Health Promotion/Learning Project
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Health Promotion/Learning Project
Introduction
Health promotion aims at positively influencing the health behavior of individuals and communities as well as living and working conditions that influence their health. Health education or learning is an example of health promotion because it provides systematic strategies to improve attitude, knowledge, skills, and behavior (Whitehead, 2018). Health promotion and learning can cover a wide range of topics including health insurance, climate change, and others. In that regard, the purpose of this paper is to answer questions 1 and question 2 to complete the assignment.
Question 1: Discuss the pros and Cons of a two-tiered versus universal health care system for all Canadians
Two-tier healthcare is a system whereby everyone can access a basic publically funded healthcare program, however, those who can afford can also purchase better healthcare services through the private sector (Flood, 2021). In this system, the government provides some healthcare services while citizens also have the option of purchasing additional care coverage in private hospitals. The universal single-payer system has improved equity and the ability to pay for healthcare in Canada. Citizens cite their universal health care system as a point of pride. Fairness and equity are remarkable characteristics of the Canadian healthcare system (Lavis & McMaster Health Forum, 2016). Several countries use a two-tier healthcare system, including the United States, however, Canada is still hesitant to implement a two-tiered healthcare system.
Canada has a universal single-payer system whereby medically necessary services are publically funded. Doctors in Canada are prohibited from, charging user fees and extra billings. However, certain services such as dentistry and optometry are paid out of pocket or funded through private insurance (Martin et al., 2018). One major critic of the universal single-payer system in Canada is the long waiting times for primary care services and elective surgeries. There have been several proposals to establish a two-tier healthcare system to cub long waiting times in Canadian public hospitals (Martin et al., 2018). In 2016, 36% of respondents in the Health Care in Canada survey reported wait times as the largest issue facing the health care system, a 16% increase from 2007.
One major advantage of a two-tier healthcare system is that it would help reduce the wait times that are continuously increasing in Canadian hospitals. Some of the reasons for the increasing waiting times in Canadian hospitals include a shortage of acute care beds and not enough community care resources (Martin et al., 2018). In a two-tiered healthcare system, the private sector would provide more community health centers and more acute care beds that would help reduce hospital waiting times in public hospitals. Countries in Europe that practice the two-tiered system has more private and public hospitals than Canada (Martin et al., 2018). The long waiting times are an indicator of insufficient medical facilities and resources to serve the people.
The two-tiered healthcare system may lead to some disadvantages for Canadians, such as inferior quality of care, high cost of care through taxes and out-of-pocket expenditure, and others. For example, literature has shown that public health does not just cost less, but provides citizens with safer care. According to Silnicki (n.d.), a study done in 2007 found out that patients in private colonoscopy clinics were three times more likely to have an incomplete colonoscopy than patients in public hospitals. Additionally, all citizens of Canada pay for their healthcare through their taxes as defined by the Canadian Health Act (Silnicki, n.d.). However, two-tiered systems would allow healthcare providers to overcharge to gain more profits. The opponents of a two-tiered system believe that private care is the least efficient model of care and that public-private partnerships cost more and deliver less (Flood, 2021). Due to these possible negative influences of a two-tiered health care system, most Canadians have opposed the need to introduce a two-tiered system.
Question 2: What does climate change and health have to do with the nursing role?
Climate change is the single serious health threat that is currently facing humanity across the globe. Climate change, health, and nursing are related in one way or the other (EPA, 2017). Major world organizations and the international community have had a serious debate over the years regarding ways to reduce and improve rising global temperatures. Generally, climate change causes serious health effects on human beings. Nursing tries to improve individual health by preventing the health effects of climate change, treating victims, educating individuals, and others (EPA, 2017). This is a clear explanation of how climate change and health influence nursing roles.
Nursing roles try to prevent, treat, and improve the health problems caused by climate change. Additionally, one of the nursing roles is to educate individual patients, their families, and the entire public regarding climate change and the health effects associated with it (Leal et al., 2016). For example, allergic diseases, such as hay fever, affect a significant portion of the U.S population. More than 34 mission Americans have been diagnosed with asthma. Climate change can influence allergies and respiratory health (Sarfaty, 2019). Nurses have the responsibility to care for patients suffering from asthma and other allergic conditions exacerbated by climate change. Increases in the frequency or severity of some extreme weather events such as droughts, flooding, droughts, and storms often cause threats to the health of people during and after the event.
Climate influences the exposure to waterborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites), that causes waterborne illnesses. Runoff and flooding resulting from increases in extreme precipitation, hurricane rainfall, and storm surge will increasingly contaminate water bodies, leading to infections (Lemery et al., 2021). These events may also lead to physical injuries and deaths. Any changes in a person’s physical health or surrounding environment can also have serious impacts on their mental health. Nursing tries to improve the health and life of victims of climate change. The primary role of a nurse is to advocate and care for individuals and support them through health and illness (HCWH, 2021). A nurse is a caregiver for patients to help them manage physical needs, prevent illnesses, and treat conditions.
A good example is the Nurses Climate Challenge, which is a global initiative delivered by Health Care Without Harm in partnership with the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (HCWH, 2021). It aims at mobilizing nurses to educate health professionals about the health impacts of climate change. Nurses are trusted professionals globally and are ideal advocates for increased climate action in the health care sector. This initiative supports nurses who want to educate their communities about the effects of climate change. Understanding the threats that climate change poses to human health is the first step in working together to lower risks and be prepared (HCWH, 2021). Therefore, climate change and health affect nursing roles such as educating and treating people as well as preventing health problems arising from climate change.
Conclusion
Health promotion and learning can cover a wide range of topics including health insurance, climate change, and others. Two-tier healthcare is a system whereby the government provides some healthcare services while citizens also have the option of purchasing additional care coverage. This paper answered the two chosen questions.
References
Care Without Harm (HCWH). (2021). Nurses Climate Challenge. https://nursesclimatechallenge.org/
EPA. (2017). Climate Impacts On Human Health. Https://19january2017snapshot.Epa.Gov/Climate-Impacts/Climate-Impacts-Human-Health_.Html
Flood, C. M. (2021). Two-tier healthcare after Cambie. In Healthcare Management Forum (p. 0840470421994304). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
Lemery, J., In Knowlton, K., & In Sorensen, C. (2021). Global climate change and human health: From science to practice. John Wiley & Sons.
Leal, F. W., In Azeiteiro, U. M., & Alves, F. (2016). Climate Change and Health: Improving Resilience and Reducing Risks. Springer International Publishing.
Lavis, J., & McMaster Health Forum. (2016). Ontario’s health system: Key insights for engaged citizens, professionals and policymakers. McMaster Health Forum.
Martin, D., Miller, A. P., Quesnel-Vallée, A., Caron, N. R., Vissandjée, B., & Marchildon, G. P. (2018). Canada’s universal health-care system: achieving its potential. The Lancet, 391(10131), 1718-1735. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328055890_Canada’s_Universal_Health-Care_System_Achieving_Its_Potential
Silnicki, A. (n.d.). Why we’re fighting against two-tiered health care. https://canadians.org/analysis/why-were-fighting-against-two-tiered-health-care
Sarfaty, M. O. N. A. (2019). Climate Change and Population Health: A Primer. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Whitehead, D. (2018). Exploring health promotion and health education in nursing. Nurs Stand, 33(8), 38-44. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dean-Whitehead/publication/328620381_Exploring_health_promotion_and_health_education_in_nursing/links/5c70d0e6458515831f67cbac/Exploring-health-promotion-and-health-education-in-nursing.pdf