NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
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How to Write the Body for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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Sample Answer for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
Summary of the Selected Public Health Initiative
My selected public health initiative is the national action plan (NAP) for combating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The United States (U.S.) initiated the NAP against the MDR-TB to expand global efforts to fight the disease, save lives, and prevent its spread both in the U.S. and worldwide. The NAP to combat the MDR-TB identifies a set of targeted interventions that address the core domestic and global challenges posed by MDR-TB (The United States Agency for International Development [USAID], 2020). The main goals of the NAP include strengthening domestic capacity to combat MDR-TB, improving the international capacity and collaboration against MDR-TB, and accelerating basic and applied research and development to combat MDR-TB (De Vries et al., 2017). For more information about NAP, click:
Analysis of the Selected Public Health Initiative
The rise in drug-resistant TB and the outbreaks of MDR-TB pose serious underlying problems in the health care infrastructure in the U.S. For instance, there is an increasing proportion of TB in people who were born in other countries or who are homeless, who have a mental illness or substance use, or other socioeconomic or medical problems, such as HIV, that make compliance with treatment difficult (De Vries et al., 2017; Nash et al., 2021). Thus, cultural concepts about illness causation and associated behaviors should be considered priorities to facilitate improvement in the initiative performance. Also, unethical exposure of TB patients to discriminative issues due to prejudice and bias from health care workers may negatively impact the initiative (Nash et al., 2021). Socioeconomic and patient factors such as behavior, demographic characteristics, and attitudes can lead to unfavorable MDR-TB treatment outcomes. Also, cases of unfavorable treatment outcomes may give rise to further transmission of MDR-TB, risking the development of extensive drug resistance (De Vries et al., 2017).
In the U.S., there is already political and regulatory support for the fight against MDR-TB. In collaboration with the world health organization (WHO), there has been a political will to enhance policy community cohesion (Sakamoto et al., 2019). Also, community health workers, including public health nurses, play a crucial role in reducing the MDR-TB burden globally. The contribution of public health workers in disease detection and management through regulation has resulted in a rapid decline in MDR-TB prevalence (Sakamoto et al., 2019; Nash et al., 2021).
Impact of the Current Health Care Legislation on the NAP Initiative
The current health care legislation necessitates the need for TB surveillance, reporting, and vaccination (Global Health Agency, 2021). The U.S. government’s global TB efforts have increased through funding having legal support. In 2021, for instance, the U.S government released 332 million dollars to enhance the global fight against TB. Currently, USAID serves as the lead implementing agency for the U.S. global TB efforts, reaching more than 50 countries worldwide (Global Health Agency, 2021). Additionally, the current health care legislation has enhanced bilateral TB programs in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to accelerate detection, treatment, and scale-up prevention of MDR-TB (Global Health Agency, 2021). Thus, such U.S. involvement through regulation can enhance the fight against MDR-TB.
Conclusion
The U.S. government initiated the NAP program in the global effort to fight MDR-TB. Cultural and ethical issues such as patient behaviors and discrimination should be considered for the effective implementation of the NAP initiative. Also, the political and legal support of the MDR-TB initiative has enhanced its implementation through increased funding. Lastly, the current health care legislation on TB surveillance, testing, and vaccination has resulted in the decline of MDR-TB cases worldwide.
References
De Vries, G., Tsolova, S., Anderson, L. F., Gebhard, A. C., Heldal, E., Hollo, V., … & Van der Werf, M. J. (2017). Health system factors influencing the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in four European Union countries-learning from country experiences. Bio-Med Central Public Health, 17(1), 1-12. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12889-017-4216-9
Global Health Agency (2021). The U.S. government and global tuberculosis efforts. https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-u-s-government-and-global-tuberculosis-efforts/
Nash, D. B., Skoufalos, A., Fabius, R. J. & Oglesby, W. H. (2021). Policy and advocacy. In population health: Creating a culture of wellness (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Sakamoto, H., Lee, S., Ishizuka, A., Hinoshita, E., Hori, H., Ishibashi, N., … & Shibuya, K. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for eliminating tuberculosis–Leveraging political momentum of the UN high-level meeting on tuberculosis. Bio-Med Central Public Health, 19(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6399-8
The United States Agency for International Development (2020). National action plan for combating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/health-areas/tuberculosis/national-action-plan-combating-mdr-tb
Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
Public Health Initiative
One of the public health initiatives by the Department of Public Health and Environment in Colorado is the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap. The project is aimed at reducing pollution. The state’s science-based climate targets of 26% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050 are the goal (www.cdphe.colorado.gov ). Some of the strategies that will be used to achieve this are through a move towards zero-emission vehicles, reducing methane pollution, and working closely with oil and gas companies to reduce their carbon footprint. This is such a big deal from an epidemiology standpoint because of the negative impacts on individuals’ health who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. We need to ensure an environment that facilitates normal daily living for these individuals with fewer flare-ups. We also need to consider the negative effects of those without COPD who can develop diseases like cancer from secondhand exposure. Pollution leads to climate change, climate change leads to wildfires, and fires lead to respiratory illnesses and diseases.
