Topic Description
Childhood obesity is an issue of great public health concern globally. A higher than normal body mass index (BMI) in children is a diagnosis of this condition. Obesity in childhood has multiple causes and is associated with a variety of health risks. The primary etiologies include unhealthy dietary behavior, inadequate physical activity levels, and genetics (CDC, 2016). The debate on childhood obesity revolves around effective interventions to reduce the predisposing factors. As such, a myriad of public health programs exist, which focus on healthier school meals, lifestyle behavior modification, parental/community involvement, etc. These interventions have achieved variable levels of success because, in my opinion, they are fragmented and uncoordinated. They exclusively focus on children and ignore other critical actors – including parents, peers, the media, etc. – that influence childhood behavior. Integrated efforts to tackle the physical, social, and economic aspects of the child’s environment could result in better outcomes.
Research Questions
The ideas stated above will be developed using the following research questions:
- How effective are the current public health interventions in decreasing childhood obesity in the US?
- Which socioeconomic factors increase the obesity risk in children?
- Which class disparities exist in childhood obesity prevalence?
- How might multidisciplinary approaches and partnerships between various actors promote childhood obesity outcomes?
- What are the public health consequences of the childhood obesity problem?
Research Purpose
Childhood obesity is an important topic for the academic inquiry to address gaps in policy interventions. In spite of sustained policy efforts aimed at achieving lower BMI in children, the obesity problem continues to persist. Thus, an examination of this topic is required to bolster the scientific evidence that will inform the formulation and adoption of better interventions. I can personally relate to the problem of childhood obesity having had obese relatives and friends as a child. It was such a pity seeing them struggle with breathing difficulties, anxiety, low self-esteem, and bullying, which affected their grades and social lives.
By writing about the childhood obesity issue, I will gain insights into the known risk factors, lifestyle recommendations and programs, and examples of multidisciplinary initiatives. I would want readers to understand why the childhood obesity problem continues to persist in spite of multiple public policy interventions. I would like families, schools, peers, policymakers, and media outlets to collaborate on tackling the underlying biological, cultural, and socioeconomic factors that increase the obesity risk in children.
Preliminary Research
Childhood obesity is associated with various physical and psychosocial health complications. It increases the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, respiratory conditions, adult obesity risk, etc. (Caballero, Vorkoper, Anand, & Rivera, 2017). Its psychosocial consequences may include low self-esteem, bullying, and low quality of life. Policy interventions for this problem often include lifestyle changes – diet and physical activity – at a personal, school, and community levels (Pandita et al., 2016). This information is provided in the academic summaries of the two articles below.
Pandita, A., Sharma, D., Pandita, D., Pawar, S., Tariq, M., & Kaul, A. (2016). Childhood obesity: Prevention is better than cure. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, 9, 83-89. Web.
This article argues that given the implications of childhood obesity on the public health care system, novel interventions are required to address this problem. The key subtopics examined include obesity, its diagnosis and prevention, reasons to address overweight in children, behavior therapy, and current pediatric therapies. An example of the obesity-reduction interventions implemented with obese children that is described in the article is the Biofeedback Enhanced Lifestyle Intervention. Under this program, children are trained to feed only when hungry (i.e., when blood glucose is <85 mg/dL). Another technique described is the traffic light diet that prescribes the low-calorie food that should be consumed in plenty (Green), those to be eaten in moderation (Yellow), and those to be avoided (Red).
Caballero, B., Vorkoper, S., Anand, N., & Rivera, J. A. (2017). Preventing childhood obesity in Latin America: An agenda for regional research and strategic partnerships. Obesity Reviews, 18(S2), 3-6. Web.
The main argument in this article is that effective strategies to curb childhood obesity involve multidisciplinary collaborations. The critical issues addressed include partnerships in the public health sector and their significance in preventing childhood obesity. The article gives an example (case study) of an obesity prevention initiative – the NIH Fogarty International Center workshop. This multi-sector collaboration brought together various healthcare professionals, NIH institutes, and policymakers to set cohesive evidence-based policies for obesity prevention in Latin America.
Primary Audience
My target readers primarily include policymakers, pediatric health providers, teachers, media owners, and guardians/parents raising obese children. The characteristic of this multidisciplinary audience is that it comprises of people directly or indirectly affected by the obesity problem. Their needs include preventing childhood obesity and reducing risk factors by promoting healthier lifestyles across different settings – home, school, etc. Their motivations for tackling this issue ranges from health budget implications of obesity-related complications (policymakers) to having a healthier future generation (guardians) with a high quality of life. The media, teachers, and parents influence the dietary/lifestyle habits and perceptions of young children. To appeal to the multi-level audience and convey a scholarly communication, the structure of my writing will include an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion.
Narrow Focus
The narrowed focus of this research is the effectiveness of policy initiatives that involve the socio-ecological approach in preventing childhood obesity. The unique angle provided through this study is that integrated strategies that address environmental factors at the individual, family, and community levels achieve higher efficacy in childhood obesity prevention than those that focus solely on basic lifestyle change. The multifaceted nature of this problem means that fragmented interventions cannot provide optimal results. My thesis is that public health programs based on the socio-ecological model – given their comprehensive and multidisciplinary nature – could give better weight reduction outcomes in children than school-based interventions.
References
Caballero, B., Vorkoper, S., Anand, N., & Rivera, J. A. (2017). Preventing childhood obesity in Latin America: An agenda for regional research and strategic partnerships. Obesity Reviews, 18(S2), 3-6. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2016). Childhood obesity causes and consequences. Web.
