Health Needs Assessment Process Health And Social Care Essay

Public wellness is concerned with the local population 's wellness and takes into consideration the economic, societal and environmental factors of both communities and persons. Health visitants clearly have a major portion to play in the function of public wellness, which has become a high precedence over the last decennary ( Cowley, 2008 ) . There has clearly been a move off from a medical theoretical account towards a societal theoretical account of attention which requires wellness visitants to hold specialised accomplishments and cognition in order to measure a household holistically. Through a wellness needs appraisal, the wellness visitant can place the demands of a population and so concentrate on an intercession that would profit the population 's unmet demands ( Peterson and Alexander 2001 ) .

The purpose of this assignment will be to place, utilizing the wellness needs assessment procedure, an issue that needs readdressing. The identified wellness demand will be analysed and so a service or intercession will be created in order to cut down wellness inequalities and better wellness ( Health Development Agency 2004 ) . The National Institute for Clinical Excellence ( Cavanagh & A ; Chadwick, 2005 ) provides an in deepness model to follow which will assist to turn to the chosen wellness demand. Using the model, and a combination of grounds taken from epidemiology and theory, will heighten the determination devising procedure.

The population chosen to concentrate on will be female parents who suffer from postpartum depression. A population can be geographical, a client group or people with peculiar wellness jobs ( Calman, 1999 ) . The appraisal will look at the demands of these female parents. The chief purpose will be to supply an intercession that reduces the strength of the unwellness and the figure of female parents enduring from postpartum depression.

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The principle for taking this population is that postpartum depression can be seen as a important public wellness job ( Sharp et al, 2010 ) . It can besides hold a important negative impact on the lives of the female parents, their babes and their households. Beck ( 2006 ) writes how postpartum depression is, ' ... a serious temper upset that can stultify a adult female 's first few months as a new female parent. ' There appears to be a deficiency of services available for female parents with postpartum depression and we need to see, 'Is there any point in placing adult females with PND if we have no services to offer them? '

Public wellness is defined in the Acheson study as, 'the scientific discipline and art of forestalling disease, protracting life and advancing wellness through the organized attempts of society. ' ( Acheson, 1988 ) . This definition clearly reflects the indispensable focal point of today 's public wellness. Ten old ages subsequently Acheson completed a farther study which looked at inequalities in wellness ( Acheson 1998 ) . Both these studies have been the development and consequence of many public wellness associated paperss. Oliver and Nutheam ( 2003 ) point out that these new authorities policies have been developed to 'explicitly turn to bing wellness inequalities, ' following the election of the new Labour authorities in 1997.

Health publicity can be seen as a comprehensive political and societal method. It is non merely aimed at bettering an person 's capablenesss and accomplishments, but besides looking at doing alterations to environmental, societal and economic issues in order to cut down their impact on both single and public wellness ( WHO, 1998 ) . Mitcheson ( 2008 ) suggests that wellness publicity is about assisting people to hold the capablenesss and resources to take control of and better their wellness demands. A phrase by Milio, ( 1986 ) , suitably sums up wellness publicity by stating ; 'Making the healthy pick the easier pick. ' Acheson ( 1998 ) negotiations about the 'upstream ' and 'downstream ' public wellness schemes in which wellness publicity can be seen as an upstream attack, concentrating on preventive steps.

As wellness publicity is reasonably complex, there are a figure of different wellness publicity approaches that can be used. The pick of attack can depend on the wellness need assessment and the purposes ( Ewles & A ; Simnett, 2003 ) . Models, which are a type of theoretical model, can be utile for planning, implementing and measuring intercessions. The wellness publicity theoretical account is defined by Naidoo & A ; Wills ( 2000 ) , as ' ... .a manner of associating thoughts and demoing the relationship between theory and pattern. ' There have been a assortment of different writers that have produced theoretical accounts for wellness demands appraisals such as Tones and Green, 2004 ( wellness belief theoretical account ) and Tones and Tilford, 2001, ( wellness action theoretical account ) . Roden ( 2004 ) criticises the wellness belief theoretical account by stating that it focuses on a medical attack to wellness publicity instead than a holistic position.

