Healthy Living Awareness
Problem Statement
Our project is designed to address the need for health literacy in the Ethiopian community. Health literacy is the capacity to comprehend and utilize health information in order to make educated decisions and take the necessary steps to preserve and improve one’s health. It is crucial to address this issue since insufficient health literacy has a major negative influence on community health. For instance, those with low health literacy may be less likely to seek medical care when necessary, may not understand how to take drugs properly, and may be at a greater risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Multiple pieces of evidence demonstrate the importance of addressing this demand in the Ethiopian community. A important piece of evidence is the community’s high degree of interest in health and wellness (Bernhart et al., 2021). Many members of the Ethiopian community have shown a desire to learn more about how to maintain and enhance their health, but cultural and linguistic obstacles may make it difficult for them to receive trustworthy health information.
The target population for our project is the Ethiopian community, specifically those who frequently attend church services. The project will be carried out in a church that serves a predominantly Ethiopian congregation. It is necessary to address the identified need and target this group within the context of a church because the church is a community hub. Numerous members of the Ethiopian community routinely attend church, presenting a chance to reach many individuals with health information and resources (Bernhart et al., 2021). Additionally, the church environment fosters a sense of community and support, which may be required for developing and maintaining healthy behaviors.
Implementation (PICOT):
Purpose:
In a church context, our project strives to improve health and raise awareness about healthy living within the Ethiopian population. This will be accomplished through providing community members with knowledge and resources on issues such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and chronic disease prevention (Lee, 2021).
To address the stated need, we will implement a health education program targeted to the needs and interests of the Ethiopian population. This may include workshops, seminars, and other educational church-hosted events. We will also use printed materials and internet resources to give community members with information and resources.
The intervention’s target population is the Ethiopian community within a church environment. We will collaborate closely with religious leaders and community members to guarantee the program’s relevance and significance for this population.
In a church environment, the predicted results of our study include greater health knowledge and improved health behaviors within the Ethiopian population. As community members get a deeper understanding of how to maintain and enhance their health, they will be more inclined to embrace healthy habits and make positive lifestyle modifications.
The timeline for implementing our project will be decided by the availability of resources and the demands of the community. We anticipate the project to be implemented over a period of many months, with continuous maintenance and expansion of the initial intervention. We will collaborate closely with church leaders and community people to ensure that the program continues to be viable and satisfy the needs of the community.
Comparison of Methods
A community-based participatory research (CBPR) strategy is an alternative to the health education program provided in the Intervention Overview. CBPR is a collaborative research strategy that involves the active engagement and participation of community members in all areas of the research process (Corrigan, 2020). It has been demonstrated that this strategy promotes health literacy and improves health habits in underserved communities. A CBPR strategy would foster interprofessional care by involving numerous stakeholders, including healthcare practitioners, community leaders, and members of the Ethiopian community, in comparison to the interventions in our overview. This would permit a more comprehensive and coordinated strategy for addressing the stated need for health literacy.
Due to its emphasis on community members’ active participation and empowerment, a CBPR strategy is well-suited to the Ethiopian community in terms of its compatibility with the target population. By incorporating community members in the study process, we can guarantee that the intervention meets their needs and is meaningful to them. A CBPR strategy that promotes collaboration and partnership between community members and external groups, such as the church, would also work well in the context of a church (Corrigan, 2020). By incorporating the church in the study process, we are able to harness its resources and networks to reach a greater number of community people and foster lasting change.
A CBPR strategy would likely be helpful in addressing the acknowledged need for health literacy in the Ethiopian community and church environment (ParraCardona et al., 2020). By incorporating community members in the research process, we can ensure that the intervention is relevant and meaningful to their needs and interests, and by collaborating with the church, we can use its resources and networks to facilitate long-lasting change.
Initial Draft of Outcome
A desired consequence of our intervention and project is that the Ethiopian population is health-conscious and actively engages in healthy lifestyle choices. This outcome exemplifies the goal of our intervention and project, which is to enhance health and raise community knowledge of healthy living (CDC, 2021). This result also creates a framework for enhancing the quality, safety, and/or experience of care within the Ethiopian community. By raising health literacy and fostering healthy habits, we can decrease the prevalence of chronic diseases and improve the community’s general health and well-being.
Time Estimate
We offer a ten-day timeframe for the development of our intervention. This timeline is reasonable since it allows us sufficient time to interact with community people and stakeholders, conduct needs assessments, and develop a comprehensive intervention strategy. However, potential obstacles, such as a lack of motivation among community members or a scarcity of resources, could affect this timeline. In addition, we offer a timeframe of three to four months for implementing our intervention (Ross et al., 2017). This timeline is reasonable since it gives for ample time to implement the intervention, monitor its effectiveness, and make any necessary revisions. However, potential obstacles, such as a lack of desire among team members or unanticipated implementation obstacles, could affect this timeline.
