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American Public Health Association
The “only organization that influences federal policy,” the American Public Health Association (APHA) addresses every aspect of public health, from violence to disease epidemics. Goals of the organization include raising awareness and changing public policy in ways that promote public health and safety. For example, the organization advocates for alterations in public infrastructure or practices that might promote the use of vaccinations. Specific topics and issues that the APHA focuses on include climate change, environmental health, gun violence, health equity, health reform, tobacco and other substance use issues, and more. One of the most important issues that the APHA addresses is the subject of vaccinations: a crucial component in promoting public health.
Vaccinations
Since their early discovery, vaccinations have radically transformed public health, almost entirely eliminating some diseases in certain areas. Yet vaccinations are only as effective as they are used; to have a vaccination be available but have low compliance rates would not achieve the public health goals of disease eradication or control. A perfect example is measles and other infectious diseases for which vaccines exist but have become irregularly used due to pseudoscience scares. The anti-vaccination movement that led to...
1302). The APHA fights to inform the public about this and similar hoaxes that adversely impact public health.
The APHA also makes direct recommendations to key national policy institutes like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For example, NIH publications draw from systematic empirical evidence showing which vaccinations work, how to administer them effectively, and how to improve access to overcome socioeconomic and other political barriers (Weinbaum, Williams, Mast, et al., 2008). The APHA does focus on the United States, but its domestic work does have the potential to affect public health policies in other countries around the world. With increased accessibility and affordability of vaccinations, diseases like Hepatitis B can eventually be eradicated (Weinbaum, Williams, Mast, et al., 2008). The APHA is also instrumental in their work with science literacy and translating published research articles into plain language. For example, the APHA website includes a large set of fact sheets that address information about how vaccinations work and why they are especially important for children. The fact sheets…
Health Advocacy Campaign - Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity Most of the health issue that people face on a day-to-day basis do not become pandemics. But this is not the case with obesity. Over a billion people are affected by obesity worldwide (Miller, et al., 2004). The statistics are particularly discouraging for children who are obese. Children who have a body mass index (BMI) that is greater than the figures in the 85th
Community EngagementQ1The chosen community engagement activity for the project is the Community Advisory Board (CAB). The board plays a crucial role in understanding the specific needs, preferences, practices, habits, and concerns of the African American community aged 18 and above in Prince George�s County, Maryland. The CAB will advocate and help the community members understand diabetes and how to reduce and prevent new cases. The board will also identify the
Introduction Evidence-based practice replaces the ambiguities and unfounded assumptions of practices based on anecdotal evidence or intuition. Moreover, evidence-based practices can mitigate the problems associated with cognitive biases. Especially important in the public health sector, evidence-based practices best inform public policy and institutional procedures. However, it is important to operationalize evidence-based practice so that its implementation is standardized across multiple departments and teams. The greatest challenges to evidence-based practices include the
Background Josephine Lawrence (name changed to protect anonymity) has been a community health nurse employed by the city for almost five years. Working in the public sector is radically different from working in a private healthcare institution, notes Lawrence, who had practiced as an RN for ten years prior to her career change. When asked what precipitated the change. Lawrence said that a lot of it had to do with the
Health Program Bronx Racial Disparities in the Healthcare System America's healthcare system is one of the most visible indicators of the broad array of social, economic and racial inequalities that still impact American life. For racial minorities such as African-Americans and Latinos, health outcomes are disproportionately worse than they are for white patients. This denotes a core inequality that goes to the root of our society. Outreach, education and advocacy programs such
Health Promotion Lesson Plan The concept of health promotion is thought of as "the science and art of helping people change their lifestyle to move toward a state of optimal health" (Dunphy et al., 2011, p 25). Serious heart conditions can be prevented, which is why it is so important to utilize community education techniques in order to help try to warn community members of the complications before they occur. This