How to write a nursing Policy brief on Healthy lifestyles

How to write a nursing Policy brief on Healthy lifestyles

Over the past years, obesity is increasingly becoming a global epidemic. This is due to the lack of solutions to solve the issue of being overweight. The CDC (2020) suggests that a multifaceted approach must be utilized to address this health concern. The population affected mainly by unhealthy lifestyles is adults aged 40 to 59 years, with a prevalence of 44.8% (CDC, 2021). Second in position are the older adults aged 60 years and above with a prevalence of 42.8%, and lastly are those between 20 to 39 years with a prevalence of 40.0% (CDC, 2021). These statistics reflect the impact of this health concern nationally in the United States of America. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors collectively result in obesity, which is a complex health issue. These behaviors include physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary patterns, inappropriate use of medication, among others. These behaviors are collectively linked with poorer mental health outcomes and quality of life (CDC, 2021). According to WHO (2021), obesity is connected to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and some malignancies, the leading causes of demise both in the U.S. and globally.

Problem statement

Global statistics indicate that obesity has reached epidemic proportions, with not less than 2.8 million deaths resulting from its effects experienced annually. According to WHO (2021), this health concern was initially prevalent among high-income countries, but the prevalence has also increased in middle-and low-income countries. According to CDC (2021), the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. between 2017 to 2018 was 42.4%. This represents the adult population that has been diagnosed with obesity.

The health and economic effects of unhealthy lifestyles are so grievous to individuals, families, communities, and the federal government that the existing policies should be reviewed and new ones established to mitigate the burden. For instance, the CDC (2021) report indicates that people with obesity had their medical costs at $1429 higher than people with a healthy weight. This policy brief will discuss evidence-based healthy lifestyles that should be adopted and adjusted towards healthy weight management. Addressing this issue will significantly reduce the prevalence of comorbidities such as diabetes, some types of cancers, and cardiovascular diseases, which are among the leading causes of death globally. Also, it will significantly reduce the unnecessary amount of funds geared towards treatment and rehabilitative services associated with unhealthy weight gain.

Suggestions for addressing the health issue

To address the health concerns related to unhealthy lifestyles, the related health policies should be geared more towards preventive rather than curative and rehabilitative measures. According to Hooker et al. (2018), primary care physicians consider encouraging patients to take charge of their health behaviors critical. They further establish that 40% of deaths in the U.S are due to modifiable health behaviors (Hooker et al., 2018). The increasing prevalence of comorbidities highlights the need for policy change as well as the annual global deaths. Second, through the department of health and human services, the government should identify the stakeholders responsible for implementing the policy. This includes county and local authorities, hospital administrators, and behavioral health specialists, among others.

The third step is gathering relevant information like health data of those affected, the efficacy of previous interventions, available health centers, and resources. The fourth step is drafting a policy which is the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Fifth, the health secretary should then consult the relevant stakeholders who will support the policy implementation process. This includes staff members and volunteers, management committee members, the public, hospital administrators, and local authorities (Birkland, 2019). When all these processes are done, the policy is approved through the senate, and stakeholders prepare for its implementation. A press release is one of the most effective ways of communicating the policy change to stakeholders involved (Birkland, 2019). Finally, the government should put monitoring and reporting systems for more straightforward follow-up procedures and future reviews. Past policies should also be reviewed to channel more funds towards preventive care rather than than treatment services.

Impact of the policy on healthcare delivery systems

The implementation of behavioral and preventive healthcare services will help mitigate the undesired effects of narrow interventions that have little or no impact on the progression of comorbidities in overweight people. Implementing this policy, especially in primary health settings, will enhance accountability and commitment of healthcare workers to shared objectives and lead to improved behavioral health outcomes. A study by Espinosa-González et al. (2019) reveals that the higher the degree of decentralization of healthcare services, the better the governance, financing, and regulations. Additionally, this policy will ensure increased accessibility and follow-up procedures to prevent and manage comorbidities. According to Espinosa-González et al. (2019), specific interventions such as increased physician-patient interaction, telehealth for follow-up and addressing health concerns, and increasing public awareness through social media platforms will improve the quality of care the outcomes. Therefore, this policy will strengthen primary healthcare delivery systems and contribute to developing associated long-term policies.