Culture legal and ethical considerations
One of the cultural considerations of this is the population who live in Colorado. Colorado is home to ranchers and oil and gas company residents. Especially in the Front Range areas. Oil and gas companies bring in lots of revenue to the state and ranchers in Colorado are in the top 10 for states with the most cattle. Trying to reduce oil and gas production or transition to plant-based meat analogues would not be very popular. The regulatory issues surrounding oil and gas have to do with how much a state allows an oil and gas company to do in their state. In Colorado, there is always controversy about oil and gas related to gas flaring, fracking, and the effects of oil on wildlife (www.epe.gov). Individuals who want to preserve natural lands and also influence global warming are in direct conflict or those who support the oil and gas industry. Ranching raises a different concern. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 2020), livestock produce 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions. Generations of family businesses are based on ranching. Developing strategies to assist in less methane production from cows will be essential to the survival of that career path. Lobbyists and lawmakers will be intimately involved in passing bills that assist in cleaner air quality in Colorado in the future. The health of our vulnerable population and airway compromised patients need advocacy. If something does not change then epidemiologists will be faced with an epidemic of large proportion related to COPD and cancers associated with the lungs.
References:
Department of Public Health and Environment Colorado. (2022). GHG Pollution Reduction Roadmap. https://energyoffice.colorado.gov/climate-energy/ghg-pollution-reduction-roadmap
Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Reducing Air Pollution from the Oil and Gas Industry
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-09/documents/20120417presentation.pdf
(PDF) tackling climate change through livestock a global … (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289509969_Tackling_climate_change_through_livestock_A_global_assessment_of_emissions_and_mitigation_opportunities
Sample Answer 3 for NURS 8310 Week 11 Discussion 2 Factors That Impact Population Health
Epidemiological approaches are key in analyzing population health problems. Population health problems have been one of the factors that increase disparities in healthcare provision in the U.S. across all ages. Such problems adversely affect various people, leading to the need to develop more effective and robust interventions that can duly address them (Hossain et al., 2020). A notable success has been found in this regard through the use of research evidence. Therefore, the aim of this assignment is to develop a write-up detailing a selected problem, including the environment and a summary of the selected population health problem in terms of person, place, and time. Besides, this paper will further explore the research methods that can be used in assessing and addressing the population health problem, the intervention that can be implemented, the impact of the health outcome, and the evaluation plan based on the health outcome.
The chosen Problem
Population health problems impact individuals and populations negatively. Therefore, prescription drug overdose and especially opioid crisis have been identified as the problem of focus. In the USA alone, drug overdose as a population health issue has led to more than 750,000 deaths in the last two decades. It is worth noting that over sixty-five percent of such mortality cases are due to opioids. While the problem is prominent these days, it commenced in the last century when pharmaceutical companies had assurances that the opioid pain killers would not lead to addictions, hence giving the firms a chance to start prescibing the drugs (Nam et al., 2018). Consequently, there was a constant rise in the prescription of opioids, which resulted in individuals misusing both the prescribed and the non-prescribed drugs. However, studies following this duration showed a high possibility of opioids being addictive (Nam et al., 2018). As such, opioid addiction and overuse were declared as a public health emergency.
