Application Assignment 2: Developing an Advocacy Campaign
Application Assignment 2: Part 2 – Developing an Advocacy Campaign
To prepare:
Review Chapter 3 of Milstead, J. A. (2016). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
In the first assignment( HEALTH ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT ATTACHED BELLOW), you reflected on whether the policy you would like to promote could best be achieved through the development of new legislation, or a change in an existing law or regulation. Refine as necessary using any feedback from your first paper.
Contemplate how existing laws or regulations may affect how you proceed in advocating for your proposed policy.
Consider how you could influence legislators or other policymakers to enact the policy you propose.
Think about the obstacles of the legislative process that may prevent your proposed policy from being implemented as intended.
To complete:
Part Two will have approximately 3–4 pages of content plus a title page and references. Part Two will address the following:
Explain whether your proposed policy could be enacted through a modification of existing law or regulation or the creation of new legislation/regulation.
Explain how existing laws or regulations could affect your advocacy efforts. Be sure to cite and reference the laws and regulations using primary sources.
Provide an analysis of the methods you could use to influence legislators or other policymakers to support your policy. In particular, explain how you would use the “three legs” of lobbying in your advocacy efforts.
Summarize obstacles that could arise in the legislative process and how to overcome these hurdles.
Paste the rubric at the end of your paper.
NOTE: CHECK THE DOCUMENT: HEALTH ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN, AND BOOK ATTACHED BELLOW,
Running head: HEALTH ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN 1
HEALTH ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN 3
Health Advocacy Campaign on Childhood Obesity
Health Advocacy Campaign on Childhood Obesity
The concern of obesity has been on the American public health domain for the last four decades. Nevertheless, over the last two decades, there has been an extraordinary rise in obesity prevalence in the United States. Several studies have established that obesity is one of the primary contributors to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and different type of cancer in the US (Frieden, Dietz, & Collins, 2010).
The increased number of children suffering from obesity has led to the listing of obesity as one of the major public health concerns in the US. As illustrated by Frieden et al. (2010), the rise in obesity prevalence over the past two decades can be associated to the higher rates of type-two diabetes infections currently affecting a significant number of people in the United States. Presently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has listed children and youth as the most common victims of type-two diabetes in the US with more than half the entire population suffering from the disease being children and youth (Frieden et al., 2010).
Childhood obesity tends to persist in individuals all through their lives with most obese children and youth having a high possibility of being obese in their adult life (Kristensen et al., 2014). As a result, it is considered important to ensure that the disease is handled during childhood. Different studies have indicated that the most ideal time to prevent the disease from occurring is during an individual’s childhood development stage. As a result, policymakers in the US have been increasingly showing interest in the establishment of effective policies which can assist in the control of childhood obesity as the primary step in ensuring that obesity is entirely controlled in the US.
Following the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, a high number of obese patients have been attending hospitals for the treatment of obesity or other obesity-related diseases. As a result, a huge proportion of the healthcare budget has been used in providing care to the high number of obese patients. A reduction in obesity prevalence in the country can significantly reduce the US healthcare expenditure since through proper management of obesity can help in the containment of several other diseases which results from obesity.
Previous advocacy campaigns on childhood obesity
Several advocacy campaigns towards the control of obesity in children have been carried out over the past two decades. Some of the advocacy campaigns were successful in bringing changes to the manner in which obesity issues are handled in the US. For instance, through the campaigns, the rate of discrimination against people suffering from obesity in the US has significantly reduced. Currently, obesity is considered as a disease rather than a lifestyle choice as it was previously assumed. Some of the advocacy campaigns include the Healthy, Energetic, Ready, Outstanding, Enthusiastic, Schools (HEROES) Initiative and the Statewide Pioneering Healthier Communities (SPHC) initiative.
As illustrated in King et al. (2013), the HEROES initiative was an intervention introduced at the school level which aimed at reducing childhood obesity in Illinois, southern Indiana and Kentucky states in the US. The HEROES advocacy campaign received sufficient support from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, the campaign managed to push for the introduction of health education and promotion of physical activities in schools as a means of reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity.
Correspondingly, the SPHC initiative which was initiated by the Washington State Alliance of Youths also managed to successfully carry out an advocacy campaign aimed at reducing the prevalence of obesity in Washington State (YMCA, 2011). In order to reduce the prevalence of obesity in children, the SPHC advocated for quality and healthy school foods and beverages as well as encouragement of physical activities in schools and communities. The campaign was successful as it led to the introduction of healthy school food program in Washington State.
