Community Health: Public Health and Social Justice Paper 

NURS 472 Community Health Nursing II

Purpose of this Assignment: The purpose of this assignment is to allow the student the opportunity to complete an analysis of a public health issue from a social justice perspective.

Student Approach to Assignment: For this paper, I decided to write about youth mental health because it is a growing concern in the United States that unequally impacts vulnerable populations, especially children living in poverty. During my time with my community partner, ForKids, I saw this firsthand, which influenced my idea for this paper. Throughout this paper, I learned how public health issues such as food insecurity, limited availability of providers, and lack of adequate insurance directly affect youth mental health. 

Reason for Inclusion of the Assignment in the Portfolio: I included this paper in my eportfolio because it examines youth mental health in the United States from a social justice standpoint. I analysed how social determinants of health, such as poverty and access to resources, present mental health disparities among adolescents. This assignment demonstrates my ability to apply evidence-based practice by using current research to examine the impact of social determinants of health on youth mental health. 

• Domain 1: Knowledge for Nursing Practice
  • End of program learning outcome 2: Demonstrate social responsibility as a global citizen who fosters the attainment of health equity for all. (Domain 1) (1.1,1.3)
    • Throughout this paper, I demonstrated social responsibility by exploring how poverty and social determinants of health contribute to mental health disparities among youth. Promoting health equity for all was evident throughout the paper, with recommendations to improve access to mental health resources and to address various barriers.
  • End of program learning outcome 3: Articulates an understanding of how human behavior is affected by culture, race, religion, gender, lifestyle, and age. (Domain 1) (1.1,1.3)
    • In this paper, I articulate how human behavior is affected by lifestyle and age. Socioeconomic factors, community environments, age, and the stigma surrounding mental health all affect the mental health and behavior of youth living in poverty. 
• Domains 2, 3: Person-Centered Care, Population Health Descriptor
  • End of program learning outcome 18: Educate individuals and families regarding self-care for health promotion, illness prevention, and illness management. (Domains 2, 3) (2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.4)
    • In this paper, I discuss the benefits of educating families and communities about screening for food insecurity and encouraging youth to participate in recreational activities. These two interventions are shown to support mental health and prevent mental health conditions among youth. 
• Domain 3: Population Health Descriptor
  • End of program learning outcome 21: Assess the priorities of the community and/or the affected clinical population. (Domain 3) (3,4).
    • I mention this outcome by identifying mental health as a priority affecting low-income youth. Factors assessed include poverty, food insecurity, limited access to healthcare, and unsafe community environments that all contribute to poor mental health outcomes in low-income youth. Priorities of this community include connecting them with community partners who can help and increasing their access to healthcare. 
  • End of program learning outcome 23: Prioritize patient-focused and/or community action plans that are safe, effective, and efficient in the context of available resources. (Domain 3) (3,4).
    • Community action plans that are safe, effective, and efficient to improve youth mental health include connecting families to the local food bank to screen for food insecurity and encouraging participation in recreational activities. These two strategies together can assist in decreasing mental health disorders in low-income youth. 
• Domain 4: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline 
  • End of program learning outcome 28: Communicates scholarly findings with colleagues. (Domain 4) (4.2)
    • Included in this paper is a letter to the editor of the NY Times to communicate my research findings on youth mental health disparities and social determinants of health. This evidence was presented in a scholarly manner that is credible and informative, supporting advocacy for improved mental health resources. 
• Domain 3,6: Population Health Descriptor, Interprofessional Partnerships 
  • End of program learning outcome 20: Initiates community partnerships to establish health promotion goals and implements strategies to meet those goals. (Domains 3, 6) (3,4, 6.3, 6.4)
    • In this paper, I discuss strategies to promote the goal of improving youth mental health. Strategies I discuss include connecting low-income youth and their families with community partners, such as local food resources and community recreational programs. 
• Domain 7: Systems-based Practice  
  • End of program learning outcome 4: Recognize the impact of health disparities and social determinants of health on care outcomes. (Domain 7) (7.1,7.3)
    • By examining how poverty, food insecurity, limited access to healthcare, and neighborhood conditions affect care outcomes throughout this paper, I recognized the impact of health disparities and social determinants of health on care outcomes. All of the factors listed lead to increased rates of untreated mental health conditions in low-income youth. 
  • End of program outcome 36: Describe the impact of healthcare cost and payment models on the delivery, access, and quality of care. (Domain 7) (7.1,7.3)
    • Many families living in poverty experience financial constraints, lack insurance, and have limited access to providers. This prevents them from receiving timely mental health treatment. When they do receive treatment, they do not receive the same quality of treatment that families that do not have financial constraints would receive.