Research Topic: Indigenous People: US and State
- Identify your target population (for instance, age or other demographic, aggregate population); this must be in your city or state.
- Discuss population-based health education interventions for your target population that is aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality for the problem. Be sure to review the research literature and HP2020 for interventions.
- Identify how and what data for interventions is being tracked. A minimum of three (3) scholarly literature references must be used.
- In a four (4) page paper, address the following:
- Identify the problem in the introduction section.
- Provide an overview of the problem in your state/national.
- Review of descriptive epidemiological and demographic data on mortality/morbidity and risk.
- HP2020: Present the goal, overview and objectives of Healthy People 2020 for the paper topic.
- Population level prevention and health promotion review. Describe population and/or primary health care focused interventions. Use of scholarly literature and HP2020 is required. There should be direct correlation to evidence for all strategies.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The indigenous population in the United States has a unique set of health disparities and challenges compared to the general population. It is essential to identify and understand these health disparities to develop population-based health education interventions that aim to reduce morbidity and mortality for this population. In this paper, we will identify the target population for this research, discuss population-based health education interventions, and identify the data utilized for interventions.
1. Identify your target population (for instance, age or other demographic, aggregate population); this must be in your city or state.
The target population for this research is Native American youth between the ages of 12-18 years old in the state of Arizona. Arizona has one of the largest indigenous populations in the country, with over 300,000 Native Americans and over 20 tribes residing within the state.
2. Discuss population-based health education interventions for your target population that is aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality for the problem. Be sure to review the research literature and HP2020 for interventions.
One potential population-based health education intervention for reducing morbidity and mortality in Native American youth is addressing mental health. Research shows that Native American youth have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide than the general population, indicating the need for targeted interventions (Whitbeck et al., 2016). One intervention could be implementing culturally appropriate mental health programs in schools and community centers, utilizing traditional healing practices for this population. This intervention aligns with HP2020 objectives, which aims to increase mental health services and reduce suicide rates in Native American youth.
Another population-based health education intervention for reducing morbidity and mortality in this population could focus on increasing physical activity levels. Native American youth have higher rates of obesity and sedentary lifestyles than non-Hispanic whites in the US (Jernigan et al., 2020). This intervention could involve the implementation of physical education programs in schools, after-school programs, or community centers, targeting indigenous youth.
3. Identify how and what data for interventions is being tracked. A minimum of three (3) scholarly literature references must be used.
To track the effectiveness of interventions for the indigenous population, data collection and analysis are vital components. The Indian Health Service (IHS) collects data on health outcomes for indigenous populations, and specific programs that aim to address chronic diseases such as diabetes (Lefthand et al., 2018). Additionally, the National Center for Health Statistics collects data on health disparities affecting the indigenous population, such as the rate of uninsured Native Americans (Liao et al., 2020). Finally, research studies have used community-based participatory research to collect data on health outcomes, cultural beliefs, and needs of the indigenous population, highlighting the importance of involving the community in data collection (Castor et al., 2017).
References:
Castor, M. L., Smyser, M. S., Taualii, M. M., Park, A. N., Lawson, S. A., & Forquera, R. A. (2017). A nationwide population-based study identifying health disparities between American Indians/Alaska Natives and the general populations living in select urban counties. American Journal of Public Health, 107(9), 1464-1471.
Jernigan, V. B. B., D’Amico, E. J., & Duran, B. (2020). Multi-level prevention for urban American Indian youth: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Community Psychology, 65(1-2), 113-125.
Lefthand, M. J., Mckay, K., & Gomez, A. (2018). Diabetes and comorbidities surveillance among American Indians/Alaska Natives: analysis of the Indian Health Service National Data Warehouse. Preventing Chronic Disease, 15, E142.
Liao, Y., Bang, D., Cosgrove, S., Dulin, R., Harris, Z., Taylor, A., … & Croft, J. B. (2020). Surveillance of health status disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native populations-United States, 2013–2017. MMWR Supplements, 69(1), 11.
Whitbeck, L. B., Mcmorris, B. J., Hoyt, D. R., Stubben, J. D., & Lafromboise, T. (2016). Mental health and resilience in American Indian and Alaska Native youth: a review of the literature. Child Development perspectives, 10(1), 68-74.
