PH 528 Extra Credit

March 4, 2025

The Honorable Joel R. Carter, Jr.

Mississippi State Senator for District 49

Room 215

P.O. Box 1018

Jackson, MS 39215

Dear Senator Carter:

My name is Sherita Dobbins. I am a licensed practical nurse (LPN) working in a local health department in Monroe County, MS. I am writing to express my position on House Bill Number 116, providing for the inclusion of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-specific education into the existing public health programs: PH 528 Extra Credit.

The bill is co-authored by Representative Lee Yancey of the 74th District, Representative Beth Luther Waldo of the 15th District, Representative Otis Anthony of the 31st District, and Representative Jeff Haley of the 24th District, with Yancey being the principal author. The bill sailed through the house vote and has currently been to the Public Health and Welfare Committee of the Senate. I support the bill and would like to see its enactment.

Supporting the integration of Alzheimer’s and dementia-specific education into public educational programs contributes to health preservation in the state. Foremost, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are an emerging healthcare concern in Monroe County and Mississippi at large. They are responsible for many American deaths. They have also been associated with increased debilitation and morbidity.

According to the CDC, Mississippi ranks first in the number of deaths attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia (Aranda et al., 2021). With a growing prevalence of dementia, there is a need to postulate measures that will ensure public health protection against the illnesses. Comprehensive management of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia has traditionally focused on symptomatic control and pharmacotherapy to slow the progression. Notwithstanding, the CDC underlines the significance of early detection in ensuring prompt management and subsequent improvement in the quality of life of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Community educational programs have long been used for capacity development across the lifespan. In the management of chronic illnesses, such as major neurocognitive disorder and Alzheimer’s disease, community education has been associated with a better understanding of the disease processes and better compliance (Aranda et al., 2021).

The proposed bill integrates community education targeting persons with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The bill will reinforce the space of education in public health programs within the state. Supporting it is likely to be beneficial to caregivers and the community in several ways.

Passing the bill is likely to open educational opportunities for all the residents of Mississippi and subsequently translate to improved knowledge. Health education programs help expand individuals’ and communities’ understanding of diverse aspects of diseases. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia-specific education, in this respect, equip individuals and communities with the skills necessary for detecting earlier symptoms of the disease.

Likewise, these programs will enlarge individuals’ capacity toward self-care, as well as elevate their accountability towards healthcare seeking. To persons with the disease, effective self-care often translates to better symptom control and lessened suffering. This underpins the need to expand educational programs on dementia.

Educational programs on dementia are also likely to improve individuals’ and community’s attitudes toward the disease. Dementia, alongside other psychiatric illnesses and neurocognitive disorders, has long been subject to stigmatization and discrimination. Poor attitudes toward these illnesses have been associated with poor healthcare-seeking behavior, compounding the health impacts of the diseases. The presence of educational programs will help enlighten communities on the disease process.

It may also improve acceptance of the disease, thereby lessening apparent discrimination and stigmatization against dementia. At the patient level, this will translate to better healthcare-seeking and enhanced quality of life. At the societal level, it may increase the number of Mississippi residents who voluntarily consume screening and care services for dementia. This further underlines the need to pass the bill.

Integration of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia education into community programs is also likely to improve communication processes with persons diagnosed with dementia. Fragmented communication with persons diagnosed with dementia has been associated with their debilitation and suffering. In the absence of proper communication practices and channels, patients are unlikely to voice their concerns, provide meaningful feedback on their care processes, and help coordinate the care delivered to them.

Community education empowers patients with dementia, healthcare providers, and other members to communicate freely about the disease. Also, individuals can learn the best communication practices that can help address any identified gaps. This further affirms the need to pass the bill.

Community education also has profound benefits on the disease management process and prognosis of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Villars et al. (2021) note that educating persons with dementia on the course of the disease improves their knowledge of the protective factors against the disease. In this respect, educational program that covers the risk factors and the indicators of the associated complications are likely to enhance patient’s accountability to the care processes. In the pursuit of health and wellness among patients with dementia, reinforcing community programs targeted at educating them is warranted.

