Emerging Areas of Human Health Paper
Sickle cell disease is a collection of inherited blood disorders affecting many Americans, particularly African Americans. The disease causes higher mortality and morbidity risks due to acute chest syndrome, vaso-occlusive infections, and other complications (Hoegy et al., 2020). Therefore, when it comes to improving outcomes and maintaining health for those affected by the disorder, it is critical to address public health needs concerning SCD (Miller et al., 2022).
Although there has been progress in improving public health, there still needs improvement in terms of policy and other legislation to accommodate sickle cell patients. This paper will address health issues for older people and develop effective health policies to help ease sickle cell disease’s treatment and care burden.
Evaluate What the Literature Suggests As a Resolution to the Chosen Issue
According to a World Health Organization (2021) report, the number of people aged 60 and above will be higher than those below the age of five. Therefore, when making policies, it is essential to consider the needs and interests of the older generation to ensure that the older people have access to better and more affordable care. People with sickle cell disease often experience numerous challenges from the condition.
The treatment process can sometimes be costly, considering they have other responsibilities to care for than keeping up with medication and general care for the condition. According to Hoegy et al. (2020), chronic pain for adults with sickle cell disease is not known as much as it is for the case of children with the same condition. Therefore, when implementing policies, healthcare organizations must reconsider structuring effective mechanisms to ensure adults, especially those over 60, receive relevant caution while managing the condition (WHO, 2021).
In this regard, organizations such as Medicare and Medicaid implement policies to cover SCD in their care plan. The new resolutions require identifying specific gaps in the policy’s provisions.
Discuss Any Attempts to Incorporate the Solution into Public Policy
SCD, like other chronic conditions, can result in a lifetime of pain and hospitalization, affecting the quality of life. When a person suffering from the condition reaches a certain age, they are likely to encounter a poor quality of life, and opportunities for accessing quality care diminish (Masese et al., 2019). However, with SCD included in insurance policies, managing the condition can be easy as it will not be financially draining for the patients (Hoegy et al., 2020).
The first step toward incorporating effective solutions in public policy is to understand the effects of the condition in terms of infection rates, pain management, and the magnitude of the condition. When formulating effective solutions to ease the pain of SCD in respective patients, it is essential to conduct detailed research and identify specific people affected by the issue and how they have been managing it. This way, the implemented policies will be objective and evidence-based on the anticipated healthcare outcomes.
Determine the Barriers to Implementation of the Solution
Some of the top barriers that affect the implementation of SCD solutions in the public health sector is that most affected people are unwilling to come out and state some of the issues they are facing with the condition. In most communities, people perceive sickle cell as a sign of bad luck or a bad omen. Therefore, those with the condition are profiled as people with a curse and should not be trusted (Houwing et al., 2021).
With this understanding, people that have this problem, especially the old, often shy off from speaking about getting help hence making it difficult to understand their specific concerns. The other possible barrier that has affected effective solutions is the lack of proper patient education on the issue (Miller et al., 2022). SCD can be managed if those with the problem are well-informed and provided with information that can help improve the quality of the red blood cells. Beyond testing and knowing that one has a sickle cell condition, there is no sufficient that indicates the condition as a chronic issue similar to other chronic conditions.
Analyze the Options Being Discussed For Public or Private Funding
Regarding funding, there are various issues that the government has to consider in funding allocation. Unlike other conditions, sickle cell disease testing can be established during pregnancy. Therefore, when funding the private and public sectors, identify critical areas that require funding over the others. An inherited problem with red blood cells in sickle cell disease (Houwing et al., 2021).
The round shape of healthy red blood cells makes it easier for them to go through blood channels in the body. These cells can become trapped, especially in narrow blood veins, and have the shape of a farmer’s sickle in sickle cell disease. This prevents blood from circulating normally, harming the body’s organs and increasing pain.
Propose Your Recommendation
Patient education is one of the recommendations I would propose for implementing a solution. Both patients and healthcare workers must understand how to handle patients with this issue and be trained on the effective treatment process that will help manage the condition (Masese et al., 2019).
On the other hand, patients must know that whatever they are experiencing is not demonic and has nothing to do with cultural curses. This way, it will be easy to identify effective procedures that guarantee proper solution implementations and enhance healthcare safety. On the other hand, on finances, I would recommend that the insurance teams and healthcare institutions sit and develop appropriate regulations that will include sickle cell conditions in the insurance policy.
The government also ensures that people with SCD are not isolated regarding medical care cover and are provided with equal opportunities for quality care as those with other chronic conditions (Miller et al., 2022). Inclusivity in policy development minimizes the possibility of isolation in care provision (Houwing et al., 2021).
Budget allocation is another recommendation that would ensure stability in the healthcare provisions. As the government allocates budget for cancer and malaria patients, specifically allocating funds for SCD can guarantee proper and practical solutions for the condition. Proper budget allocation will ensure sufficient research on the issue, minimizing advance risks.
Conclusion
The study’s main goals were to review SCD-related public health initiatives and identify the need for a more thorough public health response. We discovered that there had been some development in the public health initiatives pertaining to SCD. Establishing newborn screening (NBS) for SCD is one of these initiatives, with NBS programs already in place in every state (Masese et al., 2019).
However, additional areas that require attention include enhancing adherence to health maintenance guidelines, enhancing surveillance and monitoring of disease incidence and health outcomes, raising affected individuals’ knowledge and awareness, and enhancing access to and utilization of healthcare services. These actions and others covered in this paper can support broader public health initiatives to combat SCD.
References
Hoegy, D., Guilloux, R., Bleyzac, N., Gauthier‐Vasserot, A., Cannas, G., Bertrand, Y., & Janoly‐Dumenil, A. (2020). Sickle cell disease perceptions of caregivers, adolescent, and adult patients: Barriers and facilitators to medical care adherence. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(9), 2391-2400. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14456
Houwing, M. E., Buddenbaum, M., Verheul, T. C., de Pagter, A. P., Philipsen, J. N., Hazelzet, J. A., & Cnossen, M. H. (2021). Improving access to healthcare for paediatric sickle cell disease patients: a qualitative study on healthcare professionals’ views. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06245-2
Masese, R. V., Bulgin, D., Douglas, C., Shah, N., & Tanabe, P. (2019). Barriers and facilitators to care for individuals with sickle cell disease in central North Carolina: the emergency department providers’ perspective. PLoS One, 14(5), e0216414. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216414
Miller, M., Landsman, R., Scott, J. P., & Heffelfinger, A. K. (2022). Fostering equity in education and academic outcomes in children with sickle cell disease. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 36(2), 245-263. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2021.1945147
World Health Organization. (2021). World report on ageing and health. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
Emerging Areas of Human Health Paper Instructions
As of 2017, health care expenditures in the United States are near 17.9% of our gross domestic product (GDP), with a major portion of Medicare funding going toward chronic illness and care at the last 6 months of life. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made some initial legislative changes in the U.S. health system, but not sufficient enough to address growing expenditures and caring for the large aging population. In this assignment, learners will synthesize issues in aging with health policy solutions by writing a paper on one health issue for older individuals addressed in the topic and offering a policy solution. Example of issue: In 2014, more than 50% of the costs of institutional long-term care for older persons was paid for with public funds from Medicaid.
Write a paper (1,000-1,250 words) that addresses a health issue for older individuals. Include the following:
1. Evaluate what the literature suggests as a resolution to your chosen issue.
2. Discuss any attempts to incorporate the solution into public policy.
3. Determine the barriers to implementation of the solution.
4. Analyze the options being discussed for public or private funding.
5. Propose your own recommendation.