The two advocacy campaigns were successful due to several factors. These include the fact that the campaigns were extensively carried out by the youth. Children and youth are most of the victims of obesity. Therefore, it is quite easier for governments to understand their issues when they come out together. Similarly, these campaigns were quite achievable as they did not require a lot of discussion and constitutional amendments to implement.
The proposed policy for reducing obesity prevalence
Following the continuous rise in the prevalence of childhood obesity in the US, a countrywide health policy should be introduced to control the consumption of substandard and unhealthy food in the country. The rate of childhood obesity has tripled over the last three decades and it continues to increase (King et al., 2013). Frieden et al. (2010) indicates that it was established that more at least one in every six children is suffering from obesity in the US. The high prevalence of the disease has great implications in the country’s economy as a result of the growing population of less productive individuals and a rise in the healthcare expenditure.
A new policy should focus on reducing the rate of poverty in the country and making healthy food more affordable and accessible to everyone. It has been noted that the majority of individuals who are affected by obesity comes from less income earning families (Gortmaker et al., 2011).
Most of the less income earning families cannot afford healthy meals hence resolve in the consumption of processed ‘junk’ food which has been identified as the primary causes of obesity in children and youth (Gortmaker et al., 2011). Through empowering of families financially, it would be easier to avoid the overutilization of unhealthy food as well as increase physical activities like swimming, bicycle riding, and hiking among many other physical activities which reduce the chances of becoming obese.
References
Frieden, T. R., Dietz, W., & Collins, J. (2010). Reducing childhood obesity through policy change: acting now to prevent obesity. Health affairs, 29(3), 357-363.
Gortmaker, S. L., Swinburn, B. A., Levy, D., Carter, R., Mabry, P. L., Finegood, D. T., … & Moodie, M. L. (2011). Changing the future of obesity: science, policy, and action. The Lancet, 378(9793), 838-847.
King, M. H., Lederer, A. M., Sovinski, D., Knoblock, H. M., Meade, R. K., Seo, D. C., & Kim, N. (2014). Implementation and evaluation of the HEROES initiative: a tri-state coordinated school health program to reduce childhood obesity. Health promotion practice, 15(3), 395-405.
Kristensen, A. H., Flottemesch, T. J., Maciosek, M. V., Jenson, J., Barclay, G., Ashe, M., … & Brownson, R. C. (2014). Reducing childhood obesity through US federal policy: a microsimulation analysis. American journal of preventive medicine, 47(5), 604-612.
YMCA (2011). Making the case to stakeholders: Linking policy and environmental strategies to health outcomes. Retrieved from: http://www.ctfwvresources.org/docs/complete-guide.pdf
Rubric Detail
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Content
Name: NURS_5050_Week_04_Application_Rubric
Show Descriptions
Quality of Work Submitted: The extent of which work meets the assigned criteria and work reflects graduate level critical and analytic thinking.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 27 (27%) – 30 (30%)
Good 24 (24%) – 26 (26%)
Fair 21 (21%) – 23 (23%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 20 (20%)
Quality of Work Submitted: The purpose of the paper is clear.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Understand and interpret the assignment’s key concepts.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 9 (9%) – 10 (10%)
Good 8 (8%) – 8 (8%)
Fair 7 (7%) – 7 (7%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 6 (6%)
Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Apply and integrate material in course resources (i.e. video, required readings, and textbook) and credible outside resources.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 18 (18%) – 20 (20%)
Good 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Fair 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 13 (13%)
Assimilation and Synthesis of Ideas: The extend to which the work reflects the student’s ability to: Synthesize (combines various components or different ideas into a new whole) material in course resources (i.e. video, required readings, textbook) and outside, credible resources by comparing different points of view and highlighting similarities, differences, and connections.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 18 (18%) – 20 (20%)
Good 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Fair 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 13 (13%)
Written Expression and Formatting Paragraph and Sentence Structure: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are clearly structured and carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Written Expression and Formatting English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Written Expression and Formatting The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.–
Levels of Achievement:
Excellent 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Good 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Fair 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
| Total Points: 100 |
Name: NURS_5050_Week_04_Application_Rubric
