Developing Policy Analytics for Public Health Strategy, Research Paper Example

Public Health Organization

Throughout public health, there are considerable opportunities to explore the different dimensions of the needs of local communities in a vast platform that supports long-term growth and success in preserving the health of the population. An organization with a public health focus and mission requires a greater level of support for its endeavors to ensure that its clients are provided with maximum opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing. These activities require a high level of knowledge and dedication to achieving greater public health through continuous quality improvement and efficiency to ensure that public health needs are met on a consistent basis (James & Savitz, 2011). Managing process improvement is an essential factor that requires new directives to ensure that patients are provided with the appropriate diagnostic tools and measures, as well as access to resources that will support the preservation of health under a variety of conditions (James & Savitz, 2011). These factors demonstrate the importance of achieving outcomes that have a positive impact on health and wellbeing through the identification of inconsistencies in management and the development of new factors that support the health needs and interests of community members (James & Savitz, 2011).

Public health focus areas and initiatives have a significant impact on operations and on the development of new strategies for improvement that are based upon specific population indicators and targets across different age groups (Frieden, 2010). For example, interventions and testing must be appropriate for the needs of a given population, such as children and the elderly, as these groups have specific health needs that require continuous focus and attention (Frieden, 2010). Specific indicators of population health must be addressed in a timely manner, such as the creation of an environment that supports areas such as improving child health, an analysis of social needs, mental health concerns, chronic disease prevention, and infectious disease indicators, among others (Frieden, 2010). These focus areas support and engage individuals in the practices associated with preserving population health and in addressing emerging trends as they arise (Frieden, 2010). Health across different populations is largely based upon socioeconomic status; therefore, these factors must be considered as part of a much larger strategic approach to managing public health in a concentrated and focused manner (Frieden, 2010).

There are many factors to consider in public health that impact society, including the use of new approaches to education, recognizing poverty as a critical public health issue, the impact of lifestyle behaviors on public health, and overall life expectancy as a result of these behaviors and economic conditions (Frieden, 2010). These findings suggest that public health needs are vast and complex, thereby mandating a unique approach that will have a positive impact on patient outcomes through focused interventions and practice objectives that will influence improved health (Frieden, 2010). Healthy decision-making in society requires a supporting framework that is grounded in achieving successful targets that will address lifestyle changes and other factors that impact how public health is managed in society (Frieden, 2010). These opportunities will gauge the public interest in different activities that impact health and will also demonstrate the importance of new directions to improve patient outcomes over time within a given community setting (Frieden, 2010).

Another area of critical importance to public health is evidence-based, whereby there are critical factors that require further consideration to address specific needs in public health that impact populations in different ways (Brownson et.al, 2010). This strategy is essential to the discovery of new techniques that will address pertinent questions that impact public health and society in different ways, so that the appropriate interventions and recommendations are identified to support public health needs on a widespread basis (Brownson et.al, 2010). Evidence-based public health is essential to the discovery of new concepts to implement within communities that will have an impact on their needs over time (Brownson et.al, 2010). Evidence-based practice in public health supports the demand for new approaches to public health using evidence-based solutions to ensure that all possible ideas are explored to facilitate effective outcomes within specific populations (Brownson et.al, 2010). The chosen interventions must be effective and appropriate for the conditions that are being considered, and they must also strive to improve outcomes through multidisciplinary frameworks that support public health on many levels (Brownson et.al, 2010). Therefore, current and emerging public health issues must be identified and appropriately categorized as a means of exploring new insights regarding matters of importance to public health officials so that communities are provided with programs and interventions that target specific population groups in the appropriate manner at all times (Brownson et.al, 2010).

Public health initiatives must be comprehensive and appropriate for the targeted population groups. This is achieved through a framework that is designed to evaluate epidemiological statistics that address public health concerns and overall health status. These factors must be represented in a manner that is consistent with promoting health-related initiatives that will positively impact a community. It is evident that there are significant factors associated with public health that require ongoing attention and focus; therefore, these objectives must be considered and evaluated in order to support improved health and wellbeing for the community at large. Public health initiatives, therefore, must be targeted and must focus on those areas where the need is greatest so that there are sufficient opportunities for growth and change at the community level.

Health Department

Local health departments have a responsibility to maintain efficient operations and to focus on a variety of areas that impact public health across communities. Many areas require a significant focus on current public health needs that have an impact on many health-related concerns. For example, obesity is one area where members of the local health department might make a difference in the lives of local residents through the creation of new strategies to address lifestyle behaviors that impact public health on a widespread basis (Stamatakis et.al, 2012). To be specific, obesity prevention is a critical area that requires greater attention from health department officials because it has a tremendous impact on many other health issues, such as chronic disease (Stamatakis et.al, 2012). Therefore, these factors must be considered in the development of obesity prevention initiatives as one example of a health department’s responsibility to educate local residents (Stamatakis et.al, 2012).

Local health departments are also responsible for addressing many other factors that impact public health, such as infectious disease outbreaks and influenza prevention, among other areas. Leaders within these departments are responsible for establishing the tone in supporting the needs of these populations and in addressing public health needs effectively and in consideration of the demographics of the local population in question (Kuiper et.al, 2012). These conditions reflect the crucial nature of public health and the role of health departments in shaping outcomes for these groups in a positive manner (Kuiper et.al, 2012). Under these conditions, creating healthy communities is an ongoing process that offers many benefits; therefore, it is effective in achieving a greater understanding of new opportunities to improve growth and change within organizations (Kuiper et.al, 2012). These processes support a greater understanding of the challenges that local health departments face as they identify specific public health concerns that impact local residents (Kuiper et.al, 2012). Therefore, a viable and effective leadership strategy is required in order to establish a precedent for expanded growth and development to address different concerns regarding public health that require immediate attention (Kuiper et.al, 2012).