In the year 2019, over 70,000 deaths occurred due to drug overdose, with the rates increasing by over 4% from the previous year. As earlier indicated, opioid overdose leads to most deaths among death cases due to drug overdose, with up to 73% of opioid overdose death cases resulting from synthetic opioids. Again up to 70% of the drug overdose deaths were attributed to opioid overdose. As of the year 2019, the mortality rates due to opioids were majorly among the White, non-Hispanic (72%) while Black non-Hispanic was 15%. It is also worth noting that opioid overdose and mortality rates due to opioid overdose have sharply risen in the U.S. in recent years (Monico et al., 2020)
The identified problem is majorly common among people who consume non-prescribed pain killers as their source of drug addiction. As earlier indicated, the issue has been on the rise in the last decade, and it has even worsened since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, calling for better measures to contain the situation. Research shows that the lockdown rules and other measures that restricted people’s movement in the wake of the coronavirus spread led to enhanced boredom leading to further risks of drug and substance abuse such as opioids.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2021), addiction, misuse, and overuse of synthetic substances such as fentanyl and opioids, and heroin, is a matter of concern as it affects social and public health hence negatively impacting people’s economic well-being. For example, the financial and economic impact of the opioid crisis has been estimated to be close to $80 billion annually, with the budget covering the costs needed for the people to engage with the criminal justice system, having to treat the resulting addiction, productivity losses, and the healthcare costs.
Data from the American Medical Association, 2021 indicates that deaths and overdoses resulting from drugs in on the rise and even though there have been numerous attempts to deal with the problem of a prescription drug overdose. Abusing these substances, alcohol, and drugs also results in numerous adverse destructive social aspects, which further lead to increased health disparities such as diminished productivity, financial constraints, and breaking and disruptions of family setups. In addition, the issue has also been shown to lead to child abuse, domestic violence, increased crime rates, and failure in school and education.
Due to the opioid crisis, more people get addicted, resulting in various mental illnesses that require further interventions and treatments. Besides, when individuals become addicts, they are more prone to homicide, suicide, and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Liang & Shi, 2019). As such, there have been efforts from various healthcare stakeholders, the federal government, and state governments to come up with various interventions that can help address the problem.
Preliminary Research Hypothesis/Question
The preliminary research question based on the selected issue is “what is the efficacy of a psychosocial counseling program in reducing the prevalence of opioid overdose among youths and young adults?”
The Research Methods
Population health has been one major area of focus of healthcare professionals over the years. The implication is that these professionals are interested in and pay keen attention to healthcare policies that affect the determinants of health, various determinants of health, and the nature of health outcomes among various populations, ethnicities, and groups of people (Bor et al., 2017). As such, the study of population health is critical in ensuring that desired levels of patient care and healthcare delivery are targeted and achieved. Critical analysis of a population to find out the dominant public health problems is one of the ways of achieving such goals. The use of the epidemiological approach is useful as it allows the researchers and stakeholders to explore factors such as culture and environment’s role in nature of the health outcomes.
The Epidemiologic Study Design to Be Used
Epidemiologic study designs form an integral part of epidemiologic studies of selected healthcare problems. Choosing the relevant study design to be used requires that the researcher or the epidemiologist considers particular factors. Some of the factors to consider include the targeted outcome, exposure type, the ethics involved, availability of resources and time, the research question, and hypotheses. A cross-sectional study design has been chosen as the epidemiologic design to be applied in investigating the issue. Some of the reasons that make this study design more usable and relevant are that it is relatively easy and quick to use is more financially manageable as compared to others. Besides, cross-sectional studies have been shown to be more effective in generating relevant hypotheses. (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2021). The design also enables an investigator to study numerous exposures or outcomes and effectively estimate disease and exposure prevalence.
Assessment Strategies
As part of the assessment, the study will involve the use of both the intervention and the control groups. The cross-sectional study will take the form of a Pre-test/post-test. From the research question, an intervention suggested is the use of psychosocial counseling. Since the individuals engaged in opioid overdose will be divided into two groups, a suitable sampling will be done before randomization (Nieswiadomy & Bailey, 2018). Non-probability sampling strategy especially snowballing, will be used as a sampling strategy.
This method is appropriate as it allows access to the potential participants through other people who can access such individuals. This method is also convenient for the researcher. Using the randomization method helps to address possible sampling problems or limitations. It is key that the help of an experienced researcher is sought to help with the process of randomization as it can be challenging to implement, especially with inadequate understanding. The study is intended to go for a period of one and a half months.
