to cause 34.6 deaths in every 100,000 citizens in the community (Dwicaksono et al., 2018). The community’s failure to mitigate this medical problem could be strongly related to these deaths. The rationale behind the intended community intervention is, therefore, to help these young children and improve their overall health experiences (Berge et al., 2018). The project will also support the existing medical facilities and reduce the costs incurred when treating some of the emerging or opportunistic conditions.
Literature Review
Past studies have identified obesity as one of the risk factors for poor medical outcomes. Health experts rely on the medical experiences and outcomes recorded in different regions or communities to implement the most appropriate interventions. The connection between obesity and various medical conditions, such as stroke, hypertension, and some cancers, remains a well-documented phenomenon. Some analysts have also presented additional insights to examine and describe the nature of childhood obesity. For instance, Ward et al. (2019) indicate that obese children below 18 years of age tend to have higher chances of recording increased cases of blood pressure. They will also be associated with higher cholesterol levels than their counterparts without the condition (Smith et al., 2020). Other health challenges associated with obesity include breathing difficulties, insomnia, asthma, and insulin resistance (Healthy People 2030, 2021). When left unmanaged, chances are high that childhood obesity can result in the development of type 2 diabetes (Smith et al., 2020). In another study, Williams and Greene (2018) revealed that the inclusion of an effective health program could be an evidence-based approach for helping community members and medical experts address some of the recorded challenges. This knowledge can be embraced and implemented in the selected community to help mitigate the issue of childhood obesity.
Professionals in the field of pediatrics have presented evidence-based measures for addressing the problem of obesity. Such experts consider children’s age and the presence of other conditions to make informed decisions. They can propose a new diet or eating habits and physical exercises. In some cases, physicians can prescribe some medications depending on the nature or level of the child’s obesity (Smith et al., 2020). When implemented efficiently, chances are usually high that positive results will be recorded. These insights and statistics explain why the intended intervention plan can transform the situation.
Target Population and Goals
The target population for this intervention includes children below the age of 18, parents, guardians, and teachers. The primary Healthy People (HP) 2030 goal guiding this intervention is to help more young people to start eating healthy foods and be involved in physical exercise (Healthy People 2030, 2021). Such measures will help more young people maintain a healthy weight.
Measurable Outcomes
The intended goal needs to be achieved within a period of 12 months. The plan will continue to be monitored for another 12 months to make it a sustainable initiative at Elmhurst. Since the primary focus of the intervention is childhood obesity, the ultimate aim is to attain healthy lives and help minimize cases of preventable medical conditions. The project will reduce health gaps and disparities in the community. Beneficiaries will attain the relevant literacy to record improved overall wellbeing (Berge et al., 2018). These outcomes are quantifiable and realistic and achievable within the framed period.
The SMART model provides a framework for ensuring that the goal is meaningful. For instance, the objective is specific whereby more children and parents will learn more about the problem and how to deal with it (Tackling obesity in 2020, 2020). The goal is measurable when over 90 percent of individuals should benefit from the program and 100 percent learn more about the best ways to get rid of childhood obesity. The goal is achievable when all partners are involved in the process. The outcome is realistic since it addresses a known health concern. The stipulated time frame is also practical and attainable.
Healthy People 2030 and Partners
The suggested intervention resonates with a number of Healthy People 2030 leading indicators. The key ones include consumption of foods with added sugars that result in calorie gain, young individuals with obesity, and increasing cases of diabetes. The project will address these HP 2030 overarching goals: record increased health, ensure more people are free from conditions that are preventable, reduce disparities, and maximize health literacy (Ward et al., 2019). The success of this initiative will depend on the level of participation and involvement of different partners. The first group of professionals will be community and healthcare professionals in the community. The second one would be educators and learning institutions (Berge et al., 2018). The third partners will be parents and guardians who will provide incentives and support systems to push the agenda forward. Finally, medical facilities will be included to support the future sustainability of the program.
Proposed Budget
The anticipated grant funding of 50,000 US dollars will ensure that the program is successful. The funds will be broken down as follows to support the entire exercise and eventually ensure that positive results are eventually recorded:
Evaluation and Future Plans
Continuous evaluation is necessary to ensure that the program is capable of delivering meaningful results. The project will have a manager who will be appointed by the involved medical professionals. The manager will liaise with all followers and encourage them to provide timely feedback and reviews. The professional will also institute proper mechanisms for communicating with parents, children, and educators to gather the relevant information. This expert will then match the findings with the outlined goals to ensure that they are acceptable. Proper adjustments and improvements will be considered throughout the process. Finally, the introduced intervention will be sported to become a norm in the community. Medical facilities and learning institutions will receive educational materials for guiding all community members and students about the dangers of childhood obesity and how to stay healthy.
Conclusion
The proper intervention is evidence-based in nature and is informed by a specific problem recorded in the selected community. Childhood obesity is a manageable condition that is responsible for additional health problems. The involvement of all key partners will make the budgetary allocation plausible and help the Elmhurst community address the identified problem of childhood obesity. The effort will also help meet some of the outlined HP 2030 goals.
References
Berge, J. M., Fertig, A., Tate, A., Trofholz, A., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2018). Who is meeting the Healthy People 2020 objectives?: Comparisons between racially/ethnically diverse and immigrant children and adults. Family, Systems, & Health, 36(4), 451-470. Web.
Dwicaksono, A., Brissette, I., Birkhead, G. S., Bozlak, C. T., & Martin, E. G. (2018). Evaluating the contribution of the built environment on obesity among New York state students. Health Education & Behavior, 45(4), 480-491. Web.
Healthy People 2030. (2021). Overweight and obesity. Web.
Smith, J. D., Fu, E., & Kobayashi, M. A. (2020). Prevention and management of childhood obesity and its psychological and health comorbidities. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 16, 351-378. Web.
Tackling obesity in 2020—With a great resolution comes shared responsibility. (2020). The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology, 8(2), 89. Web.
Ward, Z. J., Bleich, S. N., Cradock, A. L., Barrett, J. L., Giles, C. M., Flax, C., Long, M. W., & Gortmaker, S. L. (2019). Projected U.S. state-level prevalence of adult obesity and severe obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381(25), 2440-2450. Web.
Williams, S. E., & Greene, J. L. (2018). Childhood overweight and obesity: Affecting factors, education and intervention. Journal of Childhood Obesity, 3(2), 1-7. Web.