Define population health and identify it major attributes?

     Population health is a  exhaustive method of health care delivery that investigates methods to improve health care for all of society, in a equal cost effective manner (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).Population health researches gaps of health within groups in society in order to eliminate disparities and improve health outcomes for the entire world population (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).Population health focus is on all of society, where the focus of medicine has been primary on the individual (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Primary care of the individual has many faults at this time, it is uneconomical, financially out of reach for many in society, poorly handled, and disunited (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The goal of population health is to unite health care in a manner that makes it safer, more cost effective and available to the entire population (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Population health mission is not just to free the world from disease but, make it easier for individual to reach health goals, cope with life's circumstances and manage their own health (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

     Population health has several key components. One key attribute of population health is to change social and government policy to have health care equally distributed to the entire population and to eliminate health disparities due to class, race economic status and gender worldwide (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Another characteristic of population health is the emphasis on individual to be responsible for their own health and outcomes by collaborating with health care providers, through education, prevention, screening and early intervention (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Furthermore population health seeks to improve the safety of health care, integrate care and the improve health outcomes for the entire population, through the management of health care delivery systems (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). This is accomplished through research, understanding disparities, collaboration, policy changes. The promotion of evidence based measures, safety and improving delivery systems (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Population health is concerned with the health outcomes of groups, families and communities (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). By aligning the focus of health care using incentives for wellness, prevention and education it plans to improve the health of the entire population (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

 

Discuss how population health addresses health care disparities?

     At this time in history there is inconsistency in the health, the health care out comes, and safety of individual within society based on geography, age, gender, race, income and social status (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The goal of population health is to eliminate these disparities, so that the entire population can have not only freedom from disease but, healthy more productive lives (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). One way that this lofty goal is to be obtained is through changing health care delivery systems to decrease cost and improve safety (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). To change health care system it requires changes in policy that often times have to be addressed by government and policy makers (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The ambition of population health is to direct these policy in a manner that provides comparable health care to the entire population (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

     Another problem faced in health care is when the focus of care is toward a individual, health care is often over or under used (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). By promoting wellness to entire population care is more equally distributed (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).  One way to promote health to the entire population is through education (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The health care team educates the public about screening, prevention and disease management. The individual through gaining information can then become more responsible for their own health and health outcomes (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Population health also wants to make prevention and screening programs equally available to all members of society (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The funding for these programs would be obtained through decreasing waste, improving the delivery systems of health care, improving management and safety within organizations (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Organizing health care towards the population instead of the individual is believed to eliminate disparities such as high cost, safety concerns and discrepancy in quality (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

     By the integration of clinical, community and public health, more of society will be reached equally (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). A Common problem at this time, low income individual face is fragmented care, they lack consistence of a primary care provider, because services are based on a month to month bases. Population health suggests medical homes or primary care providers, to be maintained for each individual so consistency of care can be conserved (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Population health is also propelling medicine from tradition to more of a model of evidence based care (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Another inequality that population health addressing is to promote medical care that addresses culture and linguistic difference in society (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Furthermore population care promotes disease prevention, screening to prevent chronic illness (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). It also promotes better management of chronic disease by promoting a therapeutic relationship between health care professionals and the individual with the chronic illness (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

     Population healths not only address disease but its goal is to create a society to decrease potential health obstacles that are confronted by all humanity (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Areas that need address to prevent and promote health include; stress within a community, available of nutritious food, clean water, safe housing, preventive education, preventive screening, availability of immunizations, promotion of physical activities, decreased pollution and occupational hazard are a few areas addressed (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Population health also wants to improve health care by creating more diversity, promoting better leadership and removing barriers such as limited clinic hours and extended wait times for appointments (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

Discuss how population health helps support state and national interventions that address health needs?

     The federal government, local government and the health care industry are all establishing, prioritizing and funding health care goals directed at the population as a whole (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). At this time many populations within the United States and the world face health care disparities due to race, gender, economic status, educational status and geography (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). When the population as a whole is not healthily, it affects the health of the entire population. One example is when business pollute the air with carbons the local population is not only affected but, it increases global warming and the entire world is health is changed. Another example is when mothers do not receive adequate nutrition; children may have disabilities that require support for both financially and physically.

     At this time the government has set healthy people goals for the nation (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). These goals are the same as the ones addressed by population health, with the overall goal of improving health for humanity (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Examples are ; increased safety in health care, better education, improved communication about chronic illness, prevention of illness, increasing the quality of health care, treatment of mental illness,  health care available to all members of the population and food safety (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). Both agree by limiting waste, prevention, increasing access to health care, education improved safety, health care cost will decrease and the health of humanity will be improved(Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010). The protection of resources .such as people, health, water, air and food benefit society as a whole (Pender, Murdaugh, Parson, 2010).

References

Pender, N. J., Murdaugh, C. L., & Parsons, M. A. (2011). Health promotion in nursing practice. (6Th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson.