Community Health Strategies

According to Lee and McConville (Aug, 2007) the inception of Healthy People, started in the late 1970's, focuses attention on health disparities that are prevalent throughout the United States. This paper is regarding the indicators of Healthy People 2010 and will describe the community health issue of obesity. This essay will describe the issue, the reason this problem was selected, and the factors contributing to the dilemma. It will also integrate Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring and how her theory can be used to care for the overweight patient and community.

Since it's beginning in 1979, Healthy People has and is drawing attention on serious health problems in the United States. According to Healthy People 2010 website, the new objectives are set for the nation to achieve over the first decade of the new century. The goals specifically set are increase quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities. "The first goal of Healthy People 2010 is to help individuals of all ages increase life expectancy and improve their quality of life" (HealthyPeople, 2010). The second goal encompasses health disparities, one of which is obesity. In a recent study Rodriguez, Burg, and Brown (2006) are quoted as stating "one in two Americans will be overweight or obese in their lifetime". This statement is based on the body mass index (BMI). The BMI is the calculation of weight divided by height. If the results are greater than 30% than the individual is defined as obese. Although obesity is a difficult problem, the trouble is that it often leads to other health complications such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arthritis, and complications of childbirth and surgery. Rodriguez, et al states that the problems of obesity costs healthcare $117 billion annually and is only surpassed by tobacco use as a preventable cause of death in the United States. Although the United States is one of the "fattest" nations in the world, according to Shikora (July, 2005) it is estimated that 1.7 billion people worldwide are obese. "Worldwide, it has been estimated to cause over 2.5 million deaths" (Shikora, 2005). Many of these deaths can be prevented. Obesity can sneak up on a person easily in today's society of sedentary behaviors. "Reliance on energy-saving devices such as cars and on sedentary lifestyles such as television viewing and computer use increase with urban living and increasing socio-economic status" (Anand, 2006). Anand continues to say that interventions on a personal level takes long-term commitment to resist lifestyles that promote obesity and that community programs to reduce the problem requires leadership at local and government levels. Lee and McConville (2006) state that in California obesity is on the rise due to high caloric intake and sedentary lifestyles, particularly in Hispanics and African Americans women. This increases the cases directly associated with diabetes, which is the seventh on causes of death in California.

Jean Watson views health as a continual adaptation process between physical, social, aesthetic, mind, spiritual, and morals. Congruence between these aspects leads to harmony and health.