Community Health Issues



Community Health Issues

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Community Health Issues

In Hampton Roads community obesity is considered as one of the major health problems. According to the Social Science research that took place in Old Dominion University, when residents were asked about the major health issue that they suffer from, obesity was the pointed as one of the major health issues with 38.7 % among the other problems. While Diabetes, Cancer, Alzheimer's and heart diseases were the other major issues in the community with a percentage of 19.7 %, 15.8%, 2.9 %, and 9.6 %. All these issues are also considered to be linked to the issue of obesity (Parker, Bush, Richman, And Vandecar-Burdin, & Tancy, 2014). According to the Health District Hampton, 68.1 % of the adult population from above 20 ages are obese (Greater Hampton Roads, 2019).

Apparently not doing exercise making wrong food choices are the reasons for the obesity that leads to other health issues. Obesity is also linked to a stationary lifestyle. As such cases are also seen where people who do regular exercise and eat healthily also suffer from obesity and other issues linked to it. This suggests that we need to be open-minded about the actual causes of obesity and not consider scientific research as absolute truth we should continue to seek the truth. According to Dr. Peter Attia, insulin resistance can also be the cause of obesity. But conventionally insulin resistance is considered as the outcome of obesity, which can be opposite(TED, 2013).

As a nurse, like doctors, we need to be an open minded about the causes of obesity and need to show empathy to the patients so that we can encourage them to lose weight. Many other nurses face the issue that people, when visiting the clinic are very upset about the weight issues and when they are guided about the changes that they should make in their lives to solve the obesity problem, they don't practically apply the solutions. We often judge people about the weight issue, that they can also sense, which is discouraging. I and my colleges as nurses should show empathy and kindness to the obese patients as they are the victims. We should check them thoroughly and look for the cause of obesity, understand the patient's problem and then guide them accordingly. Addressing personal challenges will help the patient deal with the problem. We can also conduct awareness programs in the community and share our knowledge and experience with the community. Last but not least we should look at the problem with a fresh mind.

References

TED, P. A. (2013, June 25). Peter Attia: What if we’re wrong about diabetes? YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhLBPPtlrY

Parker, S., Bush, C., Richman, J., And Vandecar-Burdin, & Tancy. (2014). ODU Digital Commons Life in Hampton Roads Report: The Fifth Annual Life in Hampton Roads Survey Part of the Community-Based Research Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons, Regional Sociology Commons, and the Social Statistics Commons Repository Citation. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=ssrc_lihr

Greater Hampton Roads. (2019, January 1). Greater Hampton Roads :: Indicators :: Adults who are Overweight or Obese :: Health District : Hampton. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from http://www.ghrconnects.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=56&localeId=132222

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