Assignment-4
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School
Athabasca University, Athabasca *
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Course
201
Subject
Health Science
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
7
Uploaded by ProfBoulderKudu32
Part I
1.
Refer back to Healthcare Innovation in Canada
. The Health Outcomes section questions whether the provincial and territorial governments should “spend more on healthcare or on social determinants of health.” Please answer in 500 words. (There is no “right” or “wrong” answer.) Use examples to support your argument and reference them properly using APA. (
10 marks
)
Allocating Resources on Healthcare or on Social Determinants of Health?
The decision to allocate resources on healthcare or on social determinants of health must be carefully examined by Canadian governments since the results of such decisions impact all Canadians. In my response I will explore the argument for investing in healthcare. Investing in healthcare ensures that immediate health concerns are addressed without the burden of financial barriers, but also provides the foundation for future sustainable healthcare investments by supporting early access to treatment, and preventative care. The current healthcare challenges faced by Canadians living in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia include prolonged wait times for surgeries and consultations due to the increasing demand placed on the system—known as Medicare— which is not a national system, but simply a collection of provincial and territorial health insurance plans subject to national standards (Martin, et al., 2008). Increasing healthcare expenditure in these provinces would alleviate these challenges, allowing for the hiring of more healthcare professionals, expanding infrastructure, and employing modern technology to improve the quality of services delivered. Reducing wait times contributes to improved patient outcomes by preventing disease progression, and early intervention is crucial for conditions such as cancer. Studies explain that reducing wait times contributes to improvement of survival rates and better health outcomes (Simunovic et al., 2001). Moreover, when wait times are reduced, a more efficient allocation of resources is observed. Efficient resource use is essential for maintaining well-functioning healthcare systems. Investigation by Siciliani et al., (2013) stresses the importance of decreasing waiting times to reduce the amount of resources allocated in healthcare.
The urgency of investing in the Canadian health system was evident during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. We were confronted with the consequences of insufficient investment in research and technology, building and maintaining healthcare facilities, providing enough supplies to ensure the quality of services provided to both patients and professionals. Moreover, funding is crucial for maintaining a strong healthcare workforce. According to the Canadian Institute for Health, this involves training and retaining professionals such as doctors, nurses, and support staff. Offering competitive salaries, continuing education opportunities, and workplace enhancements contributes to a sustainable healthcare workforce, ensuring the availability of high-quality healthcare services (2021).
In conclusion, investing in the Canadian healthcare system is not only a matter of addressing immediate health concerns but is also essential measure for building a resilient, accessible, and efficient healthcare system capable of supporting patients through the evolving health challenges of
the population. Finally, the data sources included compelling evidence that investing in healthcare contributes to a positive impact on both the individual and collective level and contributes to Canadians attaining their full potential.
Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
Reference
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). (2021). Health Spending.
Martin, D., Miller, A.P., Quesnel-Vallée, A., Caron, N.R., Vissandjée, B., Marchildon, G.P.(2018) Canada's universal health-care system: achieving its potential. Lancet. http://doi: 10.1016/S0140-
6736(18)30181-8. Epub 2018 Feb 23. PMID: 29483027; PMCID: PMC7138369.
Siciliani, L., M. Borowitz, V., Moran.(2013). Waiting Time Policies in the Health Sector: What Works? OECD Health Policy Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264179080-en.
Simunovic, M., Gagliardi, A., McCready, D., Coates, A., Levine, M., DePetrillo, D.(2001) A snapshot of waiting times for cancer surgery provided by surgeons affiliated with regional cancer centres in Ontario. CMAJ. PMID: 11531050; PMCID: PMC81366.
2.
You are now going to complete a survey (Statistics Canada, n.d.) on yourself and an adult over the age of 65, of your gender if possible.
Survey Questions
1.
Do you have a regular medical doctor?
☐
Yes
☐
No
2.
What kind of place do you go to when you are sick and need advice about your health?
☐
Doctor’s office
☐
Community health centre
☐
Walk-in clinic
☐
Appointment clinic
☐
Telephone health line
☐
Hospital emergency room
☐
Hospital outpatient clinic
☐
Naturopathic doctor’s office
3.
In the past 12 months have you been a patient overnight in a hospital, nursing home, or convalescent home?
☐
Yes
☐
No
4.
Please indicate all of the following health professionals you have seen in the last 12 months about your health.
☐
A family doctor or general practitioner
☐
An eye specialist, such as an ophthalmologist or optometrist
☐
A medical specialist such as a surgeon, allergist, or orthopaedist
Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
☐
A dentist, dental hygienist, or orthodontist
☐
A physiotherapist
☐
An audiologist, speech therapist, or occupational therapist
☐
Did not see any health professional
5.
People may also use alternative or complementary medicine. In the past 12 months have you seen or talked to an alternative health care provider such as an acupuncturist, homeopath,
chiropractor, or massage therapist about your health?