A summary of Data Collection Activities
Data collection is an integral part of the research process. Through data collection, appropriate data is obtained, which is then analyzed through various statistical methods to help in answering the research questions and addressing the hypotheses. A range of activities is targeted during the data collection process. One of such is the use of a survey. The survey is key in obtaining relevant data and can be administered to the participants, either online or by printing the survey questions. As such, the targeted survey will be used to determine the rate of opioid overdose among participants. Even though a survey can be important in giving relevant data, it should be used with caution as biased information and responses can result from individuals who decide to lie (Boswell & Cannon, 2018). As such, the patient’s data from the electronic health records can be key in validating some of the information obtained from the survey. The choice of online or printed surveys can be influenced by several factors. For example, during these times of the covid-19 pandemic, online surveys appear more feasible as they can comfortably be accomplished without physical meetings, which can lead to violation of health guidelines.
Through the use of surveys, an investigator can use numerous questions to obtain more responses from the participants. As part of the data collection methods, the patient’s electronic health records will be used as they offer more reliable information. The investigator, upon authorization, can obtain the most relevant patient data, such as hospitalization and treatment data, which can be useful as part of the study (Boswell & Cannon, 2018). A specially trained nurse informaticist will be responsible for obtaining data from the electronic health records to ensure that complete data is retrieved. Therefore, the data obtained from these records can be key in determining how effective the proposed intervention has been in lowering the incidences of opioid overdose among the selected population.
Questionnaires will also be key during the implementation of the intervention. This group of patients will be approached and vital information retrieved from them. It is important to assure the participants that the information they will be giving remains confidential and protected. The questionnaire will contain various questions focusing on information such as the participant’s social and family history, history of opioid use and overdose, some of the factors that make it difficult for them to stop opioid overdose, among other questions. Therefore, questionnaires will form a central part of the tools to be used in the project.
The Intervention
Interventions are key in addressing various clinical and public health problems. As earlier indicated and discussed, the identified problem is a serious public health problem that has resulted into various numerous unwanted results and outcomes. Some of them include increased pressure on the already limited healthcare resources, increased cases of morbidity and mortality, and ever-rising costs of healthcare and the healthcare system. Even though the original intention of these medications was good such as helping patients experiencing terminal and chronic conditions to address their pain, their addictive nature has led to various people abusing them, even those who are not having any chronic or terminal conditions. As such, it is important that effective interventions are formulated to help address the problem and reverse the numerous adverse impacts it has had on individuals and the healthcare system. According to Fischer et al., 2021, such formulated interventions need to be supported by relevant literature and evidence from the same literature.
The proposed intervention is the use of psychosocial counseling. The plan is to offer psychosocial counseling eight hours per week for the whole study duration; this implies that the sessions will run for two hours for four days per week. A special counseling staff with expertise in drug use, drug overuse, and addiction will conduct the counseling sessions. Outcomes in opioid overuse depend on various factors that need to be addressed to enhance better outcomes. Therefore, during the counseling sessions, the counselors will cover a range of issues such as health promotion, prevention of HIV, medication education, prevention of relapse, and substance abuse education. The counseling team will also delve into some of the useful strategies for lowering opioid overdose.
The intervention is critical as it can be instrumental for healthcare facilities and other stakeholders involved in the fight against opioid overdose to improve their potential of management. Proven and scientifically supported strategies are key in effectively managing the health issues that affect populations and individuals. (Strain et al., 2018). As such, policy initiatives and efforts should always align to such evidence and be integrated together for the common objective of eliminating or reducing the identified health care problem or issue. In addition, such policies should route for allowing the patients and their family members to actively participate in the process of dealing with such illnesses.
The intervention is supported by various research efforts present in the literature. For example, coffin et al., 2017 conducted a randomized controlled trial study to determine the efficacy of using a behavioral intervention to lower the rates of opioid overdose among individuals who depend on opioids. The researchers used counseling as the major tool and found out that those who attended counseling sessions were far less likely to experience an opioid overdose.
Recently, Buono et al., 2021 conducted a study to determine the impact of opioid-specific counseling on post-discharge opioid use among patients recovering from reconstructive pelvic surgery. The researchers used a multicenter randomized-controlled trial with one group randomized into opioid-specific counseling or standard generalized counseling. The opioid-specific counseling was conducted at the preoperative and fourteen days postoperative visits. During the counseling, the patients were provided with educational handouts regarding the opioid risks and other opioid-related issues, such as the recommended strategies of disposal and storage.