 

References

Birkland, T. A. (2019). An introduction to the policy process: Theories, concepts, and models of public policymaking. Routledge.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Strategies to prevent & manage obesity. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Adult Obesity Facts. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

Espinosa-González, A. B., Delaney, B. C., Marti, J., & Darzi, A. (2019). The impact of governance in primary health care delivery: a systems thinking approach with a European panel. Health research policy and systems, 17(1), 1-16.

Hooker, S., Punjabi, A., Justesen, K., Boyle, L., & Sherman, M. D. (2018). Encouraging health behavior change: eight evidence-based strategies. Family practice management, 25(2), 31-36.

World health health organization (WHO). (2021). Obesity. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/6-facts-on-obesity

Related Posts:

• NURS 6050C: Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health
• Discuss the importance of advocacy as it pertains to patient care. What is the nurse’s role in patient advocacy? Describe a situation in which you were involved with patient advocacy. Explain what the advocacy accomplished for the patient, and what the repercussions would have been if the patient would not have had an advocate
• Whether nurses are advocating for their patients, health care, and/or policies that improve people’s lives, the advocacy processes have commonalities that transcend the subject of their advocacy
• Research legislation that has occurred within the last 5 years at the state or federal level as a result of nurse advocacy. Describe the legislation and what was accomplished. What additional steps need to be taken to continue advocacy for this issue?
• The influence of leadership can be far-reaching in practice and improving patient outcomes even when not in a formal role. Describe advocacy strategies that you can use as a leader to create positive change in your current workplace. In response to peers, describe a time when you provided leadership and the outcome. Was there anything that you would do differently?
• NURS 3375 Health Policy And Legal Aspect (Assignment)
• NURS 501 Assignment #2 Nurses’ Impact on Policy
• Health Policy Advocacy: CDC HIV/AIDS PREVENTION STRATEGIC PLAN
• Nurse Leadership and Health Care Policy and Advocacy
• Critique the role of nursing advocacy in the implementation of health policy
• Compare and contrast the theorist with the major themes in the curriculum: Caring, Health, Learning, Nursing and Commitment to Human Dignity.
• State and describe at least three (3) ethical, social, or legal problems that may arise in surrogacy arrangements. Consider exploitation of women in poor circumstances in the U.S. or abroad.
• What are some techniques that a law enforcement officers can use to modify the effects of stress?
• Analyze theories from nursing and relevant fields with respect to their components, relationships among the components, logic of the propositions, comprehensiveness, and utility to advanced nursing
• Review the CMS.gov 30-Day Mortality and Readmission Data website. Review at least two local hospitals in N.J. and see how they compare to state and national benchmarks
• Review the CMS.gov 30-Day Mortality and Readmission Data website. Review at least two local hospitals in N.J. and see how they compare to state and national benchmarks. How and why may a consumer or a health care professional use this data to make decision about their next hospitalization?
• Pros And Cons To Delivering Community-Based Participatory Care To Those Who Are Vulnerable
• Details:/ create a PowerPoint presentation of 10-15 slides in which you compare the pros and cons of continuing nursing education related to the following:
• Draft A Proposal Of 4–5 Pages For The Development Of An Interprofessional Team To Address A Problem In Delivering Safe, High-Quality Health Care.
• Delivering Effective Presentations
• MN576 Written Assignment: Vulnerable Female Populations Impacting Culturally Competent Delivery Of Women’s Health Care
• Milestone 2: Caring For Populations Vulnerable Population Assessment
• Discuss Several Risk Factors That May Impact Health Outcomes For The Vulnerable Population In Your Case Study.
• TOPIC —   Pressure Ulcers and the Vulnerable Elderly Population at Mary Manning Walsh
• Select a health care organization in your community to conduct an interview with an appropriate risk management employee.