Health Inequalities: Public Health Issues, Interventions, and Roles

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of public health issues, focusing on health inequalities in the United Kingdom. It begins by outlining the determinants of public health problems, such as income, education, and genetics, and their impact on the prevalence of diseases like HIV/AIDS....Read More

ADDRESSING
HEALTH
INEQUALITIES

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Determinants of public health issues and there prevalence........................................................1
Different public health interventions and national strategies......................................................2
Role and challenges of healthcare professional in preventing and controlling infection............3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their
communities. There are various public health issues which are faced by the world today like
HIV/AIDS, diabetes and many more (Lewis, 2015). Following essay will highlight the current
public health issues like HIV/AIDS in United Kingdom. It focuses on different type of
interventions used for resolving health issues. Essay will also explain the role of statutory bodies
in developing health protection strategies.
MAIN BODY
Determinants of public health issues and their prevalence
Current public health issues in United Kingdom
Public health is basically the art of preventing disease in order to promote human health
through organised efforts and informed choices of society, public- private organisations and
various communities. United Kingdom is surrounded with various public health issues that
includes HIV, AIDS. (Abuse and Administration, 2016.). This disorder have laid a huge impact
on the health and working of an individual living in local areas. It has reduced the physical
efficiency of local public. There are many factors that leads to facing of such diseases in an
individual. HIV/AIDS is one of the major public health issue faced in the local region of United
Kingdom.
It has been analysed that 60% of death in local region of nation is because of -
communicable diseases that includes HIV/AIDS. It can be transmitted because of sexual
interaction or eating food of any infected person. (Gostin and Wiley, 2016). These diseases
severely affect patients body. It reduces their efficiency to work and perform making them ill and
unhealthy. Substance abuse is also one of the reason for public health issues. Teenagers and
young adults are heavily surrounded by it. This is because, they are engaged in sexual interaction
without any protection.
Analysis of population data used to highlight health determinants contributing to current
public health issues
There are various health determinants that contributes to public health issues in United
Kingdom. It has been analysed that 60% of population living in local region are affected by
social and behavioural factors. Main factors that contributes to public health issues are:
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Income and social status: Higher income of an individual in local area leads to better
health. People are suffering from various health issues such as HIV/AIDS because of lower
income and deprive of basic amenities. Also, culture, beliefs and attitude all lay impact on the
public health of people living in United Kingdom. People have no knowledge about spread of
this disease.
Education: Poor health and facing of various public health issues like HIV/AIDS are
because of lower education and knowledge about the early signs and symptoms of diseases. It
can worsen the condition of patient
Physical environment: Local people of region if deprived of safe water and clean air can
suffer from various public health issues like HIV/AIDS. Individual in order to improve their
health outcome should be provided with safe and healthy working conditions (Stanhope and
Lancaster, 2015).
Genetics: It is also one of the major health determinants causing various health issues.
Like for example If an individual have family history of HIV/AIDS than he or she can also suffer
from it.
Different public health interventions and national strategies
Different types of intervention used to address public health issues
Different types of nursing interventions are been used in local region of United Kingdom
in order address public health issues. They are basically utilised in order to improve health
outcome of patients. Various types of interventions like evidence based and community based
are used by healthcare professionals in order to enhance the health outcome of people suffering
from public health issues (Brownson and et.al., 2017). To cure diseases such as HIV/AIDS and
other evidence based practices are been used by nurses. It includes the use of multi-disciplinary
team which includes dietician, psychologist, psychiatrist, healthcare professional and nurses who
are engaged in improving the health outcome of patients.
In order to enhance the problem of public health issues like HIV healthcare professionals
are involved in determining the early signs and symptoms of diseases. They also provide
knowledge and learning to patients about the disease and what medication service users need to
take. These interventions support them in enhancing their health and physical outcome. It makes
service users fit and healthy.
Different types of interventions used to improve health issues on local and national level
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Various types of interventions are been used by healthcare professionals in order to
reduce health inequalities and health problems like HIV/AIDS in local and national public of
United Kingdom. These interventions include the following:
Evidence based practice: It is one of the most important intervention used by nurses in
order to reduce effect of health issues on local and national level. It includes multi-disciplinary
team who are engaged in improving the health outcome of patients suffering from chronic
diseases like HIV. The team is also involved in providing healthy and safe conditions to service
