A Collaborative Communitywide Health Fair, Coursework Example

Health Problem or Issue

Influenza poses a serious threat to many population groups during flu season and throughout other periods throughout the calendar year. This reflects a need to further evaluate the conditions under which organizations are able to promote vaccination efforts to increase the number of patients who receive them and are able to gain immunity and strength against the virus. This is a complex phenomenon that involves a variety of factors that impact how vaccination promotion and education are conducted and to determine what steps are required to ensure that patients receive these vaccinations as frequently as possible. There must be a greater emphasis on the development of tools and resources to target specific population groups, such as younger children and older adults. These groups appear to possess a high degree of vulnerability regarding influenza and require a high level of support and guidance in order to improve their chances of fighting influenza in different ways. This process is ongoing and requires a high level of education and support in order to effectively produce the intended outcomes and to be proactive in working towards viable solutions to reduce influenza risk among these groups. Therefore, targeted education efforts must be identified and must reflect a need to evaluate different conditions that will have a lasting impact on these groups. The following discussion will address influenza vaccination education in greater detail and will emphasize the importance of different methods in promoting the safety and efficacy of these vaccines to improve quality of life and to reduce risk for these populations.

Health Education Intervention

A health education intervention must demonstrate a commitment to providing critical information for the target population and must provide a means of improving the lives of these individuals with the chosen educational intervention. There are a number of options to consider with intervention protocols and this reflects the ability to educate the targeted population groups under a variety of conditions that will positively impact a group over time. The goal of an educational intervention is to provide insight and information in order to enable individuals to make informed decisions regarding the influenza vaccine, including its side effects and any potential risks that are involved. This is likely to impact how individuals decide whether or not to obtain vaccinations and if the resources are available to do so in a timely manner. It is known that many employers offer their employees vaccinations in order to promote healthy lifestyles (Ofstead et.al, 2013), but this is not an option for children and older adults. Therefore, it is expected that other types of interventions must be considered that will have a positive impact on patient care and that will improve health over the long term.

There must be a greater emphasis on the development of vaccination efforts that will aim to improve outcomes and to be proactive in working towards viable solutions to influence population groups in a positive manner. However, this process requires an evaluation of the different perspectives and beliefs regarding vaccinations that may already exist in order to effectively improve the response to these efforts over time. One recommendation to consider is as follows: “Few adolescents have primary care providers, and those who do infrequently make well-exam visits. Furthermore, African-American adolescents receive less primary care than their White counterparts. Consequently, new and innovative strategies will be needed to reach adolescents. Because nearly all (92.0% to 98.2%) adolescents aged 10–18 y attend school on a daily basis, school-based vaccination programs may provide an effective strategy to immunize large numbers of adolescents against influenza” (Sales et.al, 2011, p. 1146). Under these conditions, it is expected that individuals will receive information that will have a positive impact on their health and the decision of whether or not to obtain the influenza vaccine that is based upon the educational program that is in place. This is a critical reminder of the value of improving health and wellbeing through educational interventions that are designed for target populations.

Due to the nature of specific barriers that exist regarding vaccinations, education is a critical factor in shifting the discussion towards a higher rate of compliance and support to improve vaccination rates. This reflects a need to determine which steps are required to facilitate growth and to be proactive in working towards a number of key elements to promote the success of an educational intervention that will have a positive impact. A health fair concept is likely to have a positive and lasting impact on those who are likely to participate, particularly when educational interventions are specific and timely in reaching the target population groups. It is important to identify the different challenges that are evident in supporting a health fair concept and in determining how to best educate participants in a manner that is consistent, friendly, and non-offensive and non-intrusive to the population. Furthermore, a follow-up strategy must be identified that will be effective in meeting the needs of the population and in advancing the objectives of the group as it moves forward in promoting effective outcomes (Squiers, Purmal, Silver, & Gimpel, 2015). A greater emphasis must be on the educational component of the intervention so that participants will be effective in their efforts to overcome any challenges in making a decision regarding vaccinations to improve their health.

