Promoting Positive Outcomes through Targeted Communication within Cultural Groups
Health People 2030 is an initiative created with the primary purpose of ensuring all individuals can achieve their full potential for health and well-being across their life span. The overarching goals of Healthy People 2030 include attaining healthy and thriving lives for every citizen, eliminating health disparity, and ensuring that there is health equity among the population (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). Also, the framework was formed to create a social and physical environment and promote health literacy among all individuals in the United States. The initiative purposed to ascertain that by the end of 2030, healthcare disparity in the United States would have been eliminated, and there would be equity in healthcare delivery.
Healthy People 2030 Topic
Different challenges affect the delivery of health care to the various groups, limiting their access to healthcare. The health disparities are mainly prevalent among the marginalized groups in the United States whose norms and cultures have disadvantaged. Among the main issues that Healthy People 2030 identifies that affect achieving health equity is the lack of poor information technology and communication approaches to create awareness and enlighten the marginalized and minority communities in the United States.
Healthcare access has been a huge challenge for minority and marginalized groups in the United States. These communities include African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska natives, and Pacific Islanders. Such populations have been exposed to healthcare disparities in the United States due to poor communication strategies and lack or poor information technology. These regions have limited finances, and their access to advanced technology is limited. Minority and marginalized groups in the United States are exposed to high levels of unemployment, increasing the degree of poverty. Such ground also lacks health literacy since the challenges provided limit their access to information about their health.
Contrast Causes of Disparities within Populations
The minority groups in the United States are the most vulnerable individuals to disease. According to Pronk et al. (2021), the groups that are most exposed or susceptible to diseases, as per the data provided by the CDC, include African Americans, Asians, Indians, and Hispanics. The high susceptibility of people in minority groups to illnesses depicts that they lack access to healthcare services and health literacy or awareness, unlike other senior groups. With the lack of access to information and sufficient awareness of their health, individuals from these vulnerable groups do not take medical matters with the needed importance (Pronk et al., 2021). Individuals from well-off groups are regarded as the main culture in the United States, while those from economically unstable neighbourhoods with low incomes are classified as underserved communities.
There are variances between the different groups in the U.S. on the causes of health disparity associated with the lack of a communication strategy and information technology. However, the common factor among the groups is the lack of technological equipment or devices for accessing e-health portals and for online discussions about their health matters (Pronk et al., 2021). The internet has advanced to health online. However, individuals from the cultural groups labelled as underserved might not afford devices such as laptops and internet fees required to access health services online. Without the finances to acquire these devices, underserved communities lack information about different diseases, their signs and symptoms, and how they may be treated, prevented, or managed.
On the other hand, wealthy individuals from the superior groups in the United States have enough resources and finances to purchase devices such as laptops and pay for the internet. Such individuals easily access health information online and access e-health portals (Pronk et al., 2021). These advantages make it possible for them to converse with physicians and get the assistance they need. However, even with the finances and resources, some of these persons fail to access healthcare services due to illiteracy and failing to understand the information provided in the e-learning platform.
Proposed Public Health Communication Strategy
The most effective communication strategy proposed to promote health awareness and avert the healthcare disparity in vulnerable populations in the United States entails the use of debates and public campaigns. The administrations in the different states where such vulnerable people are located should use the health ministry to enforce regulations that support healthcare delivery to underserved communities.
Embracing new communications strategies such as Telehealth would be essential for all individuals in the United States, including minorities and the majorities. According to Jackson et al. (2020), Telehealth has proved to be an important healthcare technology conveying health-related services and information via electronic communication and telecommunication technologies. Telehealth has numerous benefits, such as allowing patients to interact with clinicians regardless of their geographical location, remote admissions reminders, health education, monitoring, and other services such as receiving advice from health professionals.
Plan For the Communication
The proposed public health communication strategy is purposed at reducing the health disparity between wealthy groups and underserved communities in the United States. There is various plan process that will need to be followed to lessen the health disparity among the cultural groups.
The first process in the health communication strategy will be public awareness. Awareness will be created for the public through gatherings and radio advertisements to encourage all individuals to register for Medicaid. The next step will entail introducing technological systems, including Telehealth and electronic devices. They will assist the cultural groups living far from healthcare facilities to easily receive healthcare services and the needed information about their health (Jackson et al., 2020). Telehealth technology will conveniently link clinicians and patients to facilitate access to healthcare services, no matter how remote they are (Jackson et al., 2020). A language will be chosen in this plan, so different cultural groups can understand that. The various cultural groups in the United States where health disparity is evident have varying languages, which is a huge barrier to healthcare services (Jackson et al., 2020). A common language will be used in the plan while considering the individuals’ different cultural norms and values. Therefore, while developing a communication plan to deal with the prevailing health disparities, a communication plan that fits the cultural norms and values of the many groups should be utilized to enhance healthcare equity.
Evaluation of Plan
The communication plan will require an assessment to determine its effectiveness in reducing health disparity and ensuring health equity among the different cultural groups. The number of individuals from marginalized and minority groups who attend the public awareness debates will be checked to carry out the evaluation. Also, the number of individuals from different cultural groups who downloaded the Telehealth application and used it will be analyzed. Additionally, the tally of the number of underserved communities who have registered for Medicaid will be determined. A reduction in health disparity is also supposed to increase the population’s health outcomes and reduce the mortality rates of vulnerable individuals. The mortality rate of marginalized and minority people will be assessed over time to determine if there is a positive change.
Targeted Communication for Each Population
African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians will be the best target communication for monitoring the plan’s effectiveness. Awareness will be created among these cultural groups on registering for Medicaid services. In these specific communities, creating Telehealth will also be good targeted communication. The minority groups will be informed on the existing data that shows that they are the most vulnerable people to illnesses, and they, therefore, need to access health services through established e-health portals. Those with resources such as smartphones and who can afford the internet but are illiterate will be educated on how to understand e-health. This will be conducted through radio broadcasts which will happen in varying languages.
Reflection on Learning through the Project
There was a lot of information gathered from this project. One key lesson is marginalized individuals and minorities in the United States cannot access adequate and quality healthcare services. Also, wealthy populations lack the health literacy needed to acquire e-health information despite having all the available resources. I have also received much information about the healthy people 2030 initiative and the overarching goals to be realized (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). However, these challenges can be averted through the communication strategy provided in the paper.
Conclusion
One of the main issues faced by minority and marginalized populations in the United States is the lack of access to health care. Healthy People 2030 has one key goal or objective: providing equal access to healthcare services for all United States citizens. The communication plan provided in the paper provides the best way that can be used to ensure that there is health equity among the different cultural groups in the United States. Equity will be achieved by creating Telehealth, educating individuals to curb health illiteracy, and using public debates to encourage individuals to join Medicaid.
References
Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Access to Health Services – Healthy People 2030 | health.gov. Health.gov. https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/access-health-services
Jackson, D. N., Trivedi, N., & Baur, C. (2020). Re-prioritizing Digital Health and Health Literacy in Healthy People 2030 to Affect Health Equity. Health Communication, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1748828
Pronk, N. P., Kleinman, D. V., & Richmond, T. S. (2021). Healthy People 2030: Moving toward equitable health and well-being in the United States. EClinicalMedicine, 33, 100777. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.100777
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Question
Identify disparities in health among populations for a Healthy People 2030 health issue. For this assignment:
Describe the chosen Healthy People 2030 topic area and specific health issue.
Contrast causes of disparities related to this health issue within populations.
Propose a public health communication strategy to reduce disparity and promote health.
Outline a plan for communication.
Describe an evaluation plan for the communication.
Create targeted communication for each population.
Reflect on learning through this project.