users. Education related to diseases like HIV/AIDS is given to patients.
Screening: This intervention is also been practised by healthcare professionals at local
and national level. It is a set performed on any individual who met the certain criteria of any
disease or disorder. Like for example if patient is been seen with HIV symptom such as pain in
abdomen, fatigue, loss in appetite screening is been done to them.
Vaccination: It is one of the most used public health intervention. Government of United
Kingdom is engaged in providing vaccination to all the public at local and general level suffering
from HIV/AIDS. NGO's are engaged in funding of vaccination. It helps in improving the health
outcome of patients.
Strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of disease in a local community
Various strategies are been used by healthcare professionals in order to reduce the
incidence of disease in local community of United Kingdom. Healthcare professionals guide
patients or service users to involve in eating healthy diet that includes lots of fibre in order to
reduce the incidence of chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS and many more (Rosen, 2015). Nurses
used strategies like utilizing evidence based practice so that to enhance the health outcome of
people of local communities living in United Kingdom. Education related to early sign and
symptom of diseases is also been given to patients or service users. This supports them in
enhancing their health outcome. Patient suffering from HIV/AIDS are also been advised to
engage in physical activities like aerobics, yoga and exercise. This improves the health outcome
of local communities of United Kingdom.
Role and challenges of healthcare professional in preventing and controlling infection
Role of statutory bodies in developing health protection strategies
Department of health, strategic health authorities and local authorities are also engaged in
developing health protection strategies at local and national level in United Kingdom. These
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bodies are engaged in making policies related to health issues in order to improve the health
outcome of patients suffering from various chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS and many more.
Local boards of health are also in charged with the responsibilities for clinical prevention. They
have made strategies like immunization in order to enhance health conditions of patients.
Statutory body revised public health policies and monitors the performance of healthcare
professionals. There are more than antiretroviral drugs which are approved by food and drug
department in order to treat HIV infection. It can reduce the amount of virus in the blood and
body fluids to very low level.
Comparison of the role of different healthcare professionals involved in the prevention and
control of disease.
All healthcare professionals perform different functions in order to improve the health
outcome of patients. It includes the following:
Nurses Dietician Physician assistant
These are engaged in
providing acute care to the
patients who are suffering
from diseases like HIV aids.
For curing it nurses make use
of holistic approach.
Dietician prepare diet charts
for the patients suffering from
chronic disease like
HIV/AIDS.
They try to provide
osteopathic medicine to
patients suffering from
HIV/AIDS.
Nurses make use of evidence-
based knowledge to deliver
safe treatment to HIV patients
They are engaged in
motivating patients to involve
in physical activities for user
suffering from HIV. They also
provide them with diet which
is full of fibre and healthy for
service users (Frumkin, 2016).
Physician assistant provide
patients with emotional
support and provide education
related to disease like
HIV/AIDS.
Ways through which healthcare professional promote infection control
Healthcare professional uses various ways in order to promote infection control related to
HIV/AIDS These ways include the following:
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Environment hygiene and get tested: Healthcare professional suggest local communities
of United Kingdom to keep their environment neat and clean (Infection control, 2017). It is also
important to involve multidisciplinary environmental hygiene teams in meetings regarding
adherence to infection prevention protocols. Also patient should involve in protected sexual
intercourse.
Antibiotic stewardship: In order to control infection, healthcare professionals also
provides patients with antibiotic. These medications are given to service users after analysing
their signs and symptoms related to HIV. This supports nurses in curing it.
CONCLUSION
From the above study, it has been summarised that healthcare professionals has made use
of various strategies related to infection control in order to enhance health outcome of patients.
They have also provided them with education so that service users overcome through diseases
easily and early. Healthcare professionals has also promoted environment hygiene.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Lewis, S., 2015. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice.16(4).pp.473-475.
Abuse, S. and Administration, M.H.S., 2016. 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Rosen, G., 2015. A history of public health. JHU Press.
Brownson, R.C. and et.al., 2017. Evidence-based public health. Oxford university press.
Gostin, L.O. and Wiley, L.F., 2016. Public health law: power, duty, restraint. Univ of California
Press.
Betancourt, J.R. and et.al., 2016. Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for
addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public health reports.
Frumkin, H., 2016. Urban sprawl and public health. Public health reports.
Stanhope, M. and Lancaster, J., 2015. Public health nursing-e-book: Population-centered health
care in the community. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Online
Infection control. 2017. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/10-best-strategies-for-infection-
prevention-and-control.html>.
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