COMMUNITY HEALTH AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

B Community Health Nursing Statement of the Problem

In North America, there is a rising number of people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular complications because of poor eating practices, and lack of working out. My target group is middle-aged Americans between the ages of 40-60 years. My focal point tailors towards encouraging these adults to live a healthy life by eating healthy dishes and being involved in physical activities. This study is conducted in Dade County in Miami, Florida.

B1 Health Disparity

Dade County is among the 67 Counties in the State of Florida and is ranked fifth in terms of health. With the high ranking comes disparities in income among the target group I studied, which directly affects the health of the population. Low earnings and poverty have an equivocal relationship with health complications such as obesity. Another disparity is food availability, whereby in low-income areas, people are likely to access unhealthy food such as fast foods, which links to obesity. People in the low income category cannot afford to subscribe to gym membership, thus, lack of exercise can accelerate heath issues like being overweight. Transport disparity is also prevalent; families that do not own a car buy food in bulk and refrigerate it for long, which is not healthy.

B1a Primary Community and Prevention Resources

Dade County boasts of farmer’s markets though most of them do not accept credit cards and are open on a particular day for a specific number of hours. There are grocery stores across the County, and some are walking distances from the house. Discount stores are rare in low-income areas, and this means that the population in these areas, which accounts for almost 10% of Dade County are vulnerable to obesity and other lifestyle diseases.

B1b Underlying Causes

These causes are due to low wages, which consequently means access to healthy foods and lifestyles is not a guarantee. Foods that are available to poor people are high in calories. In small income areas, there are no open public parks, and where parks are accessible, overcrowding is rampant.

B2 Evidence-Based Practice

Over-weight people are at risk of contracting chronic diseases such as heart-related complications and diabetes. Healthy People, 2020’s objective is to encourage healthy eating and reduce the chances of persistent sicknesses (Healthy People, 2020). In return, since fewer people seek medical attention the government saves billions of Dollars. Studies conducted show a high relationship between income and obesity.

B2a Identification of Data

As stated by the CDCs Department of Nutrition, 67.4% of Dade County adult population is obese, and that of high school going students stands at 13% (Natale, et al, 2014). Unhealthy eating and avoiding physical activities is the main contributor. Only 22.1% of adults in Dade County achieve the National Government’s requirement for vegetable and food intake. Dade has executed several measures, such as installing 234 bicycle ranks and rehabilitating park recreation facilities.

C1 Social Media Objective

My social media strategy focuses on educating adults in the age bracket of 40-60 years in Dade County. The objective is to teach them how they can live a healthy lifestyle by avoiding foods that are not healthy and have high calories, and embrace healthy diets and regular physical activities like a morning jog or bike riding.

C2 Social Marketing Intervention

I will work with Facebook and YouTube for my marketing intercession by encouraging healthy living and workouts. By giving tips on good eating practices, this group of people will make an informed choices. I will have a workout plan, which will run for 45 minutes twice a week and expand moderately

C3 Description of Social Media Platform

Using YouTube, which is a video sharing platform, I will reach my audience precisely. While working out, people prefer to associate with videos since they are less judged. Emotions of the instructor on the video and the audience are connected. By using Facebook, I will give supplementary advice on diet and try to liaise with food companies so that I can reach more people. Creating YouTube videos with appealing videos and music that attracts my target group will be a plus. I will track the traffic flow on both Facebook and YouTube and make necessary adjustments.

C3a Benefits of Selected Social Media Platform

Setting up Facebook and YouTube is free, and I will connect through videos and photos. The broadcasts are trusted because all the work out sessions are not only described but illustrated. With a customized page and channel, no false information will be added. Feedback is instant in terms of likes and comments

C4 Benefits of Target Population

My focus is on adults between 40-60 years from Dade County, and they will benefit from free work out sessions, which will broadcast on my YouTube channel. Photos and guidelines that I will post on my Facebook page on healthy living and the recommendations will benefit my audience.

D Best Practices for Social Media

When using social networks, our ethos must be high. When posting on these sites, I will be truthful with my posts and all related information to avoid further complications of my audiences’ health. I will keep away from controversial pictures and information.

E1 Stakeholder Rules and Regulations

Being the major stakeholder, I will be responsible for posting all the videos, pictures, and information on my social networks. I will also be responsible for all responses and requests made by people. Good and up to date information is under my control. Also, my target group will be stakeholders because without involving them my project will fail. Involving my group as stakeholders will boost the integrity of my program. As associates, the group will help me in running the daily activities and can authorize changes to the program.

E2 Potential partners

The potential of this project is high, and I will consider partnering with established social networking services that focus on obese people such as CalorieKing website. It will help these adults achieve long term cuts in weight since we shall be having physicians during our interactions. Working with local gyms is a good idea so that we may reach a broader population

E3 Implementation Timeline

Setting up a Facebook page and YouTube channel is free and should take an hour. I will make them public and invite friends to join and later ask them to refer adults between 40-60 years including their parents. After 2-4 weeks I will conduct a valuation requesting respondents to suggest on changes that we can implement. I will repeat this survey quarterly up to the first anniversary. Necessary changes will take place depending on the feedback I get from respondents. The survey will not include everyone, but only my target group. The survey will be conducted through phone interviews and online surveys.

E4 How to Evaluate Effectiveness

The views and likes are not an accurate picture of the audience’s feelings; therefore, going through Facebook comments, I will get the accurate picture and make the necessary improvements. Nowadays, social networks have features that can be used to undertake surveys in a short period, thus regular valuations can assist in gauging whether the social networks are effective. Also, together with other stakeholders, we shall organize an event which we shall attend to see how attendees heard about the event. Increase in membership of these networks and more people shopping in farmers markets can show effectiveness.

E5 Cost of Implementation

The cost of setting up these social sites is free. My first advertising method is by inviting friends who will refer their parents to my sites. As time moves by, I will use mainstream media such as TV and radio. It will cost me between $20-500, taking into consideration how frequent the advertisement will be. Since I cannot make all the phone surveys, I will hire 3 employees on contract basis earning a minimum wage of $11 working for 3 hours per day for 5 days. Total cost of implementing this program will be $3000

F Reflection on Social Media Marketing

Social network sites are useful communication tools. Messages and responses are instant; almost all institutions use these sites. 71% of Americans are on Facebook (Perrin, 2018). The platform is the best to set in motion a project to help over-weight people. I will apply this drive by using proof-based practices to obtain data that I will share with my target group. For example, I can use social networks to give live updates on healthy eating and answer questions related to diet.

F1 How Social Media will apply in Nursing

I will use YouTube to convey trending obese topics by implementing practices that are backed by real-time data from my surveys and my patients. Information I collect will be used on family and colleagues to encourage them on the benefits of healthy living. Health is a field that changes on a regular basis and as a nurse I will use social platforms to convey these changes to people. For example, I will encourage people to exercise rather than use drugs which might have side effects on their bodies.

REFERENCES

Morrissey, T. W., Hutchison, L., & Winsler, A. (2014). Family income, school attendance, and academic achievement in elementary school. Developmental psychology, 50(3), 741.

Natale, R., Page, M., & Sanders, L. (2014). Nutrition and physical activity practices in childcare centers versus family childcare homes. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(5), 327-334.

US Department of Health and Human Services, & Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2014). Healthy People 2020. Washington, DC.

Perrin, A. (2018). Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook. Pew Research Center, 5.