A health fair concept requires an examination of the different tools and resources that are available to effectively target the populations which are in need of this protocol. This reflects a means of promoting knowledge and resources to impact individuals and to be effective in working towards solutions to increase vaccination rates at a higher level. The primary purpose of a health fair concept is to provide further education and guidance in advancing the need for influenza vaccinations at a higher level. This requires health experts who possess the knowledge and information that will impact individual perceptions of vaccinations in an effective manner and will also be influential in supporting new ideas to reduce influenza risk. A comprehensive approach to the problem is required in order to effectively manage the conditions associated with this practice and to be effective in meeting patient care needs at a high level. Most importantly, a significant level of knowledge must be shared with the target population as a means of improving health and in advancing the objectives of this process, one step at a time (Ezeonwu & Berkowitz, 2014). Most importantly, influenza vaccinations are often resisted by a number of different population groups, and in turn, this impacts the overall number of vaccinations that are administered in some communities (Chamberlain et.al, 2015). Therefore, education must provide clear and concise information regarding these needs and must be able to reflect a greater understanding or acknowledgement of the benefits of influenza vaccinations for different population groups (Chamberlain et.al, 2015). The goal of the intervention is to further examine the options that are available and to optimize the conditions under which patients are willing to receive these vaccinations because they are properly educated regarding their benefits and advantages to improve their own health.

For older adults, there is also some degree of resistance to influenza vaccinations, perhaps due to lack of knowledge and/or misconceptions regarding their benefits. Therefore, these issues must also be addressed and provide further support and guidance in improving health through an increase in vaccination rates. Any educational intervention must emphasize the following key elements: “the primary goal of influenza vaccination in these high risk groups is to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and premature deaths related to influenza, since episodes of influenza tend to exacerbate chronic medical conditions and lead to the occurrence of secondary bacterial pneumonias” (Nagata et.al, 2013, p. 1). This reflects a need to further examine the different educational protocols that must be considered in order to effectively promote an intervention that will achieve the desired results and impact the older adult population in the desired manner. Their level of risk of contracting influenza must be shared and must reflect a need to increase vaccinations as a primary prevention method to improve outcomes and general quality of life for these patients. It is recommended that in order to effectively promote a vaccination education protocol for older adults, there must be a greater emphasis on the overall development of new tools and resources to impact patients and to provide further evidence that will influence decision-making and access to these vaccinations, particularly in older adults who reside in community dwelling facilities (Nagata et.al, 2013).

To some degree, health literacy must be discussed as a primary factor in improving the quality of life of individuals, particularly in vulnerable population groups. This is best achieved through a health literacy campaign or effort that provides information that will enable patients to make informed decisions regarding their health and to be proactive in making decisions regarding vaccinations towards improving quality of life (Berkman et.al, 2011). From this perspective, educational interventions must be available that will accommodate patients and provide them with much-needed information that will enable them to make informed decisions regarding healthcare needs and potential outcomes (Berkman et.al, 2011). A health-related intervention must focus on the development of new perspectives and opportunities to expand knowledge and resources to improve the lives of patients and to reduce their risk of influenza as best as possible. Therefore, health literacy objectives, such as those created by the group in question, include the use of PowerPoint slides and pamphlets that will provide information and resources to individuals in order to enable them to make informed decisions regarding vaccinations and their benefits.

Most importantly, the proposed intervention must also consider how creativity and a unique means of providing information will have an impact on improving vaccination rates, and this is best accomplished by using an intervention that will provide a number of different strategies at the same time (Lau, et.al, 2012). This type of intervention must be timely and must demonstrate the knowledge that has been generated by the team in an effort to produce greater interest and enthusiasm regarding vaccinations so that individuals are more likely to obtain these vaccinations in the future. The materials that are used must be interesting, creative, and colorful in order to grab the participant’s attention and must emphasize the primary benefits of influenza vaccinations to improve outcomes for patients. The focus must be on promoting an increase in vaccination rates and to address any gaps in education that may exist that prevent individuals from obtaining the influenza vaccine for one reason or another. It is necessary for the team to consider its options on all levels and to make the most of the circumstances in order to effectively provide an intervention that will positively impact those who participate in the virtual health fair experience.

Evaluation Plan

The proposed method of using PowerPoint slides and a pamphlet for distribution will provide the information that is necessary for individuals to make informed decisions regarding influenza vaccinations and whether or not they are a useful tool in advancing team objectives at a higher level. This is an important opportunity for the team to be effective with its program and to recognize the value of promoting the benefits of influenza vaccinations that will have a positive and lasting impact on the targeted population groups. There must be a greater emphasis on the development of new ideas and approaches to impact prospective candidates for the vaccine and to determine how this will influence their decision of whether or not to obtain the vaccine moving forward. Throughout the process, it is it important for the team to remain focused on the goals and hand and to make the most of the circumstances that are present to ensure that the team is prepared to manage its target audience and their perceptions of influenza vaccinations. This will encourage the team to take the necessary steps forward to make a difference in the lives of their patients and to be proactive in working towards mutually beneficial solutions in educating the public regarding these vaccinations and their overall importance in promoting greater health and wellbeing.

