Managing Health Through All Stages Of Life

Introduction

The public health is referred to the science of implementing safety principles and creating improvement in the health of the communities with the help of healthcare education, implications of healthcare policies, identifying disease and injury prevention ways through research (Blue et al. 2016). The presence of effective public health is important as it aids to development of prolonged and healthy life of the individuals by preventing health issues and increased expenditure on bad health conditions. The consideration of public health helps to detect proper health issues at the earliest for it to be responded at the appropriate time to avoid the development of the disease (Brooks et al. 2018). For those needing additional support, healthcare dissertation help can offer guidance in exploring these aspects further. The key purpose of the assignment is to present a case study which explores the meaning of health and well-being along with health promotion principles for better health outcomes among individuals involved in smoking.

The case study to be presented would inform the health needs of adults of 18 years and above age who are living in Manchester and involved in regular smoking of tobacco. For this purpose, the health data regarding the prevalence of smoking in Manchester among adults is to be analysed. The assignment is going to discuss the perception, behaviour and other factors which influence smoking activity among the adults in Manchester. The health determinants influencing smoking activity among the adults in Manchester is to be discussed. The Dahlgren and Whitehead Health Model would be used for determining the way environmental and individual factors influences adults in Manchester to involve in smoking tobacco. In the end, the health promotion activities for the adults of Manchester who are involved in smoking are to be discussed.

Definition of Health and Well-being

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is regarded as the state of complete social, physical and mental well-being and not only the lack of any diseases or infirmity in the body (WHO, 2020). This concept of health and well-being is relevant to the theoretical aspects mentioned in the biopsychosocial model of health in which the interaction among the physiological, psychological and social factors is considered regarding an individual to ensure their good health and well-being. This is different from the medical model of health in which the absence of any illness and emphasis on the role of clinical intervention and diagnosis are considered towards establishing good health and well-being of individuals (WHO, 2020). The criticism regarding the concept of health by the WHO is that it is unrealistic explanation as it leaves many individuals to be considered unhealthy most of the time as there are few individuals in the population who have completely effective social, physical and mental health condition (WHO, 2020).

Discussing relevant health data for identifying needs of a vulnerable group

The prevalence of smoking tobacco is found to be one of the key health issues being faced in different areas within the UK and considerable number of people is found to be suffering from adverse health condition as result of impact of smoking. The Annual Population Survey (APS) organised by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on the basis of survey of 1,331 adults of 18 years and above in the Manchester revealed that in 2016 nearly 1/5th of the respondents (21.7%) of the survey are involved in regular smoking of tobacco. In comparison, the national average for regular smoker of 18 years and above in England is 15.5% (gmhsc.org.uk, 2017). This indicates more individuals in Manchester are involved in smoking tobacco compared to people in England. It informs that they have the need for attaining effective health education regarding the negative effects of smoking which is to be discussed in the study so that they can be aware to reduce the habit. This is because health education makes the people understand the risk created by them on their health with the present lifestyle in turn leading them to be responsible in changing the habits to ensure better health and well-being (gmhsc.org.uk, 2019).

The figures published by the ONS in 2016 also informed that the proportion of people who presently smoke tobacco have reduced in very small numbers when compared with the previous year (gmhsc.org.uk, 2017). The lack of effective healthcare support and services are seen to create difficulty among the people to act towards improving their health. This is because they are unable to have required resources, care and knowledge of strategies needed by them to ensure health and well-being (gmhsc.org.uk, 2017). Thus, it can be determined that 18+ aged adults in Manchester may have the need of effective presence of healthcare support and services from the NHS and other healthcare organisations. This is required for developing proper activities to successfully avoid smoking, in turn, creating a steady and greater decline in numbers of people who currently smoke each year.

Smoking is regarded as the major preventable risk factor related to Chronic Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and other respiratory illness. The ONS survey informed that nearly 6000 cases of smoking-related admission are reported each year by NHS Manchester. In addition, the general practitioners in the report informed that 49% of the patients reported with COPD in Manchester who are admitted for care are found to be regular smoker of tobacco (manchester.gov.uk, 2018). This informs that COPD is the key health issue being experienced by the smokers in the Manchester and they need effective awareness regarding the way to control their smoking habit so that deteriorated health conditions like COPD can be avoided. In between 2014 to 2016, in Manchester, it is reported that 2,400 deaths occurred as a result of smoking by the individuals who are living in the area (gmhsc.org.uk, 2017). This indicates that discussion regarding the cause of smoking prevalence and way to resolve it in Manchester is to be identified so that the fatal consequences and deteriorated health conditions among the population can be avoided.

