Community Preventive Health Improvement
Introduction
Physical activities have grown to be prime necessities in the modern society due to the health effects that are associated with living sedentary lives with no physical exercises such as diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Plant City is one of the cities in Florida Hillsborough County that comprises mainly of agricultural, rural and residential areas. As per the current, the city is a home of more than 40,500 individuals (HCCCPC, 2016). Based on the research that was conducted in 2014 it is just 1.8 percent of the entire City land that accommodates recreational and parks facilities (HCCCPC, 2016). Most of the residents are not therefore able to access the facilities which raise concerns in regard to the community’s wellness. The city has the highest populace of obese individuals which has, in turn, increased the rate of illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. The purpose of this paper is therefore to propose a strategic plan aimed at increasing physical exercises in the area and improve fitness and health status for all residents through the implementation of community-based initiatives.
Background
Health fitness is a necessity toady in ensuring wellness for all communities. Plant City’s residents are highly becoming obese due to the lack of physical exercises on the grounds that majority tends to be lower income and minorities households as compared to those that reside in the established communities within the same region. Based on the national health goals it is stated that every individual should have access to physical activities by 2020 in the fight against obesity and hypertension which might not be achieved in the area without major interventions. For the aim of the paper, the target population is on Plant City’s rural residents. The area is the suitable selection for the paper based on the limited access to outdoor facilities and activities including sidewalks and parks.
Target Population
Hillsborough County is in particular ranked position 29 out of all the 67 Florida’s counties in regard to health outcomes based on a study that was conducted in 2016. Some of the prime forces that tend to be authorizing health issues such as diabetes and obesity are the lack of health insurance, physical inactivity and high unemployment levels (UWPHI, 2017). The United States Department of health and Human services (USDHHS) acknowledges that environmental and economic forces have demonstrated more influence to the physical activities rate among adults and the young group (UWPHI, 2017). One of the features that have shaped Plant City as distinct from the rest of the cities in Hillsborough it given that it is an individual municipality. This, therefore, creates the belief that the area is isolated from the major city and growth and that it has been neglected by the county's administration due to its location. It has been established by studies that recreational facilities accessibility results in higher levels of activity as well as the rise of health behaviors that are desirable. Thus where an individual life is an essential health wellness determinant (Cohen, Hunter, Williamson, & Dubowitz, 2016).
Health Goals
One of the prime Healthy Individuals 2020 objective is to enhance fitness, health as well as life’s quality via the growth of daily physical performances (USDHHS, 2016). The objectives of increased engagement in physical activities nationally for the year 2020 states that having adequate access to trails, bike lanes, parks and sidewalks most of which residents in the rural regions of Plant City lacks that resulting in high physical inactiveness (USDHHS, 2016). it has been agreed by the developers of the city that this is can be categorized as a shortage and thus there is an intense need for addressing the 2040 urban, rural and suburban’s vision of creating the capability to live, play and still acquire working opportunities in similar locations (HCCCPC, 2016). This is a comprehensive development plan for the city that will automatically result in wellness. Similarly, this paper’s projected plan will offer for development opportunities for physical exercises for Plant City’s rural residents.
Evidence Based Plan
Increased Physical Activities
According to Choi, Burgard, Elo, and Heisler (2015) the health of those that exist in lower socio-economic regions might be impacted by reduced recreational facilities access. One of the practices that are evidence based is grounded on the provision of recreational facilities and playing grounds for the area's residents to utilize. This can be categorized as a practical development strategy for plant City’s rural regions residents based on the ground that it is less costly and creates more options for the community.
Partnering with public schools can be termed as a reasonable approach given that these schools are characterized with numerous tracks, playgrounds as well as open grounds that can be utilized for physical practices for the wellness of everyone (Spengler, 2012). As per the current, Bryan Elementary School that is located in the area has engaged in agreements with football and the cheerleading forms for them to utilize its tracks (Spengler, 2012). In addition, residents are encouraged to utilize the areas for daily exercises although there lacks a formal agreement in regard to community access.
Plan’s Outcomes/ Effectiveness
There are a few public schools in America that are currently participating in the sharing of recreational facilities with their respective communities. For instance in North Carolina, about 88 percent of their schools have engaged in agreements which permit the community in utilizing their facilities for physical practices (Kanters, Bocarro, Moore, Floyd, & Carlton, 2014). Back in 2001, an initiative by the name Physical Active Residential Communities (PARCS) was developed amid a number of health organizations, Indiana University and public schools of Indianapolis (Keith, deGroot, Mi, Alexander, & Kaiser, 2016). The concept of the initiate was mainly to offer supportive and safe chances for physician practices to the community.