A series of paperss and documents on wellness and wellbeing, have emerged from the Department of Health and other associated authorities sections. Several of these paperss highlight the importance of the function of the wellness visitant for advancing mental wellness. Initially in 1997, The New NHS ; Modern, Dependable ( DoH, 1997 ) , this focuses on the authorities 's vision to do the necessary alterations to better and undertake sick wellness and inequalities. Other paperss that are comparative to this assignment include: The NHS Plan: Switching the balance of power ( DoH, 2000 ) , Making a Difference ( DoH, 1999a ) , Our Health, Our Care, Our Say ( DoH, 2006 ) , Choosing Health ( DoH, 2004 ) , Report of the Chief Medical Officer 's Undertaking to Strengthen the Public Health Function, ( DoH, 2001 ) , Salvaging Lifes: Our Healthier Nation ( DoH, 1999b ) , discusses the demand to diminish the hazards associated with different mental unwellnesss and besides highlights the effects of depression on both the female parent and kid. Every Child Matters ( DfES, 2004 ) and Procuring Good Health for the Population ( Wanless, 2004 ) . A definition that reflects authorities policy has been provided by Wanless as, 'the scientific discipline and art of forestalling disease, protracting life and advancing wellness through the organized attempts and informed picks of society, administrations, public and private communities and persons, ' ( Wanless 2004, p.3. ) . This definition appears to be more appropriate for the twenty-first century as it puts more accent on the joint attempts of persons, the province of their ain wellness and besides their households ' . The definition besides has the extra construct of informed pick and duty for administrations to work collaboratively in order to advance public wellness. This can be seen as a manner of authorising communities.

It can be seen that persons, communities and all wellness professionals have a portion to play in public wellness publicity, bar of sick wellness and wellness protection. These are indispensable demands for the function of the wellness visitant. The Standards for Proficiency for the specializer community public wellness nurse ( NMC, 2004 ) and the wellness sing rules defined in the, Council for the Education and Training of Health Visitors ( CETHV, 1977 ) , place the four chief spheres that define the needed proficiencies. These are: 'the hunt for wellness demands, influence on policies impacting wellness, facilitation of wellness heightening activities and the stimulation of the consciousness of wellness demands. ' From these rules, and including the 10 occupational criterions for public wellness ( Prime R & A ; D Ltd for Skills for Health 2003 ) , it can be seen that overall the purpose is to advance and protect the wellness of the population.

Health visitants have ever had an of import function to play in the publicity of public wellness in the community. Over the old ages, the Numberss of wellness visitants has declined. The public wellness curate, Anne Milton ( 2010 ) , admits the profession 'has been eroded dramatically over the past decennary. ' Since the study of the decease of Victoria Climbie ( Laming, 2003 ) , and aboard this the new Children 's Act ( 2004 ) there has been acknowledgment of the difference that wellness visitants can do. This has had a considerable consequence on the wellness visitants ' function. Health visitants are seen as cardinal confederates in primary attention for implementing new statute law and bettering results for the immature and vulnerable. However Thornhurst ( 2009 ) , writes how the wellness visitants ' function has become so centred around kid protection that there is now less clip for them to work in the community, deciding the societal issues that contribute to the kid protection instances. This appears to be a go oning public wellness argument.

Prior to doing any alterations to better wellness, we need to get down by happening out what the wellness demands are and how, within a population, they can be assessed. Health needs appraisal is defined by Wright et Al ( 2006 ) , as ' ... . a systematic method of placing unmet wellness and wellness attention demands of a population and doing alterations to run into these unmet demands. ' The purpose of the wellness demands appraisal is to look at current informations and information gathered from different beginnings. The information will so be analysed to find any alterations that may necessitate to be made in order to run into the identified wellness demand. It besides involves a assortment of professionals every bit good as the general populace ( Haughley, 2008 ) . Decisions will be made in order to accomplish good results for the population ; resources available will necessitate to be considered. A needs appraisal can assist with doing determinations. The National Institution for Clinical Excellence ( NICE, 2005 ) provides a model that is robust and it provides systematic cues to steer you through the wellness needs assessment procedure.The model was produced by Cananagh and Chadwick, ( 2005 ) . One of the strengths of the model is that it 's an easy and simple procedure to follow ( Coverdale and Lancaster, 2006 ) . This model should non be used entirely but in concurrence with other theoretical accounts as this will assist steer practicians through the procedure. Haughey ( 2008 ) describes the wellness needs appraisal as a manner of garnering parts in order to finish a 'jigsaw. '

The essay will now see the chosen population within the writer 's country of pattern and a wellness needs appraisal will follow.