As concerns about the wellness of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia continue to arise, community educational intervention focused on the illnesses remains crucial. Progressive policies that further these educational interventions are thus warranted. The Senate, through its committee, plays a role in improving the care environment of persons with dementia. Accordingly, your support for this bill is important.

Not supporting the bill may have several consequences for the people of Monroe County and the state at large. Foremost, failure to pass the bill means a missed opportunity in the efforts to improve the care environment for persons with dementia. With the growing prevalence of the disease, issues ingrained in dementia care that can be addressed through educational interventions may persist. This may have profound effects on the patients.

Secondly, not passing the bill may result in the persistence of traditional concerns of stigmatization and discrimination against patients with dementia. This may translate into poor healthcare seeking, fragmented communication with those with the disease, and untoward biases against those with the illness during the care process. In a state where the death rate of Alzheimer-associated deaths is on an upward trend, this inaction may be costly to the healthcare apparatus.

Policymakers play an important role in shaping patient-centered and progressive legislation. In the pursuit of better health and wellness for the residents of Mississippi, especially those with dementia, enacting policies that contribute to their wellness is vital. As the prevalence of patients with Alzheimer’s increases, your voice and vote will go a long way toward elevating the care environment in the state and the wellness of all patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I therefore request you to consider supporting the bill.

I look forward to hearing from you and obtaining your feedback on the bill. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Sherita Dobbins

Address

Phone Number

E-mail Address

References

Aranda, M. P., Kremer, I. N., Hinton, L., Zissimopoulos, J., Whitmer, R. A., Hummel, C. H., Trejo, L., & Fabius, C. (2021). Impact of dementia: Health disparities, population trends, care interventions, and economic costs. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69(7), 1774–1783. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.17345

Villars, H., Cantet, C., de Peretti, E., Perrin, A., Soto-martin, M., & Gardette, V. (2021). Impact of an educational programme on Alzheimer’s disease patients’ quality of life: Results of the randomized controlled trial therad. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-021-00896-3

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

Extra Credit Assignment (60 points)

PH 528

Introduction: The Mississippi State Legislature was in session in 2024, and the legislative session moved quite quickly, with several bills introduced. These bills were then assigned to committees and are now at various stages- some are waiting to be debated and voted on in the chamber they were introduced, and others have been already been passed in one chamber and sent to the other chamber for a vote.

Directions:

1. Review the bills that were assigned to either the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee (https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/senate_cmtes/ph.xml)
2. or the House Public Health and Human Services Committee (https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/house_cmtes/ph.xml).
3. Select a bill that interests you and review the full text of the bill as well as the history of actions (where it is in the legislative process). The selected bill must be different from the bill you chose for your first assignment in this course. Selecting the same bill seen in your previous assignment will result in a zero grade.

 

4. Write a letter to your state (not federal) representative or senator (whoever is going to vote on the bill next) either in support of or in opposition to the bill. You can find your legislators here. You may use Oxford, MS as your location if you are not from Mississippi.
   

   PH 528 Extra Credit

Letter Format:

• Your draft must fill at least 2 pages.
• Single-spaced, one-inch margins
• 12 pt. Times New Roman font
• Business letter format

Your letter must address the following:

• Introduce yourself, the bill you are referencing, and the stance you support
• Clearly explain why they should support your view
  • Potential benefits if the policymaker supports your view
  • Potential consequences if the policymaker does not support your view
• Elaborate on facts and personal narratives that support what you are asking. Ensure that both are well weaved in together to make a strong stance on the subject matter
• Include references if appropriate
• Ask for a reply and thank them for their time and attention
• Be polite, professional, and positive
• Sample letters here (your letter should be longer and very detailed)

Due Date: Upload your letter to Blackboard as a .doc or .docx file by 11:59 PM on Friday, 3/7.

Note:

• If needed, the client’s hometown is Monroe County, MS