Health department frameworks must be adaptive and effective in addressing emerging needs in a timely manner. This approach will ensure that public health concerns are identified and procedures are modified as needs change. All health departments possess a responsibility to protect local residents and to address matters that could impact public health; therefore, these factors must be considered as part of a larger framework that will enhance objectives and support new directions in health department planning that will have a positive influence on the communities that are served. Health departments possess critical epidemiological statistics that demonstrate a community’s status and overall health; therefore, these factors must be considered as part of a larger framework that will impact population groups within a community in many ways. This process is essential to the overall development of a strategic plan for a health department that will impact communities and their current health objectives.

Health department objectives must also be consistent with public health needs, as these concerns and programmatic approaches should overlap to achieve greater consistency and awareness of these needs. Therefore, the utilization of statistics and the identification of health needs are essential to the delivery of education and programs that are specifically designed to improve public health and to target specific population groups who require the most support, such as young children, the elderly, and those who face a high risk of a chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension. These areas of need are the greatest in many communities and should serve as models for change and progress in the affected areas.

Strategic Decision Making in Public Health

Public health strategies require a significant level of attention in order to accomplish the desired goals and objectives in an effective manner. This is an important step towards the discovery of new strategies that will improve outcomes for patients and that will also impact public health management as a whole. However, this process must be modeled after existing frameworks that support the growth of public health objectives (Brennan et.al, 2013). In this capacity, an organization must be able to explore models that will have a favorable impact on its objectives to serve local communities effectively to improve health (Brennan et.al, 2013). In this context, it is necessary to develop new approaches that will be necessary to sustain changes in public health that cross barriers. The use of innovative models is a positive driving force and it also provides an effective understanding of the challenges associated with preserving public health and gaining support for required change (Brennan et.al, 2013). As there are many risks associated with the health and wellbeing of the general public, it is necessary to adopt new frameworks that will have a positive influence on a community’s population through its activities (Brennan et.al, 2013).

Effective strategic decisions must be carefully planned and have the full support of public health officials and leaders. These programs require a strategic perspective that is unique and appropriate to meet the needs of local residents that require health support and guidance. The development of a successful framework for public health requires an effective understanding of the challenges associated with preserving health in individuals through programs that will have a positive impact on local residents. Strategic growth and development in public health requires a high level of commitment and an understanding of new strategies to facilitate a positive experience and greater health for local residents. This process is instrumental in the development of new perspectives that will encourage the growth of public health strategies that identify current and emerging needs, as well as other factors that will encourage community members to participate in health promotion and prevention activities. When unmet needs are identified, they are likely to benefit from programs with a focus on improved delivery and a greater focus on the needs of community members. The process of strategic development in public health is an essential component of this practice and encourages the public to respond favorably to programs that are specifically designed to meet their health –related needs. An effective program will target the intended audience and will have a viable purpose in order to sustain its success and growth within the community setting.

Finally, strategic development requires innovative approaches that use technology and screening tools in a manner that is consistent with community health objectives. For areas such as chronic disease, screening and prevention are critical in order to raise awareness regarding the needs of communities with respect to health. Diet, exercise, obesity, and lifestyle choices are critical components of any public health program; therefore, these objectives must be addressed with the targeted groups on a continuous basis in order to get the messages across to the public. The chosen strategy has a significant impact on how these programs operate and their impact for local residents, given other factors that also contribute to improving health in communities. The factors associated with these objectives require a new approach to ensure that residents are aware of their own risks and their understanding of their needs. This process facilitates a favorable strategy to address public health concerns and an opportunity to explore new directions to achieve specific outcomes within the community setting that will engage community members as learners and as promoters of public health on a regular basis.

References

Brennan, A., Meier, P., Purshouse, R., Rafia, R., Meng, Y., & Hill-Macmanus, D. (2013). Developing policy analytics for public health strategy and decisions—the Sheffield alcohol policy model framework. Annals of Operations Research, 1-28.

Brownson, R. C., Baker, E. A., Leet, T. L., Gillespie, K. N., & True, W. R. (2010). Evidence-based public health. Oxford University Press.

Frieden, T. R. (2010). A framework for public health action: the health impact pyramid. American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), 590-595.

James, B. C., & Savitz, L. A. (2011). How Intermountain trimmed health care costs through robust quality improvement efforts. Health Affairs, 30(6), 1185-1191.

Kuiper, H., Jackson, R. J., Barna, S., & Satariano, W. A. (2012). Local health department leadership strategies for healthy built environments. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 18(2), E11-E23.

Scheirer, M. A., & Dearing, J. W. (2011). An agenda for research on the sustainability of public health programs. American Journal of Public Health, 101 (11).

Stamatakis, K. A., Leatherdale, S. T., Marx, C., Yan, Y., Colditz, G. A., & Brownson, R. C. (2012). Where Is Obesity Prevention on the Map? Distribution and Predictors of Local Health Department Prevention Activities in Relation to County-Level Obesity Prevalence in the US. Journal of public health management and practice: JPHMP, 18(5), 402.