Upon the analysis of the data, the analysis showed no significant difference in the reduction of opioid use after discharge (Buono et al., 2021). Even though opioid-specific counseling did have a better impact on the consumption of opioids, both counseling methods led to a substantial reduction of opioid misuse and overdose. The implication of this research is that the use of counseling can be key in reducing the rates of opioid overdose.
Section 4: The Impact
It is important to evaluate the potential social and health impacts of a proposed intervention as it can be key for prior and timeous planning. Therefore, it is hoped that the proposed epidemiological approach to addressing opioid overdose among youths and young adults can result in the desired positive impacts of ensuring that the selected population is healthy and free from the issue (Friis & Sellers, 2021). The proposed intervention, as earlier indicated, is psychosocial counseling which can effectively help in addressing the opioid crises, especially during the covid-19 pandemic, which has proven to record a rise in the opioid crisis. The use of psychosocial counseling can be included as part of the policy to better help in addressing the issue. According to Le et al., 2021, policies are key in reducing the cases of the opioid crisis.
Indeed, the interventions have been key in lowering deaths connected to opioid overdoes. Such interventions have also led to better diagnosis of the condition, which eventually leads to timeous management, hence better outcomes. Using more innovative preventive strategies can be key in better management of this issue. In the end, better outcomes are expected. Another expected impact is that the psychosocial counseling sessions can also lead to peer-counselors who can have a further impact on the community. With a higher number of peer counselors in society, the fight against opioid overdose can also use prevention as a strategy. Indeed, it is known that peer counseling is effective in most cases as the potential participants can listen to their peers better.
Proper tackling of the problem implies that stakeholders must have access to relevant resources. Therefore, another potential impact of the program is that it has the potential of ensuring that governments avail the needed resources so that the stakeholders can effectively attend training and facilitate educational initiatives. Such educational initiatives can be important in educating patients and their family members, and the community at large about opioid crises and why it is key to look for better health and health outcomes (Fischer et al., 2021). The project can also impact various areas, such as the rural areas; some of the rural areas have enhanced cases of opioid overdose due to reduced access to information and other resources. Therefore, this intervention can help introduce psychosocial counseling in such areas to help increase knowledge levels about opioid crises, hence better health outcomes.
The Evaluation Plan
The opioid crisis has been a major public health problem throughout the world. In the USA alone, drug overdose as a population health issue has led to more than 750,000 deaths in the last two decades. It is worth noting that over sixty-five percent of such mortality cases are due to opioids. While the problem is prominent these days, it commenced in the last century when pharmaceutical companies had assurances that the opioid pain killers would not lead to addictions, hence giving the firms a chance to start prescibing the drugs (Nam et al., 2018, Haley & Saitz, 2020). Therefore, this section proposes an evaluation plan for the proposed intervention.
Evaluation offers valuable information concerning the effectiveness of the intervention in achieving its goals. In addition, evaluation can also assess the effectiveness of the methods that were used during the intervention to achieve the set objectives (Linsely et al., 2019). The central focus of the intervention is to reduce the incidences of opioid overdose among youths and young adults who are dependent on opioid use. Therefore, as indicated earlier, the study will take a pre-test post-test cross-sectional design format. As such, data will be collected before the intervention and after the interventions. Such data will be vital in the evaluation process.
Questionnaires are one of the tools that will be used in collecting data for evaluation. These questionnaires will be self-administered to help in determining the rate of opioid use and dependence among the selected population. Questionnaires are more attractive for research as they are easy to administer, and they lead to accurate data collection and ease in the analysis of the collected data (Linsely et al., 2019). Questionnaires have also been shown to have enhanced reliability levels and can effectively measure consistency
As earlier indicated, this project has been planned to go for one and half months. Therefore, the evaluation will take place right at the end of the project. So the outcome to be evaluated is the reduced levels of opioid overdose among the selected population. Various professionals will be involved in the evaluation phase. The leading nurse investigator will be responsible for collecting the evaluation data. The implication is that data will be collected at baseline and after the implementation of the intervention (Linsely et al., 2019).
