Promoting Health and Preventing Diabetes in Whitley Case Study

Comprehensive assignment on diabetes prevention in Whitley, highlighting health promotion strategies, community engagement, and nursing interventions. Available at Rapid Assignment Help.

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Introduction

Health and illness prevention are part of key components of nursing practice according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code (2018). The Code points out that the core competencies of professional nursing include providing effective nursing care, maintaining safety, and acting professionally across all arenas about the health and safety of the public (Barber 2022). This paper examines health promotion and disease prevention in the Whitley community of Reading and a specific case study is diabetes. Diabetes is a long-term disease that affects a patient’s quality of life and it is one of the main global healthcare challenges. Understanding its incidence in this location enables the identification of ways of reducing this public health issue to a specific level.

Promoting Health and Preventing Diabetes in Whitley Case Study
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Christian Wise
Christian Wise 4 reviews 7 Years | PhD

Diabetes is of major concern in the United Kingdom, and its prevalence is on the rise. Some of the known causes include harmful diets, sedentary lifestyles, and differential affluence. In Whitley people, there are lots of fast foods and few fresh foods, which make people eat unhealthy foods most of the time. Community health involves providing support for wishes, knowledge, and care, the role of nurses is critical to empower people at risk, preach to change their unhealthy behaviors, and help them find good healthcare services when needed (Dahlgren and Whitehead 1991). This is in line with the principles of the NMC standards where the promotion of health and well-being across the life course also incorporates communication as well as public and stakeholder relations. In other ways, through their often proactive identification of health risks, and their work to increase community preparedness, nurses help decrease health inequalities and enhance health for everyone.

Background

For students exploring health and wellbeing within diverse communities like Whitley, understanding definitions, health profiles, and socio-economic determinants can be complex. Seeking professional assignment writing help can provide clear guidance on analyzing health risks, interpreting community data, and presenting well-structured assessments effectively.

Definition of Health and Wellbeing

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease or pathology (WHO, 1948). This broad view has been dominant for decades in managing health promotion and public health interfaces. It accepts that health is more complex than the simple absence of disease providing a better concept of well-being. Therefore, this definition can be used as a reference point for the assessment of health at the personal and community levels. Nevertheless, it has been argued that the book is about its subject fully such that it only offers an ideal picture of how things should be and is impossible to put into practice (www.who.int).

Another definition is from the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) wherein health promotion defines health as, the process by which people can increase control over the determinants of their health and thereby improve their ability to enjoy full, healthy lives. This interpretation changes its perspective, more in the direction of health as a tool to meet life objectives or as a process constantly subject to self and collective responsibility (Whitley et al. 2020). The potency of this definition when compared to the WHO’s fixed model is the fact that it takes into consideration the socio-economic and ecological dimensions and thus has a practical orientation. However, the idea of the WHO gives simply relative points of view and does not produce an accurate view of the concept of health promotion, compared to the Ottawa Charter perspective of HC, which focuses on strict PP for the improvement of the health of the populace (www.who.int).

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Importance of Health Profiles

These imply the health statuses of a population and can be best described as the health profiles for a given population. They gather information on population characteristics, behaviors, physical, social, and economic environments, and diseases and illnesses in a particular community to provide a health profile of the people in that community. It assists in finding out common health threats, as well as choosing strategies for action and funding priorities. For example, through the ensuing health profiles, policymakers and healthcare managers can identify incidences of chronic diseases such as diabetes and then, design relevant preventive mechanisms.

Besides new health risks, health profiles are used to assess social determinants of health such as education income, and housing among others. These factors play a role that impacts the health of people and communities in society (Moran et al. 2021). In as much as health profiles give an account of the said determinants in an exploration manner, they allow for early intervention in dealing with the disparities and facilitating equal use of health services. In Whitley, therefore, information on the diet, physical activity, and availability of healthcare services may be used to develop plans for containing diabetes and promoting healthier living.

Context of Whitley

A suitable context from which to analyse and understand health issues particularly as related to diabetes is Whitley, a residential locality in Reading. Whitley has recently become a culturally and economically diverse populated area and due to those factors, the people of Whitley are exposed to certain types of health risks depending on the environment and living conditions of the area (Moran et al. 2021). Poor diet is further exacerbated by easy access to fast foods and limited options for quality, fresh, and cheap fruits and vegetables. Moreover, the few and often inaccessible recreation open spaces and fitness centers reduce the chance of exercising and preventing such diseases as obesity, diabetes, etc.

Whitley is a suburb of Reading in Berkshire which is the multicultural percentage that defines the health of the populace in Whitley. The population is characterized by different age structures and is mainly middle-aged people with working capacities and young families (Naidoo and Wills 2016). By census records on the local population, the people in Reading are relatively young as the median age is around 34 years. Ethnically too, Whitley has a good representation of South Asian and Black people, populations that are most likely to have such predisposing factors to diabetes as compared to other ethnic populations.

