Sentinel Community Health Assessment

Sentinel Community Health Assessment

 Community health assessment entails any examination or health assessment that is restricted within a state, locality, or territory to identify key health needs in that particular selected area of assessment. Further, the concept revolves around conducting broad data collection initiatives, systematic collection of requisite data, and subsequently analyzing the data to effectively establish various aspects that affect the health outcomes in the selected areas. However, in this regard, the essay would examine the risk for infection related to lack of knowledge about micro-organisms that cause infection as a point for community health assessment. One of the vital aspects that have been treated with regrettable contempt is the lack of knowledge about the potential micro-organisms or pathogens that could result in infection among different people in Sentinel City. Disease-causing micro-organisms such as protozoa, viruses, bacteria, worms, and fungi thrive in different conditions just as they also have different impacts on the health of an individual (Abery, 2012). Though not all micro-organisms cause sickness in people, most of the micro-organisms that cause health concerns to rely on vectors to transmit diseases on people, these vectors could be through insects, air people breath, or through contaminated water. After examining the above topic, the paper would highlight the mitigating plans that are in place to effectively ensure such instances are mitigated through eight social determinants of health in relation to Sentinel City

Assessment

Sentinel City has several attributes that do not only make it unique but also worsens the already worsening health situation in the region. For instance, there exist sporadic areas where trash is indiscriminately disposed without taking into account the health concerns that come with such practices. The trash also acts as a source of food for the street families who always scavenge for the leftovers. There is also inadequate training, an aspect that can easily be a breeding place for the pathogens, primarily protozoa, worms, and disease-causing factors such as mosquitoes. The following eight social determinants of health taking to Sentinel City.

Physical Environment

The presence of industrial heights characterized by old and dirty buildings, unkempt streets with trash, and wandering animals expose residence of Sentinel City to risk for infection by pathogens. Residents do not have sufficient knowledge that the presence of such physical unclean industrial heights can lead to pathogen infection. The physical environment is the proximity to toxic waste harmful to people’s health.

Safety and Transportation

Assessment of safety and transportation in Sentinel city is vital to understand the risk of micro-organism infection. In terms of safety, it was observed that the police are found everywhere on the streets, and the physical environment promotes an open field for safety. Nevertheless, the transport system is not well-developed. Patients exposed to pathogen infection may take a long time to reach hospitals due to sparse road networks. Further, community health nurses in the city have difficulty in reaching people to educate them about micro-organism infection due to adverse conditions of roads.

Communication

Communication in Sentinel city is crucial in reducing the risk of pathogen infection due to a lack of knowledge among the residents. In the city, both formal and informal forms of communication are used. According to Mayor Hill, the town allows public health offices to build billboards, streetlights, and signs on the streets, bus stations, and train stations to pass health information to people. Communication systems in Sentinel are active and have helped community health nurses to impart knowledge of micro-organism infection to the public.

Education

From the observation, it is reported that 1.85% of the white and Asian residents of Sentinel city are high school graduates or are in postsecondary. Besides, 70% of Hispanic and Black residents are graduates. This means that the majority of the population are learned and have knowledge about pathogen infection. The level of education in the community has created a professional environment full of health educators to inform individuals of health risks caused by pathogens.

Recreation

In Sentinel city, there are several playgrounds for kids, tennis courts, benches on streets, recreation parks, among others. However, the recreation facilities are not enough to accommodate the increasing population of the city. Many adults, approximately 80%, do not access the facilities hence increasing their chances of pathogen infection (Abery, 2012).  Besides, the facilities are not clean and safe, containing disease-causing micro-organisms.

Politics and government

Australian Government Department of Health (2010) points out that the political arena of Sentinel city is stable; however, the government is not doing enough to ensure sanity in the streets. As observed, unsanitary street conditions present environmental hazards such as decomposing wastes, smoke, residual chemicals, and sewage. This waste contains disease-causing micro-organisms and therefore exposing residents to health risks. The government health authorities should be aware that filthy streets increase the risk of pathogen infections.

Health and Social services

One of the most critical determinants of health status in a community is the quality of health facilities and service providers. In Sentinel city, health facilities still require improvement to provide quality health services. Social services such as food subsidies, fire services, community health training, housing, and research and community management need be improved to foster knowledge sharing in the community (National Association of School Nurses, 2017). Such services would make Sentinel city a knowledge-based town whereby people are informed of the risk of pathogen infection.

Economy

Even though the Sentinel economy is growing, it is still at its infant phase.  It requires economic support from the government to conduct health research that can foster the prevention of disease caused by pathogens.  This will reduce health care costs by a significant percentage.

Diagnosis

In this assessment, the primary diagnosis in Sentinel City is the risk for infection relayed to insufficient knowledge to avoid pathogens. The risk for infection related to a lack of knowledge about micro-organisms that cause disease as a point for Sentinel community health assessment. One of the vital aspects that have been treated with regrettable contempt is the lack of knowledge about the potential micro-organisms or pathogens that could result in infection among different people in Sentinel City. Disease-causing micro-organisms such as protozoa, viruses, bacteria, worms, and fungi thrive in different conditions just as they also have different impacts on the health of an individual

Plan and Evaluation

The major plan to save the city from a lack of sufficient knowledge about micro-organism infection is to conduct a community health awareness campaign. Training programs that comprehensively explains the risk of pathogen infection and exposure need to be conducted in the community.

Further, the health ministry should provide funds to build more health facilities, health research institutions, and healthcare training facilities to increase the public’s knowledge concerning pathogen infection. Efficient and reliable communication and transport systems are necessary around Industrial Heights to support the health care system.  Lastly, more community health care nurses need to be deployed in Sentinel city to increase the level of pathogen infection awareness and other health-related issues.

References

National Association of School Nurses. (2017). Sexual Health Education in Schools. Retrieved November 10, 2019, from https://www.nasn.org/advocacy/professional-practice-documents/position-statements/ps-sexual-health

Australian Government Department of Health. (2010, November). Rubbish and disease. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch4~ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l-ch4.2

Abery, B. (2012, August). Social Inclusion Through Recreation: What’s the Connection? Retrieved November 24, 2019, from https://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/162/