Select one of the age groups discussed in this unit (adolescent, adult, or elderly). Create a community health strategy for dealing with intentional and unintentional injuries (motor vehicle accidents, suicide, or violence).Your response should include information on the morbidity and mortality rates and the key factors associated with the injuries. Your APA-Style essay must be at least two pages in length (not counting the title and reference pages). All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.
The book for this course is Sharma, M., Branscum, P. W., & Atri, A. (2014) Introduction to community and public health. You may use the book as a reference or you may use your own. Make sure writing is in 7th edition APA format. You may select the subject of your choice: adolescent, adult, or elderly, and choose one of the subjects of intentional or unintentional injuries.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: The elderly population is prone to several injuries, both intentional and unintentional, due to physical and cognitive changes that occur with age. Falls, road accidents, and self-harm through suicide are three of the most common types of injuries experienced by the elderly. The morbidity and mortality rates associated with these injuries are relatively high. The purpose of this paper is to create a community health strategy that aims at reducing the burden of intentional and unintentional injuries among the elderly population.
Strategy for dealing with intentional and unintentional injuries among the elderly:
The first step in developing a community health strategy for minimizing the injuries among the elderly is identifying the key factors that contribute to the incidents. Falls account for the highest number of unintentional injuries among the elderly, with statistics showing that up to 80% of hospitalizations for serious injuries in this population result from falls (Rubenstein, 2006). Falls often result from factors such as poor lighting, balance problems, medication side effects, and physical inactivity (Lan & Chang, 2017). Road accidents are the leading cause of intentional injuries among the elderly. Factors that contribute to these injuries include poor vision, cognitive impairments, and slower reaction time (Huisingh et al., 2018). Suicide among the elderly, on the other hand, is often associated with depression, social isolation, chronic pain, and loss of independence or control (Sirey et al., 2008).
The community health strategy should involve several interventions, including public education campaigns, policy changes, and healthcare provider training. For example, a public education campaign on fall prevention should target elderly people, caregivers, and healthcare providers. The campaign can include TV or radio announcements, posters and brochures, and community events such as health fairs. The policy changes should include improving street lighting, road design, and traffic signs, as well as reforming regulations that affect the prescribing of medications to the elderly. Healthcare provider training should focus on reviewing the patients’ medications to determine the potential risk factors for falls, assessing the patients’ homes for hazards, and educating the patients on balance exercises and home modifications.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, intentional and unintentional injuries among the elderly are common and preventable. The key factors that contribute to these injuries include physical and cognitive changes associated with aging, depression, social isolation, medication side effects, and poor lighting. The community health strategy proposed in this paper involves several interventions, including public education campaigns, policy changes, and healthcare provider training, aimed at reducing the burden of intentional and unintentional injuries among the elderly. By implementing this strategy, healthcare stakeholders can significantly improve the quality of life for the elderly population.
References:
Huisingh, C., Levitan, E. B., & Irvin, M. R. (2018). Age-Related Vision Changes and Their Pathologic Consequences for the Elderly. Geriatrics, 3(3), 39.
Lan, T. Y., & Chang, J. S. (2017). Physical activity and falls prevention for the elderly: a review of the effectiveness of community-based programs. Taylor & Francis.
Rubenstein, L. Z. (2006). Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Age and ageing, 35(suppl_2), ii37-ii41.
Sirey, J. A., Bruce, M. L., Carpenter, M., Booker, D., & Reid, M. C. (2008). Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among older adults receiving home-delivered meals. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: A journal of the psychiatry of late life and allied sciences, 23(12), 1306-1311.