Community Profile

Demographics

Educational achievement as well as employment patterns of the households in Whitley affect the standard of living of its people. Despite, there are some areas of disadvantage, most of the population in the area works in low-wage employments, including the manual workforce. Level of education also differs: some do not hold any educational qualification that reduces their ability to secure a higher paid employment or health literate workforce. All these forms of socioeconomic factors play out agendas that affect consumption patterns in terms of bodies, healthcare, and prevention methods (www.gov.uk).

Health Status

Physical Health: Obesity and diabetes are on the rise in whitely thus, it is an excellent place to consider for starting a project. Besides, the data at the national and subnational levels indicate higher levels of Physical inactivity and adverse nutrition status among the people in the low SEP neighborhood. In Whitley for instance the risks of gaining excess weight are increased by the fact that fast foods are easily accessible while fresh fruits and vegetables are not easily accessible. A sedentary lifestyle coupled with limited access to recreation facilities for such diseases as obesity and diabetes.

Mental Health: The resource data explain that mental health in Whitley depends on enough work, less unemployment, the quality of houses, and the stress due to socioeconomic factors. The studies show that people living in some places have below-average rates of life satisfaction and increased levels of anxiety and stress (Yang et al. 2022). These features were escalated in Ohio in cases where accessible mental health services, as well as community engagement initiatives, are wanting.

Social Wellbeing: Family, neighbors, and friends or community play an important role in promoting health and well-being. Free community groups as well as support systems are available within Whitley but their extension might not fully cater to general population needs. People’s engagement in social activities, many a time due to perceived or real poverty or cultural restraints hinders the realization of social attributes to combat ailments.

Environmental Factors

Accessibility to Fresh Foods vs. Prevalence of Fast Food: It can be seen that Whitley has a great disparity between fast food consumption and the availability of healthy food. Excessive availability of fast food entrepreneurs’ chain restaurants most particularly among the low-income earners is dangerous to their health (Grundlingh et al. 2022). On the other hand, the options for affordable food are very limited, which worsens such diseases as diabetes due to the consumption of stale food.

Availability of Green Spaces and Gyms: There is very little of this available in Whitley and those that are available are not affordable when it comes to funding sports facilities. Currently, there are parks and other outside recreational spaces available in Reading but it is important to note that their accessibility from Whitley is discouraged by distance as well as barriers of transport.

Health Risk Analysis

Prevalence

Diabetes is a major health issue in Whitley, as may be seen from national trends in the United Kingdom. It was identified by Public Health England that the rate of type 2 diabetes in Reading is increasing, mainly in the disadvantaged population. Diabetes prevalence in Whitley is higher in ethnic minorities, the South Asian and African Caribbean particularly (Kings Fund 2015). The fats noted above have a propensity to demand insulin and contribute more to insulin-resistant type of diabetes mainly brought about by genotypes mixed with environmental or lifestyle factors. This has exposed the need for relevant health interventions for these groups to help them fight their disease since they cannot rely on a general treatment for an illness.

Causal Factors

Diet: There is a significant correlation between diet and diabetes in Whitley, therefore, it is important to understand the aspect fully. Among the causes of the existing unhealthy nutrition, is possible to include a lack of fresh foods in the community’s stores (Kings Fund 2015). Fast foods are easily available and due to scarce demand for healthier foods, calorie-supplemented but nutrient-devoid meals are easily available and accepted even by low-income earners including ever-bus mothers. Such an environment encourages the consumption of processed foods, and obesity is a leading cause of type-2 diabetes.

Physical Inactivity: Another major cause of diabetes in Whitley is also lack of physical activity. There are very few or none at all green areas and recreation centers that foster physical activities. Existing parks and open areas may hardly be put to use because of insecurity or lack of fumigation services among others (Cohen 2015). Similarly, what can be charged for membership in gyms, and local fitness programs is beyond the reach of many of the low-income earners. There are no structures to promote active lifestyles that reduce the prevailing odds of obesity and diabetes within the younger population and the working population.

Cultural and Genetic Factors: It revealed that Whitley has a high rate of ethnic minorities who are more prone to diabetes through both culture and genetics. For example, South Asian diets are an essential part of cultural food patterns, however, they are carbohydrate and saturated-fat-based and predispose them to poor glycemic control if not complemented by exercise (Morteza et al. 2017). Indeed, some organizational-level factors are genetic, like higher levels of central obesity and insulin resistance predict type 2 diabetes in these population groups. Exercise and healthcare participation also differ cross-culturally affecting how these groups view and handle their health risks.

Social Determinants

Lifestyle factors that Whitley patients face, including economic factors and educational attainment, are powerful predictors of diabetes complications. Inadequate funds for food or health care is a major problem, which some people within the various residential areas experience. Such households are more likely to choose cheap and easy options which most times have undesirable nutritional values than to choose expensive and time-consuming healthy meals.

This is because educational attainment also comes into play since the residents lack adequate health literacy to help them appreciate the need to embrace any preventable measure, or even detect the onset of diabetes (Kings Fund 2021). There is also low sensitization from people about the importance of exercising, a balanced diet, and frequent health checkups to compound the situation. These social determinants therefore lead to poor health behaviors and health status which is phase and the effects are more exacerbated in such disadvantaged communities in Whitley.

