Essay on Poor Planning of Community Health Assessment: Devastating Impact

Introduction

Failure to properly plan community health assessment can have a devastating impact on the whole program. First, when community health assessment is poorly conducted, there is a high possibility that population health needs will not be identified and described (McCollum et al., 2016; Pennel et al., 2015). Because of this, the healthcare professionals will not be in an excellent position to prioritize health needs, plan, unmet community health needs. Second, if a community health assessment is not properly carried out, there is a high likelihood that the researchers or healthcare professionals tasked with running a health program will not identify the factors associated with health outcomes. For example, in the case of childhood obesity in the State of Alabama, improper planning of community health assessment means that researchers or healthcare professionals will not find out the real causes of the condition.

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Third, improper planning of community health assessment implies that the program planners will not identify whether or not the community has adequate resources needed to address the health problem (Fernandez et al., 2019). Various community resources should be determined during the community health assessment. For example, when developing a program aimed at tackling childhood obesity, resources may include school fields, teachers of physical education, parents, and community health educators. For the program to be successfully implemented, these resources should be adequate. However, if they are inadequate, program planners should ensure that they are available before the program starts.

The community health assessment process is also necessary because it guides decisions and actions (Rabarison et al., 2015). Consequently, if it is not conducted correctly, then conclusions derived from the assessment are less likely to be effective in addressing the health issue. This implies that such a program will not solve the identified problem and may even worsen it. Moreover, to appreciate the importance of proper planning of community health assessment, it is crucial to address the question: "Why assess needs and resources?" First, assessment of the needs and resources helps a program planner to have an in-depth understanding of the community (Community Toolbox, 2019; Gruber et al., 2019).

It is worth noting that every community has its own unique needs, resources, cultural factors, and environmental factors that are essential in understanding the readiness of the community in addressing a particular health problem. Therefore, failure to identify such needs and resources hamper the success of the program (Kilewo & Frumence, 2015). Second, assessment of community needs and resources motivates the community members to use community assets to address their health needs (Community Toolbox, 2019). Consequently, by failing to undertake community need assessment properly, there is an increased likelihood of inadequately solving health problems and improving community life.

The Community and Health Issue Chosen and Strategies to Improve Planning of Community Health Assessment

The community health issue I selected is: "The growing and high prevalence of childhood obesity in the State of Alabama". Therefore, the target community will comprise of children. Childhood obesity refers to obesity affecting children and young people between the age of 6 and 19 years (CDC, 2019). Therefore, one of the sociodemographic factors that will be considered in the recruitment of participants to the program is age. Only children within the age bracket will be recruited into the program. Apart from children, parents will be enrolled in the program. This is because they are crucial in the implementation of the proposed physical exercise intervention needed to reduce the prevalence of obesity in children.

Moreover, because teachers are an essential component of children's physical health, physical education teachers will be included in the study. According to Healthy People 2020 (n.d.), other potential partners in health programs include educational institutions, government agencies, business enterprises, community and volunteer organizations, communication agencies, and potential funders.

Various strategies may be used to improve the planning of the community health assessment. First, it is recommended that a planning group comprising of all stakeholders that are representative of the diversity of the community (Community Toolbox, 2019). By incorporating individuals from all walks of life, a real picture of all aspects of the community will be obtained. Secondly, an evaluation of the process for the community health assessment should be made at the beginning of the planning process. Third, the reasons for conducting the assessment should be made in the early stages of the program (Community Toolbox, 2019).

Integrating the Community Health Assessment into Program Planning

During program planning, practitioners explore community needs and resources and learn how to develop practical materials and strategies (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). Because of this, a practitioner uses the findings of community health assessment to identify the gap between what is currently existing in the community regarding a public health issue and the desired state. This is referred to as identification of needs and helps inform strategies needed to combat a particular health issue. Additionally, during program planning, community resources identified during assessment can be used to improve the quality of life (Community Toolbox, 2019).

References

CDC. (2019). Childhood Obesity Facts. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm

Community Toolbox. (2019). Chapter 3. Assessing community needs and resources | section 1. Developing a plan for assessing local needs and resources | main section | community tool box. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/develop-a-plan/main

Fernandez, M. E., Ruiter, R. A. C., Markham, C. M., & Kok, G. (2019). Intervention mapping: Theory- and evidence-based health promotion program planning: perspective and examples. Frontiers in Public Health, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00209

Gruber, J. B., Wang, W., Quittner, A., Salyakina, D., & McCafferty-Fernandez, J. (2019). Utilizing community health needs assessments (Chnas) in nonprofit hospitals to guide population-centered outcomes research for pediatric patients: New recommendations for chna reporting. Population Health Management, 22(1), 25-31. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2018.0049

Healthy People 2020. (n.d.). Brainstorm: Potential Partners. https://www.healthypeople.gov/sites/default/files/BrainstormPotenial.pdf

Kilewo, E. G., & Frumence, G. (2015). Factors that hinder community participation in developing and implementing comprehensive council health plans in Manyoni District, Tanzania. Global Health Action, 8. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v8.26461

McCollum, R., Otiso, L., Mireku, M., Theobald, S., de Koning, K., Hussein, S., & Taegtmeyer, M. (2016). Exploring perceptions of community health policy in Kenya and identifying implications for policy change. Health Policy and Planning, 31(1), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czv007

Pennel, C. L., McLeroy, K. R., Burdine, J. N., & Matarrita-Cascante, D. (2015). Nonprofit hospitals' approach to community health needs assessment. American Journal of Public Health, 105(3), e103-e113. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302286

Rabarison, K. M., Timsina, L., & Mays, G. P. (2015). Community health assessment and improved public health decision-making: A propensity score matching approach. American Journal of Public Health, 105(12), 2526-2533. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302795

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2005). Theory at a glance: A guide for health promotion practice. Lulu. com.