☐
Yes
☐
No
6.
On a scale from 1–10 what is your overall satisfaction with the medical care you have received in the last 12 months?
7.
Please answer the following questions about the survey.
a.
Of the two of you who took the survey, who accessed more health care services? Describe the health care services that were used more often. (
1 mark
) I used more services. b.
Who was most satisfied with their care? (
1 mark
)
The other person was more satisfied with their care. c.
How do you think age affected the results? (
1 mark
)
In this case, the other person was more satisfied with their care because they have a family doctor. Because they have lived in the same address for over 40 years they have a more reliable healthcare network.
d.
Why do you think age often affects health care utilization? Please provide a statistic to support your answer and reference it properly using APA. (
2 marks
)
Several factors may influence the use of healthcare services, such as the prevalence of health issues in old age. According to the Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans (2028) a large majority of older adults (almost 82 percent) have at least one chronic disease that requires ongoing care and management. Hypertension, arthritis, and heart disease are the most common conditions reported by older adults. Other reasons may include the natural progression of health issues, and changes in priority (for example having more time to care for health issues after retirement.) Reference: Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans. (2008). Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce. Washington (DC): National Academies Press US. Health Status and Health Care Service Utilization. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215400/
8.
Think back to your concept map of the determinants of health in Assignment 1. Put health access in the middle and write the other determinants of health around it. Now add an Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
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example for each determinant of how it may impact health care services. (
½ mark
per determinant = 5 marks
)
Health Services
Income and Social Status- may affect the ability to pay for dental services, which are not covered by provincial health plans.
Social Support Networks and Social Environments- members of marginalized groups may face barriers to healthcare, such as undocumented lacking the social networks to direct them to an immigration health clinic where they could receive care regardless their status.
Education and Literacy- deficient education and low literacy can impose a challenge to following instructions about how to take a medication for example.
Employment and Working Conditions- poor working conditions may lead to diseases and negatively impact one’s health and wellbeing, putting a strain on healthcare systems.
Physical Environments- living conditions influence health and can create disease, for example, black mold could mistakenly trigger an allergic reaction in the immune system and even make someone severely ill.
Healthy Child Development- inadequate childcare can result in a child not receiving vaccines or preventative care that could be lifesaving.
Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills- choices such as smoking, drinking alcohol, binge eating, and doing drugs can result in health problems and/or accidents, people’s healthy life choices prevent such outcomes and are less taxing on the health system.
Biology and Genetic Endowment- predisposition to various conditions can lead to the early development of a disease and result in utilizing more health services over a lifetime.
Gender- women may struggle to get accurate diagnoses if they present health conditions more often associated to men, and vice versa.
Culture- individuals from different cultures may be hesitant to utilize certain health services, for instance, Asians tend to utilize less mental health services.
Part II
1.
Using the article by Dawson et al. that you read in the introduction section of this unit, answer the following questions. (
8 marks
total)
a.
List the behaviours from the survey that were statistically significantly different between men and women. (
2 marks
)
b.
For each of the health behaviours listed in Table 2, which gender reported higher percentages for the different behaviours? (
½ mark
per behaviour = 5 marks
)
c.
Why did males in the sample perceive themselves to be in better health than the females but participated in more risky health-related behaviours than females? (
1 mark
)
2.
Go to the Athabasca University library website
and find the full text for the following article.
Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
Taylor, P.J., Kolt, G.S., Vandelanotte, C., Caperchione, C.M., Mummery, W.K., George, E.S., Karunanithi, M., & Noakes, M.J. (2013.). A review of the nature and effectiveness of nutrition interventions in adult males: A guide for intervention strategies. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity
, 10
,13. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-13.
Taylor et al. identify many of the differences between men and women in health behaviours and the
different aspects to consider when providing health education specifically to males. To judge the quality of the article, as well as to review its findings, use the CASP Systematic Review Checklist
. Answer the following questions. (
12 marks
total)
a.
Why has this article focused on males specifically? (
1 mark
)
Because males are less likely to meet their daily intake quota of fruits and vegetables. Males are also
more hesitant to engage with health-related initiatives.
b.
Did the review address a clearly focused question? (Yes, Can’t tell, No: ½ mark
) What was the question? (
½ mark
)
Yes, the review sought to evaluate the nature and effectiveness of nutrition interventions that target the male population. And to identify strategies that are likely to be effective in improving program engagement by adult males.
c.
Did the authors look for the right type of papers? (Yes, Can’t tell, No: ½ mark
) How could you tell? (
½ mark
)
Yes, based on the key words utilized, targeted age group, and the screening process that included a minimum of two researchers analyzing the papers. d.
Do you think all the important, relevant studies were included? (Yes, Can’t tell, No: ½ mark
) Why or why not? (
½ mark
)
I can’t tell.
e.