Additionally to the convenient location of the schools, these facilities could permit community members to be motivated to participate due to zero costs (Knobf, Thompson, Fennie, & Erdos, 2014). It is demonstrated by studies that for the individuals who would not have previously joined the fitness facilities because of the lack of membership costs are highly likely to utilize the advantages that come with the existence of such facilities that are discounted or even free. In addition, schools are perceived to be the safest options for residents given that their children usually attend the facilities daily (Kanters et al., 2014). In Plant City, it is apparent that convenience is the prime issue based on the lack of public transport, bike lanes, and even sidewalks. Most of the residents are in high need of exercises which can be supported by easy walks, cycling and driving to the closest schools where there is the availability of public grounds use.
Implementation
Objectives
The first objective of the projected improvement would be to raise the general number of community-based initiatives provided to the rural people of the Plant City’s residents by 2018, July. The other objectives are mainly to improve fitness and health for the Plant City via the growth of physical activities by 2020. Based on the County’s website there are about 20 public schools within the city most of which are mainly suitable for physical exercises. Providing chances for exercises at the schools would be effective in meeting the goals. To begin with, it should be determined the schools that have already created partnerships with such communities in excluding them from being able to focus on acquiring partnerships with the ones without.
Level of Prevention
Public schools partnerships with the rural communities in the city will help in the promotion of social relations amid residents which will be useful in the creation of a sensation of the community’s wellness importance (Bragg, Tucker, Kaye, & Desmond, 2009). An additional benefit is that promotion of training that may help in the creation of preventative measures for the occurrence of illnesses such as obesity as well as undesirable health outcomes prior to their occurrence (Anderson & McFarlane, 2015). The increase of exercising chances is effective in preventing the occurrence of health complications particularly for the older people who have already been diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes as well as cardiovascular illnesses (Bragg, Tucker, Kaye, & Desmond, 2009).
Initiation of Intervention
The representatives of plant city, as well as HCPs, are required to corporate in making respective partnership arrangements. Programs such as Community Action Program (CAP) as well as Plant City Recreation and Park (PCRP) that are provided via Hillsborough are most likely to give adequate assistance in selecting suitable locations and establishing the activities that may best appeal to the residents in specific regions.
Some of the acquired donations can be utilized in creating awareness for the period in which the facilities are open for community use, policies as well as associated rules. In addition, some of the facilities might require services such as security and opening and closing the gates which can be paid via the money acquired from findings and donations. Local business facilities may sponsor the activities or locations. The prime advantage is that the approximated costs aligned with the projected intervention are particularly low. According to Keith et al. (2016), the general costs linked with the use of public schools facilities can often be covered via, annual reduced fees, donations as well as grants. Hillsborough has for a while been offering grants for such community-based programs.
Method of Evaluation
The most reasonable timeframe would be the creation of public access hours with a minimum of five public schools in Plant City by 2018 July. With an effective operation of the facilities than the general intervention will be accounted as efficient. The success of the seconding goal which is to increase the general physical activities number so that health and fitness can be improved will be reliant on the number of individuals utilizing the facilities and the activities supported.
Recommendations
There is a need of an in-depth research completion in reference to financial facilitation for the joint-use intervention initiative. In that since grants and program’s donations have been present previously there is a need to establish whether they will still be present for the particular program. In addition one of the biggest challenges would be making effective negotiations with schooling facilities as well as with all the County’s public school systems. Despite the fact that there are a number of benefits linked to the use of schools facilities by communities it is undoubted that concerns like liability, safety as well as maintenance as the major concerns (Spengler, 2012). In this context, it is therefore recommended that a written agreement be documented including all the specifications and governing policies. There is a high likelihood mainly for sustaining joint-use initiatives given that the practice has been successful prior in America. In addition, the county leaders should focus on creating awareness in regard to the facilities and the associated participation benefits throughout the areas.
Conclusion
As shown by research the provision of exercising opportunities in the community where individuals exist is essential and effective in enhancing health wellness. Plant City residents occupying the rural areas hold limited outdoor activities access, public transportation as well as parks and sidewalks. Thus, increasing the general number of community-based initiatives by making partnerships with all the local public schools is bound to increase physical activities participation thus improving fitness and health within its populace.
References
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