NRS-429VN Health Promotion in Minority Populations
Teen Pregnancy Health Promotion Plan
Teenage pregnancy is a global health issue and a significant health burden in the US. The rates have decreased gradually over the years, but the US is still the leading country in teen pregnancies, followed by New Zealand, England, and Wales. The rates in 2018 were 17.4 in 1000 teens, while in 2018, they dropped to 16.7 in 2019 (Williams-Breault, 2020).
Teen pregnancy is associated with many consequences, such as school dropouts, stress due to parenthood at a young age, early and forced marriages, and birth complications such as obstructed labor due to cephalopelvic disproportions related to an underdeveloped pelvis. Teenage mothers take time to adapt to motherhood roles, affecting their psychological and academic lives and demeaning the girls’ value of life. The proposed health promotion in this paper addresses teen pregnancy, with the target population being high school students in Liberty High School.
High school students are most exposed to teen pregnancies due to age exposure and high school tendencies to try out things. In the US, three out of ten teens get pregnant while in high school, and half of the young mothers do not graduate from high school; they end up dropping out (Williams-Breault, 2020). High school students are often between 14 and 19 years old, and most of them lack information on sex education despite engaging in sexual activities.
Puberty onset causes a surge in hormones that increase sexual drive and attraction to opposite sexes. Most parents are overindulged in careers and thus neglect their children, and poor parenting leads to poor decisions and consequences such as teen pregnancy. Brown (2020) states that a lack of personal values and self-respect contributes to teen pregnancies.
Teen pregnancy is caused by various factors such as poor daughter guidance and parenting, having one parent taking care of the teen, substance abuse, and peer pressure. In addition, inadequate access to services tailored for the teens, engaging in unsafe sex practices, misinformation, or a lack of information on sexual and reproductive health also lead to increased teen pregnancies (Mathewos & Mekuria, 2018).
As mentioned earlier, teenagers have high sex drives and love experimenting. They are less educated and thus unable to make the right decisions and portray responsible sexual behavior (Healthy People 2020, 2018). Teens often pressure each other to begin irresponsible sexual behavior; some give in to pressure to show their guts and end up creating trouble in their lives. The factors contributing to teen pregnancy are multifactorial and vary with region. Teen education is a significant way of influencing and impacting this global health issue. According to Brown (2020), teens should be well-educated on teen pregnancy and sex education to eliminate the misconceptions around the topic and promote responsible sexual behavior.
Teens are often not exposed to sex education, and this social-cultural phenomenon can affect their concentration and participation in the health promotion program (Goldfarb & Lieberman, 2020). Prior information about the group is thus integral before the actual presentation. The goals of this health promotion plan revolve around correctly perched sex education, portraying responsible sexual behavior, and promoting speaking up among teens.
The first goal is to communicate teen pregnancy’s risk factors, causes, and consequences to ensure informed decision-making processes and reduce the prevalence of irresponsible sexual behavior. The second goal is reinforcing understanding through rewards and valuation using the teach-back method. The evaluation method will ensure the teens are informed and help identify and rectify weaknesses. In addition, it will ensure that these teens are bold enough to stand up for their decisions and teach other students from their neighborhood about sex education.
The goals of the health promotion plan will be jointly made with the students. Participating in the goal-making process is integral. One advantage is that it will ensure that the goals adequately meet the learners’ needs. The participants may also suggest areas of interest that were less known to the facilitator, helping them meet their needs more adequately (McComas et al., 2020).
It will also ensure the willingness and participation of the students. People often cooperate when involved in the decision-making process, giving the teachers an easy time. It also ensures collaborative effort during the event and higher chances of goal achievement. The students will clearly understand the set goals and objectives, which will help in personal decision-making and the much-needed behavior change. Hence, students’ participation in the goals-making process is integral.
Conclusion
Teen pregnancy is a global health issue and an issue of interest in the United States. The rates have dropped gradually over time, but they are still high. Teenage pregnancy is undesirable because it affects girls’ quality of life through physical, physiological, and psychological effects. Educating teens on teen pregnancy and providing good sex education is integral to fostering responsible sex behavior and further reducing teen pregnancies. When facilitators involve participants in setting goals and objectives for a project, it enhances their involvement and achieving the overall goals.
NRS-429VN Health Promotion in Minority Populations References
Brown, S. S. (2020). What Will It Take to Further Reduce Teen Pregnancy in the US? Journal of Adolescent Health, 66(5), 522–523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.02.009
Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.036
Healthy People 2020 (2018). Adolescent Health. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health. Retrieved 24th Dec 2021, from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi8_r3Yjvz0AhV1QEEAHY6BA30QFnoECAMQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthypeople.gov%2F2020%2Ftopics-objectives%2Ftopic%2FAdolescent-Health&usg=AOvVaw0Fk12F5ES2rdH9SQuVAt_H
McComas, K. A., Arvai, J., & Besley, J. C. (2020). Linking public participation and decision-making through risk communication. In Handbook of risk and crisis communication (pp. 364–385) (1st Ed.). Routledge.
Williams-Breault, B. D. (2020). Teen pregnancy: United States vs. Europe. Int J Arts Humanit Soc Sci Studies, 5(6), 46-54. http://www.ijahss.com/Paper/05062020/1179451174.pdf
WEEK 4 Assessment Description
Select an ethnic minority group that is represented in the United States (American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander). Using health information available from Healthy People, the CDC, and other relevant government websites, analyze the health status for this group.
In a paper of 1,000-1,250 words, compare and contrast the health status of your selected minority group to the national average. Include the following:
- Describe the ethnic minority group selected. Describe the current health status of this group. How do race and ethnicity influence health for this group?
- What are the health disparities that exist for this group? What are the nutritional challenges for this group?
- Discuss the barriers to health for this group resulting from culture, socioeconomics, education, and sociopolitical factors.
- What health promotion activities are often practiced by this group?
- Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) that is likely to be the most effective in a care plan given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation of why it might be the most effective choice.
- What cultural beliefs or practices must be considered when creating a care plan? What cultural theory or model would be best to support culturally competent health promotion for this population? Why?
Also Read: NRS429VN Week 3 Family Assessment Part II