Did the authors of the CASP review do enough to assess the quality of the studies included? (Yes, Can’t tell, No: ½ mark
) What tool was used to assess the quality of the studies? (
½ mark
)
Yes, they used the McMasters University quality assessment tool for quantitative studies. Which assess factors such as selection bias, study design, confounders, blinding, data collection methods and withdrawals/drop-outs.
f.
If the results of the review have been combined, was it reasonable to do so? (Yes, Can’t tell, No (
½ mark
) Why or why not? (
½ mark
)
Yes, the results were grouped by effectiveness into three categories: Strong, Moderate, and Weak. g.
What are the overall results of the review? (
½ mark
each question = 3 marks
total)
1.
How many of the interventions were effective? Seven of the nine studies. 2.
How many studies reported positive changes in weight or BMI? Of the effective interventions, four studies reported significant positive changes in weight (kg) and/or BMI (kg/m2) Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
3.
How many studies were effective at changing dietary intake or nutritional determinants?
There were four effective interventions aimed at dietary intake and dietary habits and/or nutritional intake.
4.
What strategy may enhance intervention effectiveness discussed in the group-based delivery section? Participation in worksite health promotion initiatives where employers enable employees paid release time from work to attend education sessions.
5.
What strategy may enhance intervention effectiveness discussed in the face-to-face delivery section?
The setting of quantitative-based dietary targets performed better than generic information in improving self-reported dietary behaviours.
6.
What specific nutritional determinants or nutritional intake variables were changed?
Six studies focused on achieving changes in dietary intake patterns relating to changes in fruit, vegetable, dairy and total fat intakes.
h.
Think about designing a weight-loss intervention for men. Using the discussion as a guide, how would you design your intervention? (
3 marks
)
I would suggest a workplace-based program with a combination of concise instructional in person
sessions and self-monitoring activities tracking weight, eating, and physical activity. The program should also include a weakly meal plan and involve the individual’s families. The objectives of the program should be clear, concise and achievable and conveyed in a fun manner.
Part III
1.
Think about the culture of poverty discussed in the AFMC Primer on Population Health that you read
in this unit’s first learning activity. Write a paragraph explaining why it is important for someone in poverty to increase their physical activity, and how they can do so. Address each of the points in the
culture of poverty box. For example, suggesting a long-term gym membership is unlikely to be effective. (
10 marks
)
The importance of increasing physical activity is often accompanied by numerous obstacles in the lives of individuals living in poverty. Those challenges often hold the most important arguments for a healthy lifestyle. For instance, physical activity can prevent disease and often helps in the management of symptoms of already existing conditions. Because people living in poverty are more vulnerable to a higher prevalence of conditions such as diabetes and obesity, increasing physical activity becomes essential to alleviate health disparities. Because of the hardships of everyday life, impoverished individuals often struggle to think about aging well or to invest in long-term health goals. Many people living in poverty resort to substance use to cope with difficult life conditions. Exercise can become a source of enjoyment and recreation and contribute to overall healthier coping strategies. Encouraging activities that require no equipment or guidance can be beneficial to people living in poverty by removing unnecessary barriers. Lastly, due to the challenges to access healthcare, it is important to encourage a practical and effective approach to improving overall wellbeing.
2.
Review the results of the report on avoidable mortality that you read in the second learning activity.
If you were going to provide an intervention to reduce avoidable deaths, who would be most important group to focus on? What behaviours would you target? What is one determinant of Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4
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health you could target? Provide an example of each health behaviour and one thing you could do in a culturally competent way to address the identified determinant of health. (
10 marks
)
According to the report the most vulnerable group, and the one I would focus on, would be First Nations young adults (25 to 34 years old). I would target prevention behaviours concerning the following issues:
1-
Diabetes- Given the elevated relative risks of death from diabetes (RR = 4.31 for men and RR = 7.97 for women), health promotion programs could target lifestyle adjustments, physical activity, and facilitate access to healthy food options.
2-
Alcohol and Drug Use- Considering the high relative risks of death from alcohol and drug use among both First Nations men (RR = 5.43) and women (RR = 10.11), addressing substance abuse behaviors would be essential. Interventions could include culturally sensitive substance abuse prevention programs, counseling, and support services.
3-
Unintentional Injuries- First Nations men and women have higher relative risks of death from unintentional injuries (RR = 4.71 for men and RR = 4.91 for women). Interventions could focus on injury prevention strategies, and safety education to reduce the number of accidents.
The determinant of health I would focus on is Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills. Providing education and guidance on healthy behaviour and equipping individuals to make better choices for themselves is essential to avoid preventable deaths. In addition, this initiative could directly contribute to other determinants of health (Education and Literacy and Income and Social Status for example). Furthermore, incorporating cultural healing and spiritual practices can enhance the effectiveness of interventions aimed on Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills. Another example of culturally competent intervention would be nutrition programs that include culturally relevant foods associated with traditional diets, or physical activity programs that stimulate cultural practices such as dancing.
Health Studies 201: Introduction to Human Health (II)
Assignment 4