With this educational intervention, the team must expand its emphasis on the importance of vaccinations for influenza and aim to be proactive in answering any questions that participants may pose that demonstrate their hesitancy regarding this process and how it impacts their decision-making of whether or not to obtain vaccinations. The program must provide clarity regarding any misconceptions of these vaccines, including any issues raised by parents in deciding whether or not to vaccinate their children. This is an important step towards the discovery of new ideas and challenges to impact the target population and to provide a high level of support and guidance to improve quality of life for patients. This reflects a greater need to emphasize the strengths of the group and to determine what steps are required to educate the public to make informed decisions regarding their health that will positively impact their wellbeing and quality of life. Most importantly, it is necessary for each member of the team to perform at a high level and to be effective in communicating the message regarding the benefits of influenza vaccinations in order to prevent further complications. This reflects a means of expanding knowledge and resources to accommodate patient needs and to be effective in working towards an educational platform that will have a true and lasting impact on the target populations that have been selected.

The project must be evaluated in the context of how it will impact the target populations and what message is sent to these groups in order to effectively impact their decision-making at a high level. This is an important reminder that the team dynamic must be cohesive and must be able to communicate its perspective on a consistent basis and is interesting and insightful to keep participants enthused regarding vaccinations and how they might be effective as part of their own health promotion. The success of the project is largely contingent upon the ability of the group to be effective in sharing its message and in promoting the effectiveness of influenza vaccinations in preventing the virus. The group’s success is likely to be contingent upon the ability of its message to resonate with the target audience and in whether or not these participants have made the decision to obtain the vaccine as a result of the educational intervention. This is a complex issue to address and must demonstrate a means of understanding the dynamics of the situation and to determine what is required to facilitate the success of the intervention as best as possible. This also requires each team member to be proactive in working towards an environment where successful outcomes are likely to occur and will impact how the performance of the team as a whole is identified.

The team must be able to obtain feedback from those who participate in the intervention in order to determine the degree of success that the intervention had and how it will impact these individuals and their decisions regarding influenza vaccinations. Therefore, this is an important step in the team’s ability to achieve their primary objectives with the educational endeavor that they have created. This will demonstrate their ability to impact the target population and to make an effort to relate the importance of influenza vaccinations to participants as part of a larger health promotion focus that will aim to improve quality of life for individuals across different age groups.

References

Berkman, N. D., Sheridan, S. L., Donahue, K. E., Halpern, D. J., Viera, A., Crotty, K., … & Viswanathan, M. (2011). Health literacy interventions and outcomes: an updated systematic review.

Chamberlain, A. T., Seib, K., Ault, K. A., Orenstein, W. A., Frew, P. M., Malik, F., … & Omer, B. (2014). Factors Associated with Intention to Receive Influenza and Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccines during Pregnancy: A Focus on Vaccine Hesitancy and Perceptions of Disease Severity and Vaccine Safety.PLoS currents,7.

Ezeonwu, M., & Berkowitz, B. (2014). A Collaborative Communitywide Health Fair: The Process and Impacts on the Community. Journal of community health nursing, 31(2), 118-129.

Lau, D., Hu, J., Majumdar, S. R., Storie, D. A., Rees, S. E., & Johnson, J. A. (2012). Interventions to improve influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates among community-dwelling adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Annals of Family Medicine, 10(6), 538-546.

Nagata, J. M., Hernández-Ramos, I., Kurup, A. S., Albrecht, D., Vivas-Torrealba, C., & Franco-Paredes, C. (2013). Social determinants of health and seasonal influenza vaccination in adults? 65 years: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative data. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 388.

Ofstead, C. L., Sherman, B. W., Wetzler, H. P., Langlay, A. M. D., Mueller, N. J., Ward, J. M., … & Poland, G. A. (2013). Effectiveness of worksite interventions to increase influenza vaccination rates among employees and families. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 55(2), 156-163.

Sales, J. M., Painter, J. E., Pazol, K., Gargano, L. M., Orenstein, W., Hughes, J. M., & DiClemente, R. J. (2011). Rural parents’ vaccination-related attitudes and intention to vaccinate middle and high school children against influenza following educational influenza vaccination intervention. Human vaccines,7(11), 1146-1152.

Squiers, J. J., Purmal, C., Silver, M., & Gimpel, N. (2015). Community health fair with follow?up. Medical education, 49(5), 526-527.