Discussing perception of health, social influence, health literacy and behaviour impact on the health issue

The individual perception of health widely differs among people as each has different ways of thinking and understanding the concept of health. As asserted by Nivethitha and Jain (2018), adult smokers have the perception that the ritual of having tobacco is pleasing for them. This is because the smokers mention that smoking tobacco helps them to feel happy and resolve stress as well as depression of their everyday lifestyle. However, non-smokers feel that smoking tobacco is addictive and cause damages to their lungs leading them to experience deteriorated physical health (Wagner et al. 2019). Thus, it informs that presence of different individual perception among adult smokers in Manchester creates inequality in delivering effective healthcare services for smoking cessation. This is evident as while some consider smoking is going to boost their psychological health and assist in controlling emotions the non-smokers are against the thoughts creating differences of intention to avail smoking cessation services.

The social influence among the people living in communities within the Manchester is leading people to get involved in smoking. This is because in Manchester it is seen that there are wide numbers of friends, parents and siblings available in many families who are involved in smoking tobacco influencing the growing adults to develop the activity (McKenna et al. 2017). Thus, the social support of smoking from the families and siblings is influencing adults in Manchester to involve in the activity. As commented by Fawns-Ritchie et al. (2018), lack of health literacy regarding the adverse effects of smoking among individuals makes them prone to use tobacco. This is because they do not have knowledge regarding the health risk and adverse impact created on their health as result of regular smoking, in turn, making them unaware of the need of quitting to smoke. In Manchester, the lack of proper health literacy and awareness regarding the bad effect of smoking among the adults is lacking due to which lower number of people are found to quit smoking and more people are suffering from smoking-related issues such as COPD and others as a result of continuous smoking (manchester.gov.uk, 2018; Magnus et al. 2018).

In Manchester, it is seen that people who belong from the minority communities, as well as lesbian, gay or bisexual, are more involved in smoking tobacco. This is because they report to accessing help of tobacco to overcome depression faced as result of they being minor people in the community (citizensadvice.org.uk, 2020). Moreover, the lesbian, gay and bisexual people due to their different sexual orientation are discriminated in the society which also makes them unable to avail proper care required to resolve health issue. This is because such individuals are regarded as vulnerable in the society making the people with normal sexual orientation create hindrances for them out of confusion and lack of knowledge to avail healthcare services from being accepted in the society (citizensadvice.org.uk, 2020). Thus, the different sexual orientation able to create unequal availability of smoking cessation services as a result of discrimination in society.

Discussing the determinants of health and well-being impact on health outcomes

The health determinants are range of factors which have influence on the health status and outcome of the population. The health determinants mentioned in the Dahlgren and Whitehead includes sex, hereditary and age as individual factors whereas education, work environment, employment, housing and others as socioeconomic factors (Green, 2018). In the study by Perelman et al. (2017), it is mentioned that adults who have higher income are seen to have the ability to avail various nature of upgraded care services to cease smoking. This is because income in the higher quartile helps the person to have adequate amount of finances and autonomy to avail high-quality. However, people with poor income do not have financial ability to avail improved healthcare making them unable have proper care services at the right time to ensure better health outcomes (Casetta et al. 2017). Thus, people with increased income in Manchester would be able to avail effective care services compared to low-income people for proper cessation of smoking as well as manage the health complication such as COPD to ensure better health outcome and well-being.

The working condition influences the health outcome of the people regarding smoking as people who are involved in stressful job are found to be more prone to smoke tobacco. This is because they use the activity to overcome stress as nicotine which is compound present in the tobacco stimulates the brain to release epinephrine that acts on to increase the dopamine level which controls the mood, behaviour and cognition of the individuals (Gebisa et al. 2020). Thus, the people under stressful working condition in Manchester would have deteriorated health and well-being as they are often found to be unable to quit smoking out of work stress (gmhsc.org.uk, 2019). In the study Allen et al. (2014), in respect to gender, it is mentioned that women who smoke are at 25% increased risk to face cardiovascular diseases compared to men who are involved in smoking. The exact factors contributing to the cause is unknown but the theory presented in the study by (Allen et al. 2014) suggested that impact of smoking on the arginine vasopressin (AVP) expression based on gender differences act to create direct effect on the cardiovascular system. This is because the presence of higher AVP is found among women smoker compared to men.