Literature Review
The acknowledged need for health literacy in the Ethiopian community and the suitability of addressing this need in a church environment are supported by substantial data. Health literacy, which is defined as the capacity to comprehend and apply health information in order to make educated decisions and take appropriate action to preserve and improve one’s health, is a crucial aspect in promoting and sustaining good health. Studies indicate that those with low health literacy are more likely to experience poor health outcomes, such as greater rates of chronic disease and hospitalization, and are less likely to seek preventative care or adhere to treatment recommendations. Improving health literacy is a crucial technique for addressing health inequities and promoting health and well-being overall.
Due to the unique barriers they may experience in receiving credible health information, the Ethiopian community is an important population to target for health literacy initiatives. Cultural and linguistic differences can present obstacles to comprehending health information and obtaining care, which may be especially prevalent in the Ethiopian population (Janssen et al., 2012). By focusing our health education efforts inside the context of a church, we can reach a huge number of community people in a comfortable and encouraging atmosphere. The church is a great location for our health education program since faith-based groups efficiently encourage healthy practices and Help people with chronic diseases.
Regarding existing health policy, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contains a number of provisions that are pertinent to our stated needs and could influence our strategy for addressing them. The Affordable Care Act stresses the need of encouraging health literacy and expanding access to preventative care services, which matches with our objectives of enhancing health knowledge and behaviors within the Ethiopian community (Sanchez, 2015). Additionally, the ACA seeks to eliminate health disparities among underprivileged communities, which is pertinent to the Ethiopian community. By aligning our initiative with the ACA’s requirements, we can ensure that our efforts are in line with national interests and may be more sustainable over time.
In addition, the ACA promotes patient-centered treatment and encourages the use of patient education and self-management techniques to enhance health outcomes. Our approach to health education in the Ethiopian community is consistent with this emphasis on empowering patients to play an active part in their own health care. By providing community people with information and resources that enable them to better understand their health and make educated decisions, we may enhance health literacy and promote healthy behaviors.
In general, the evidence supports the necessity of addressing the recognized need for health literacy in the Ethiopian community and church setting. By targeting this group and setting, we can reach a large number of people and offer them with the materials they need to maintain and improve their health (Mavreles Ogrodnick et al., 2021). By linking our initiative with pertinent health policy, we can ensure that our efforts correspond with national interests and have the potential to be more long-lasting.
References
Bernhart, J. A., Wilcox, S., Saunders, R. P., Hutto, B., & Stucker, J. (2021). Faith, Activity, and Nutrition Program Implementation and Church Members’ Health Behaviors in a Countywide Study. Preventing Chronic Illness, https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.200224
CDC. (2021). (2021). Community Health, per the NCCDPHP CDC stands for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 6 January 2023. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/healthycommunitiesprogram/tools/index.htm
Corrigan, Patrick W. (2020). Health, Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR), and stigma. Stigma and Health, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 123–124. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000175
Janssen, B. M., Van Regenmortel, T., & Abma, T. A. (2012). Balancing risk prevention and health promotion: Towards a harmonized approach in community-based care for older adults. The Journal of Health Care Analysis, 22(1), 82–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10728-011-0200-1
The impact of an online health-promoting education program on the e-health literacy, attitudes, and well-being of pre-service childcare teachers. 16(1), 48–54, Journal of the Korean Society for Wellness. https://doi.org/10.21097/ksw.2021.02.16.1.48
Mavreles Ogrodnick, M., O’Connor, M. H., & Feinberg, I. (2021). Training in health literacy and intercultural competence. Health Literacy Research and Practice, fifth edition (4). https://doi.org/10.3928/24748307-20210908-02
Parra‐Cardona, R., Beverly, H. K., & López‐Zerón, G. (2020). For underprivileged people, Communitybased Participatory Research (CBPR). 491–511 in The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119438519.ch21
Ross, A., M. Bevans, A. T. Brooks, S. Gibbons, and G. R. Wallen (2017). Knowledge may not convert into self-care with regards to nurses and health-promoting habits. 267–275. AORN Journal, 105(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2016.12.018
Rüegg, R., & Abel, T. (2021). The function of Conversion Factors in contesting the relationship between Health Literacy and Health Health Promotion International, Volume 37, Number (1). https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daab054
Sanchez, E. (2015). Utilizing the Affordability Care Act to improve population health 185–194 of The Practical Playbook. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780190222147.003.0016
