Forum response to students
Research previous Health People initiatives from 2000 and 2010. Track one of the initiatives and monitor its progress over the 10-year period. Prepare a SWOT analysis and discuss your findings in the context of measuring a quality outcome. Do you agree or disagree with the student’s response? Why or why not?
The health care initiatives for 2000 were created to increase the health span of life. To reduce health disparities among Americans and to achieve access to preventive services for all Americans.
Healthy People 2010 initiatives had two overriding goals; to enhance life expectancy and the quality of life, and to eliminate health disparities between different segments of the population, including those relating to gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, disability, living in rural localities, and sexual orientation.
To achieve access to preventive services for all Americans this is what the SWOT analysis showed;
Strength: For preventive care, these are some testing that is available; checking on blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests. Many cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies, and counseling on such topics as quitting smoking are included. Losing weight, eating healthfully, treating depression, and reducing alcohol use, regular well-baby, and well-child visits are also included in this initiative.
Weakness: In 2015, only 8% of Americans 35 and older received all of the clinical services recommended for them and nearly 5% of adults did not receive any of the services, which included screenings, counseling, preventive medications, and vaccinations. Men were more likely than women to have received none of the recommended preventive services. Among the other study findings:
Opportunities: The ACA was intended to expand options for health coverage, reform the insurance system, increase coverage for services (particularly preventive services), and provide a funding stream to improve the quality of services. By any metric, it has been wildly successful. Has it improved coverage? Indisputably, yes. Is there room and opportunity for improvement? Yes.
Threats: The success of the Affordable Care Act will ultimately be measured by how much it reduces the number of uninsured, whether it improves the quality of care and lowers costs, and by its effects on employment and federal and state budgets.
——————————————————————————————————————————–
Research previous Health People initiatives from 2000 and 2010. Track one of the initiatives and monitor its progress over the 10-year period. Prepare a SWOT analysis and discuss your findings in the context of measuring a quality outcome. Do you agree or disagree with the student’s response? Why or why not?
One of the initiatives for Healthy People 2010 was Mental Health and Mental Disorders, the goal was “ Improve mental health and ensure access to appropriate, quality, mental health services.”
Strength: 6 objectives exceeded their targets, one of which was “The proportion of children aged 4-17 years with mental health problems who received treatment (objective 18-7) increased 15% between 2000-2008, from 60% to 69% exceeding the target of 67%” (Control, 2010)
Weakness: Non-Hispanic white adults had the highest (best) rate of treatment for schizophrenia, 63% in 2002. Whereas Hispanic or Latino and non-Hispanic black adults had rates of 42%.
Opportunities: Given the data from 2000-2010, two objectives were added to Healthy People 2020 to continue to monitor and advocate for those with mental illnesses. One was depression screening by primary care providers and to monitor/collect data on the proportion of persons who experience a major depressive episode at some point in their lives.
Threats: People who live in lower socioeconomic areas, or do not participate in the census are not taken into consideration as heavily as those who do not. When collecting data on economic resources and mental health needs, this group is last to participate. This is extremely counterproductive, and this is sincerely the group that needs a voice the most.
