Title: Developing Local Solutions for a Global Pandemic for Seniors

Background:

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile health units, such as vans to administer health care services are desperately needed. The mobile health units would be used to serve medically underserved rural and inner city areas.COVID-19 testing, vaccination, oral health care, and preventative health screenings. The goal is to raise funding for the mobile health units despite the ethical dilemma associated with other participating organizations and funding methods.

Key Study questions:

Were tasked to address these five questions:

1. Describe the public health problem that you want to address for the target population.

2. Research and describe the social determinants of health (at least three) that are encountered by your target population.

3. Discuss the ethical dilemma in the case study that is associated with your target population.

4. Describe how not receiving funding for health services will impact your target population group. Describe how you will work collaboratively based on your professional roles and responsibilities to overcome inadequacies for your target population.

5. In many states, health systems provide services to the economically poor & disadvantaged who qualify for Medicaid and other eligible services. What plans should you consider for the target group? What are the preventive strategies or interventions that could be leveraged for your target population? What is the best way to work to improve public health for your target group?

Method: 

My group was tasked with identifying a target audience and public health issues associated with the scenario. Then, we were to develop a presentation and executive summary responding to the questions previously listed. After deliberation with group members, we decided to focus on seniors, as they would benefit most from the mobile health units. As a group, we researched the public health problem, social determinants of health, and solutions to the scenario. The purpose of the IPE is an interprofessional collaboration which was achieved with minimal difficulty. We needed to identify three social determinants of health that affect seniors’ ability to access care, which we identified to be income stability, isolation, and physical barrier. 

Findings: 

The aging population faces many challenges and health disparities. The aging population is fast growing but their overall health is declining. The mobile health units will address this vulnerable population by providing preventative health services as well as vaccines to mitigate the adverse health effects and reduce the spreading of the COVID-19 virus.

Recommendations: 

Community health professionals should work together in the communities that the mobile health units will frequent to assess the health and living conditions of the seniors. Mobile health units are desperately needed during this time to address the transportation and access to the health care needs of seniors. 

Public health significance:

Physical barriers, social isolation, and low income are social determinants that affect seniors’ access to healthcare services. The mobile health units provide a solution to address the barriers to care. Mobile health units are an essential link between the community and clinical facilities to healthcare access that directly impacts their quality of life. The ethical dilemma emphasizes the principles of beneficence and justice and their importance in the field of public health. The healthcare delivery system is responsible for providing resources to underserved communities in an integral way that keeps the community’s trust in the system. The future of health depends on collaborative efforts among public health professionals.

IPE-Case-Study-exec-sum-to-turn-in

Senior-Citizen-IPE-group-12-to-turn-in