Human Services

One of the healthcare trends that could be most advantageous for middle to lower income families has got to do with the expansion of health insurance coverage for children. Five years ago, Raphael, Batsell, Kowalkowski, Beltran, Giardino, and Macias (2013) identified a trend towards increased “public health insurance eligibility for children.” For families in the middle as well as lower income bracket, the relevance of this sustained trend cannot be overstated when it comes to “reduced out of pocket medical spending, increased financial stability, and improved material well-being” (Wherry, Kenney, and Sommers, 2016).
There are various strategies that could be adopted in seeking to improve services for serving the middle to lower income families. These include, but they are not limited to, offering counseling services and recommending (and helping clients apply for and receive) stable health insurance coverage, i.e. Medicaid. While counseling would be geared towards the enhancement of mental health of clients in this income bracket (particularly given their predisposition to economic and social challenges), stable health insurance coverage would come in handy in seeking to improve access to health care and related services in not only the preventive care realm, but also in the domain of disease management.
In an attempt to enable my clients gain access to healthcare, regardless of their income, I would amongst other things seek to provide healthcare information that is not only relevant, but also up-to-date and precise. Issues to be covered could in this case include basic facts regarding disease prevention, as well as guidelines on where to find help for a variety of health-related issues. Also, I would not only evaluate the services my clients receive, but also make the relevant follow-ups to ensure intended outcomes.
To ensure that my clients maintain good health, I would recommend various preventive measures. This is more so the case given that as the World Research Foundation - WRF (2018) points out, “learning about and practicing preventive healthcare… is properly the best method to prevent disease from happening in the first place.” Some of the preventive measures the Foundation advocates towards this end include, but they are not limited to, getting enough sleep, avoiding the ingestion or inhaling of harmful substances (i.e. tobacco), exercising regularly, and eating nutritious foods (World Research Foundation, 2018). Other equally beneficial strategies on this front are; avoiding overindulgence in alcohol and related substances, engaging in responsible sexual behavior, and avoiding stress.

























References
Raphael, J.L., Batsell, R.R., Kowalkowski, M.A., Beltran, A., Giardino, A.P. & Macias, C.G. (2013). Trends in Child Health Insurance Coverage: A Local Perspective. J Appl Res Child, 4(2), 3.
Wherry, L.R., Kenney, G.M. & Sommers, B.D. (2016). The Role of Public Health Insurance in Reducing Child Poverty. Acad Pediatr, 16(3), 98-104.
World Research Foundation (2018). Preventive Health Care Helps Everyone. Retrieved from http://www.wrf.org/preventive-healthcare/preventive-healthcare.php