The arginine vasopressin by binding with the Vasopressin receptor 1 and 2 cause vasoconstriction, free water reabsorption and left ventricular remodelling that leads to lower blood flow to the heart. Moreover, higher level of arginine vasopressin is seen to lower cardiac output and increase the peripheral resistance leads to develop negative impact on the performance of the heart and experience congestive heart failure (Atsumi et al. 2018). In another study by Raghavan and Jain (2016), it is mentioned that women are at 50% more risk to get affected by COPD compared to men due to their sex biology and presence of increased level of oestrogen. This is because high oestrogen shifts the immune system of the female towards Th2 responses as well as increases (interleukin) IL-4 and IL-3 as well as increased eosinophil that leads to develop respiratory issues in the lungs of women (Raghavan and Jain, 2016). Therefore, it informs that women in Manchester who are involved in smoking compared to men are prone to face deteriorated health outcomes by avoiding to quit smoking.

Discussing aims and principles of health promotion

Health promotion is referred to the process is referred to the process of allowing people for increasing control over the health and its determinants so the health of the individuals can be improved (McClure et al. 2018). The aim of the health promotion activity for the case study is to develop awareness regarding negative effects of the smoking and the way to cease smoking among the adults who are aged 18 years and above and lives in Manchester, UK. The objectives of health promotion are as follows:

• To inform the negative health effect of smoking to the adults who are 18 years and more living in Manchester
• To educate the adults who are 18 years and more living in Manchester regarding the way to cease smoking
• To encourage adults who are 18 years and more living in Manchester to adopt smoking cessation activities
• To discuss evidence regarding the positive effects of smoking cessation on the health of the adults who are 18 years and more living in Manchester

The Beattie’s Health Promotion Model informs that there are two approaches for health promotion that is authoritarian and negotiated approach. The four types of health promotion activities are personal counselling, health persuasion, legislative action and community development. The personal counselling refers to the process in which mental health clinician work with patient in a one-to-one way to offer them care services to resolve their health issues (Whitehead, 2018). Thus, in the health promotion for the case study personal counsellors are to be hired who would interact with the target population in one-to-one way to determine the cause of their smoking and the strategies to cease smoking to be suggested for ensuring their good health.

The health persuasion is referred to the strategy used for influencing change in behaviour, attitudes and perceptions of individuals (Whitehead, 2018). This indicates that the approach in the current health promotion is to be the inclusion of information regarding health risk and negative effects of smoking along with positive effects of smoking cessation on health for the target audience. The legislative actions referred to the implication of policies and procedures to ensure better health outcomes (Whitehead, 2018). This informs that in the present health promotion one of the approaches would be ensuring strict implication of smoking cessation policies and procedures as well as implications of legislative actions on controlling cigarette selling in the society. The community development is the implication of strategies and arranging social services in the community for ensuring their upliftment (Whitehead, 2018). According to this aspect of the model, the approach would be to deliver free healthcare support to the adults in Manchester to help them cease smoking.

Conclusion

The discussion informs that the key focus on the study is to explore the health needs of adults of 18 years and above who are living in Manchester and involved in smoking tobacco. This discussion regarding the topic is essential as it has been seen that nearly 21.7% of the adults are smoking in the area compared to 15.5% in national average indicating there is increased number of people in the area who are involved in smoking. Moreover, the GPs have reported that nearly 49% of the patients of COPD in the area involve individuals who are regularly smoke tobacco. Further, 6000 hospital admission and 2400 deaths are reported due to smoking among adults in Manchester making consideration of health promotion by considering the needs of the people who are involved in smoking in the area a significant topic.

The individual perception of adult smokers that smoking helps to relieve stress makes them unable to cease smoking, in turn, creating deteriorated health outcomes for them. The lack of proper education regarding the negative impact of smoking on health and support from the social communities leads to create deteriorated health outcome for the adults in Manchester. The individuals factors such as gender and environmental factors such as income and working condition influences health outcomes for the adults in Manchester who are involved in smoking. The Beattie's Health promotion is used in promoting the health of the adult smokers in Manchester by using approach through consideration of health persuasion, legislative action, personal counselling and community development.

References

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• citizensadvice.org.uk 2020, Discrimination because of sexual orientation, Available at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/discrimination-because-of-sex-or-sexual-orientation/discrimination-because-of-sexual-orientation/ [Accessed on: 13th March 2020]
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