Pandita, A., Sharma, D., Pandita, D., Pawar, S., Tariq, M., & Kaul, A. (2016). Childhood obesity: Prevention is better than cure. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, 9, 83-89. Web.
Workplace Violence As A Nursing Care Issue
Nursing Care Issue
Workplace violence is one of the major issues in professional nursing. Whether it is patient-to-nurse or nurse-to-nurse violence, this problem is still present in many places.
Outcome
A plan for quality improvement can lessen the rates of violence, increase workplace safety, and protect nurses from patient aggression and bullying during their shifts.
Details of the Issue
Many sources of aggression towards the nursing staff currently exist. First of all, patient-to-nurse violence is a well-known problem that is common in many hospitals and long-term care facilities. According to Speroni, Fitch, Dawson, Dugan, and Atherton (2014), it is especially noticeable in emergency care. Both verbal and physical types of abuse are noted by registered nurses of different ages. Workplace incidents often include patients with dementia, substance abuse, and Alzheimer disease (Speroni et al., 2014). Moreover, visitors of patients also can become perpetrators, which further complicates the issue of nurses’ protection.
Although verbal abuse such as shouting, yelling, and swearing is not as damaging as physical abuse (grabbing, kicking, or scratching), it has many negative consequences for workers. Edward, Ousey, Warelow, and Lui (2014) also note that incidents of verbal abuse are three times more frequent than those of physical violence, which means that most nurses can encounter verbal aggression during their practice. Nurses that experience verbal violence report to being shocked and confused by these incidents. Many of them develop stress symptoms and lose confidence, while some can start avoiding their workplace. Changing the place of work or even leaving the profession are also among the outcomes to verbal abuse.
While physical abuse is rarer than verbal, it is still a significant issue for professional nurses. According to Edward et al. (2014), physical assaults are more prevalent is long-term care settings, geriatrics, and mental health institutions. Emergency care setting is also one of the places where physical violence is widespread. Such a high rate of incidents in the emergency department can be explained by patients having an acute problem or a disturbed mental state. Furthermore, the most frequent instigators of conflicts and physical harm are individuals with alcohol or drug intoxication. Physical abuse leaves nurses feeling stressed, anxious, and unsafe in their working environment. Moreover, some victims have to seek medical help.
Nurse-to-nurse aggression is another problem that places workers in a difficult situation. One of the most common types of violence is vertical abuse, meaning physician to nurse hostility. Horizontal harassment, or bullying, is also a problem especially prevalent among older nurses verbally harassing or insulting less experienced workers. These types of aggression can be followed by nurses feeling less confident about their skills, developing symptoms of burnout, being emotionally exhausted, and leaving their position. Bullying in the workplace is connected with physical violence less often, but it still has many negative consequences.
Reason Issue Selected
Workplace violence is a problem that is hard to resolve in a short period of time or with a simple intervention. However, it is a pressing issue that requires quality improvement. Regardless of its type, abuse should be eliminated in workplaces to ensure the safety of all workers. Professional nurses deal with stress on the daily basis because of many factors such as high responsibility and constant contact with various individuals. Problems of verbal and physical abuse lead to symptoms of stress and burnout being significantly exacerbated. As Speroni et al. (2014) note, more intervention programs should be created for nurses not only to avoid violent incidents but also to report them efficiently. Therefore, the issue of workplace violence should be studied further to present new types of quality improvement which would lower the rates of bad episodes and make nurses’ working experience safe.
References
Edward, K. L., Ousey, K., Warelow, P., & Lui, S. (2014). Nursing and aggression in the workplace: A systematic review. British Journal of Nursing, 23(12), 653-659.
Speroni, K. G., Fitch, T., Dawson, E., Dugan, L., & Atherton, M. (2014). Incidence and cost of nurse workplace violence perpetrated by hospital patients or patient visitors. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 40(3), 218-228.
Empowerment Activities In Nursing
Nurses usually need to empower their patients to help them make lifestyle modifications. These empowerment activities are associated with the health promotion task by completing which nurses assist patients in overcoming possible barriers related to their environments (Raingruber, 2016). For example, there were situations when I had opportunities to empower patients to think they could modify their lifestyle in order to cope with chronic pain. In this case, barriers included the patient’s interest in a certain therapy with high risks of developing adverse effects. It was important to demonstrate all available alternatives related to using another therapy, keeping a diet, focusing on exercising, and organizing daily routines that could help the patient cope with chronic pain. It was also important to demonstrate what dosage of medications is appropriate and what factors can influence alterations in dosing.
Another example is associated with empowering the patient to quit smoking in spite of the fact that all members of his family smoke. I developed an easy-to-follow plan for six months that was oriented to helping the whole family concentrate on smoking cessation activities. The plan included a short list of lifestyle modifications that should have been implemented on a daily basis. Thus, the experience in health promotion demonstrates that the biggest challenges are related to patients’ lack of knowledge regarding healthy choices and the impact of their families. To manage challenges, it is necessary to motivate not only patients but also their relatives to change their daily routines (Young, 2014). Therefore, a nurse should communicate with patients and their relatives and propose plans that can be easily understood to follow without much pressure and stress to avoid patients’ resistance.
References
Raingruber, B. (2016). Contemporary health promotion in nursing practice (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Young, S. (2014). Healthy behavior change in practical settings. The Permanente Journal, 18(4), 89-92.