Health Promotion Strategies

Dietary Interventions

There is a need to encourage Whitley residents to eat a healthy diet to help them lower the odds of developing diabetes. Community programs are equally beneficial when it comes to creating specialties of relatively balanced diets and the lifelong consequences of abusing them. Nurses for instance can involve themselves in conducting health professionals, cooking, and other classes that can help the residents to prepare good meals at cheap prices. These can also be aimed at families and persons who belong to a higher-risk group, for example, persons with poor health literacy or those who have diabetes (www.gov.uk).

Physical Activity

The promotion of physical activity is a regular practice in the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus. Using green parks and open spaces by involving walking groups or fitness programs can help fill the lack of physical exercise through the provision of free resources (Kings Fund 2020). They also help create that togetherness while at the same time addressing the aspect of health and fitness. Examples include ‘Park Runs’ or weekly walking challenges can encourage the community members irrespective of age to be more active physically.

Community Engagement

Of the three, cultural and social factors are pertinent to health behaviors targeting a specific community, and hence require community involvement. Assisting local agencies, religious and cultural centers, and entities helps healthcare specialists deliver treatment and care options that are appropriate and appealing to various populations in Whitley (Morteza et al. 2017). For instance, while providing dietary information ethnic minorities could incorporate some of the local recipes in the food plan while improving their health value.

Public Health Policies

The strategies essential for a successful health promotion program must comply with the prevailing public health policies. The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, or the NHS DPP for short, is a highly structured (Server response) For patients at high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, the NHS DPP provides a means of education, behavior change, and support. Making more people at Whitley aware of the existence of this NHS DPP will thus assist the residents to be able to embrace such services and position themselves on a positive health status.

Conclusion

Multi-sector utilization datasets are important for evaluating health, and providing health information about the demography, social, and physical characteristics of a community. Still, its data can be outdated or it might not account for all cultural differences in the process, for example. More information on present residents’ health habits, alongside their ability to gather further resources in the area, could further shed more light on Whitley’s difficulties.

Whitley’s custom-made strategies, such as dietary education physical activity programs, and community activities, can efficiently prevent diabetes. Nurses have a central role in the delivery of these strategies working as educators, advocates, and carers. It is therefore important for people to be minded in the fight against health inequalities, for the promotion of health status, and in the enhancement of the health of various communities.

Reference List

Journals

  • Barber, C., 2022. Spirituality and the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants, 16(12), pp.558-562.
  • Cohen, D (2015) Health Economics, in, Naidoo, J and Wills, J. (3rd edition) (2015) Health Studies, London, Macmillan: 377-399.
  • Dahlgren, G. and Whitehead, M. (1991). Policies and strategies to promote social equity in health. Stockholm: Stockholm Institute for Future Studies.
  • Grundlingh, N., Zewotir, T.T., Roberts, D.J. and Manda, S., 2022. Assessment of prevalence and risk factors of diabetes and pre-diabetes in South Africa. Journal of Health, population and Nutrition, 41(1), p.7.
  • Kings Fund (2020 and 2022). What are health inequalities? Available at https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/what-are-health-inequalities (Accessed on 16.02.22)
  • Kings Fund (2021). My role in tackling health inequalities: a framework for allied health professionals. Available at https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/tackling-health-inequalities-framework-allied-health-professionals (accessed on 23.02.22)
  • Moran, V., Blanchette, J., Whitley, H., Pillion, D., Albritton, A. and Israel, H., 2021. Changes in attitudes toward diabetes in nursing students at diabetes camp. Public Health Nursing, 38(4), pp.579-587.
  • Morteza et al., (2017). Conceptual Models of Social Determinants of Health: A Narrative Review. Iran J Public Health, Vol. 46, No. 4, Apr 2017, pp.435-44
  • Naidoo, J and Wills, J (2016) Health Promotion: Foundation for practice. London: Elsevier Book: health promotion for nurses https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework
  • The King’s Fund (2015) Broader determinants of health. Available at: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/time-to-think-differently/trends/broader-determinants-health
  • Whitley, H.P., Smith, W.D., Hanson, C. and Parton, J.M., 2020. Interdisciplinary speed dating augments diabetes self-management education and support to improve health outcomes. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(11), pp.2305-2311.
  • World Health Organization (WHO) Social Determinants of health. Available on https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1 (Accessed on 07.02.22)
  • Yang, K., Liu, Z., Thong, M.S., Doege, D. and Arndt, V., 2022. Higher incidence of diabetes in cancer patients compared to cancer-free population controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancers, 14(7), p.1808.

Websites

  • Public Health England Chapter 6: social determinants of health. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-profile-for-england/chapter-6-social-determinants-of-health (accessed on 07.02.2022)
  • World Health Organization (2016) Health inequality and inequity, Glossary of terms used, 2. F-P. Available at: http://www.who.int/hia/about/glos/en/index1.html (accessed: 01 July 2015) (GOV UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-profile-for-england-2018/chapter-5-inequalities-in-health)

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