Health Risks, Disasters, and Nursing
Health Risks, Disasters, and Nursing
Topic 1: Child and Adolescent Health Risks
As you discovered in this week’s lectures and readings, several populations face multiple health risks across their lifespan. Children and adolescents are a population that is at a higher health risk for obesity. A national movement is underway to reduce risk factors for developing obesity in children. Part of this movement is the “Let’s Move!” campaign, which is a comprehensive and coordinated initiative to prevent childhood obesity. The initiative emphasizes four primary components: healthy schools, access to affordable and healthy food, raising children’s physical activity levels, and empowering families to make healthy choices. Review Healthy People 2020:
- Identify risk factors for childhood obesity.
- Do the risk factors differ and how do they differ between children and adolescents?
- Identify objectives that will combat childhood and adolescent obesity.
- Provide suggestions on how community health nurses can contribute to these national health objectives and accomplish the goal of decreasing obesity among this population.
Topic 2: Disaster Management
Contact your local public health department to learn about its role in a local disaster, including the role of the nurses who work there.
- What did you learn from your discussion with the local health department?
- Would you be a good candidate to serve on a disaster team?
- Would your current employer be flexible in allowing you to participate in a disaster situation?
- What is your personal preparedness to face a disaster?