A statistician will be hired to help in data analysis to reveal trends and the difference between the rates of an opioid overdose before and after the intervention. An independent investigator will also be brought in to help in confirming the accuracy of the collected data and eliminate any inconsistency and data errors that can lead to bias in data analysis and result interpretation. As part of the evaluation plan, the impact of the intervention will be assessed in terms of the behavioral changes observed among the participants and how the rates of opioid use vary upon the implementation of the intervention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, over the years, one of the main focuses of the healthcare sector and the healthcare stakeholders is population health. As such, the stakeholders and healthcare experts have used various means to ensure that people stay healthy. For example, at the center of such efforts has been the identification of health issues that can adversely affect the population and using various strategies to address the same. One of such problems is the opioid crisis which has drawn much attention due to the numerous negative impacts it has. Even though various interventions have been applied to address the situation, it still persists, indicating that there should be more research on potential solutions.
The problem has been shown to negatively impact communities, families, and individuals; hence interventions should focus on meeting the community, family, and individual needs in reducing the incidences of opioid overdose and its negative impacts. Existing studies and evidence suggests that these interventions are a critical part of enhancing access to information and treatment while also helping organizations to collect data to make better decisions. Therefore, this write-up has explored the use of psychosocial counseling as an intervention to reduce opioid overdose or opioid use disorder.
References
Bor, J., Cohen, G. H., & Galea, S. (2017). Population health in an era of rising income inequality: the USA, 1980–2015. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1475-1490. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30571-8.
Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2018). Introduction to nursing research. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Buono, K., Whitcomb, E., Guaderrama, N., Lee, E., Ihara, J., Sudol, N., … & Brueseke, T. (2021). A randomized controlled trial assessing the impact of opioid-specific patient counseling on opioid consumption and disposal after reconstructive pelvic surgery. Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery, 27(3), 151-158. 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001009
Coffin, P. O., Santos, G. M., Matheson, T., Behar, E., Rowe, C., Rubin, T., … & Vittinghoff, E. (2017). Behavioral intervention to reduce opioid overdose among high-risk persons with opioid use disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial. PloS one, 12(10), e0183354. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183354.
Fischer, B., Pang, M., & Jones, W. (2020). The opioid mortality epidemic in North America: do we understand the supply side dynamics of this unprecedented crisis? Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 15(1), 1-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-020-0256-8
Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021). Epidemiology for public health practice (6th ed.). Jones &Bartlett. Chapter 8, “Experimental Study Designs”.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (2021). Opioid Crisis.
https://www.hrsa.gov/opioids
Hossain, M. M., Tasnim, S., Sultana, A., Faizah, F., Mazumder, H., Zou, L., … & Ma, P. (2020). Epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review. F1000Research, 9. https://dx.doi.org/10.12688%2Ff1000research.24457.1.
Lee, B., Zhao, W., Yang, K. C., Ahn, Y. Y., & Perry, B. L. (2021). Systematic evaluation of state policy interventions targeting the U.S. opioid epidemic, 2007-2018. JAMA network open, 4(2), e2036687-e2036687. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.36687
Liang, D., & Shi, Y. (2019). Prescription drug monitoring programs and drug overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines and prescription opioids. Drug and alcohol review, 38(5), 494-502. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12959
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Monico, L. B., Ludwig, A., Lertch, E., Dionne, R., Fishman, M., Schwartz, R. P., & Mitchell, S. G. (2021). Opioid overdose experiences in a sample of us adolescents and young adults: a thematic analysis. Addiction, 116(4), 865-873. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15216
Nam, Y. H., Shea, D. G., Shi, Y., & Moran, J. R. (2017). State prescription drug monitoring
programs and fatal drug overdoses. American Journal of Management Care, 23(5), 297-303. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28738683/
National Institute on Drug Abuse (2021). Opioid Overdose Crisis.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis
Nieswiadomy, R. M., & Bailey, C. (2018). Foundations of nursing research.
Strain, E., Saxon, A. J., & Hermann, R. (2018). Opioid use disorder: Epidemiology,
pharmacology, clinical manifestations, course, screening, assessment, and diagnosis. Up-to-date, Post, T.W., editor. Up-to-date. Waltham, MA.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). What is the U.S. Opioid Epidemic?