Through observation in pattern, it is clear that the wellness visitant is good placed to place any early symptoms of postpartum depression ( DOH, 2003 ) . The National Service Framework for Mental Health ( DOH, 1999c ) recommends that wellness visitants need to utilize their everyday visits for accessing postpartum depression and for handling the identified milder instances. However, recent research suggests that due to cuts in the Numberss of wellness visitants and the deficiency of clip available to go to excess preparation for measuring depression and psychological support attacks, most wellness visitants are unable to to the full back up down female parents ( Brugha et al, 2010 ) .

Despite the well known grounds to demo the impact of postpartum depression on the female parent and her household every bit good as the long term impact on the babe, less than 50 % of station natal instances are indentified. A qualitative reappraisal of 40 surveies revealed that a adult females 's inability to uncover their existent feelings proved to be a general barrier for seeking aid ( Dennis & A ; Chung-Lee, 2006 ) . Beck, ( 2006 ) writes how wellness practicians fail to observe postpartum depression as they 'do n't cognize what to look for. He besides suggests that female parents frequently hide their depression. For the instances where postpartum depression is identified, there appears to be a deficiency of services to back up them ( Hewitt et al, 2009 ) . Raising consciousness of the demand to place and back up female parents with postpartum depression includes the function of the SCPHN and is besides highlighted in the public wellness definition.

Epidemiology is the survey of diseases of populations and is a major scientific discipline that underpins public wellness. Epidemiology allows us to understand diseases and the causes, place groups that are peculiarly affected and understand the effectivity of intercessions for undertaking identified jobs ( Heller et al, 2001 ) . Epidemiology of postpartum depression appears to be ill understood. Up to day of the month official national figures for postpartum depression have proved hard to garner and the information that is available gives conflicting figures. There is a certain sum of statistical grounds around the prevalence of mental unwellness but a limited sum of statistics that focus on postpartum depression. The information that will be used for the intent of this paper and which has been most often quoted, has been sourced from the NHS ( 2009 ) , which suggests that 1 in 10 adult females will endure from postpartum depression and MIND ( 2008 ) which besides suggests 1 in 10 adult females, the NICE guidelines ( 2006 ) and the NSF - MH figures ( DOH, 2007c ) , show a prevalence of 10-15 % of adult females with postpartum depression. In England and Wales, this is between 64,000 and 94,000 adult females a twelvemonth.

Health visitants are unable to name postpartum depression, if they detect, utilizing a scope of showing tools, or recognize marks and symptoms of station natal depression so this information can be recorded in the female parent 's maternal wellness subdivision. No caseload informations can be collected to demo the prevalence or badness of postpartum depression. A diagnosing will trust on the female parent taking to go to an assignment with her G.P.. Following a meeting with one of the local G.P.s, in the writer 's country of work it was discovered that the primary attention databases that G.P.s usage have a assortment of 'read codifications ' to separate diagnosings and symptoms, nevertheless the read codification that high spots postpartum depression requires the G.P. to travel on and finish a drawn-out questionnaire with the female parent. For a female parent with postpartum depression this might intend that the G.P.s are taking other read codifications, for illustration, anxiousness where no questionnaire is required. This could be seen as a possible barrier for placing female parents with postpartum depression. Many wellness visitants do non hold entree to the G.P.s notes. If a female parent has seen her GP and postpartum depression has been identified so unless there is good communicating between the GP and the wellness visitant the female parent may be left without the full aid and support that she may necessitate.

Postnatal depression will hold the same characteristic symptoms as clinical depression, such as weepiness, loss of enjoyment in life, low temper, loss of assurance, kiping jobs, feelings of guilt, self blame and sometimes self-destructive ideas. For a diagnosings to be made three or more of these symptoms ( which have persisted for at least two hebdomads ) will be identified ( Davies, 2000 ) . There does non look to be a individual cause of postpartum depression, some experts consider it is due to hormonal alterations whilst others suggest a combination of psychological and societal factors ( Clinical cognition sum-ups, 2010 ) . Postnatal depression usually develops during the first three postpartum months ( Cox et al, 1993 ) . Research shows that for the female parent, PND has considerable wellness deductions, it can besides consequence her long term relationships, have an inauspicious consequence on the male parents and perchance the remainder of the household ( Stein et al 2008 ) . There is besides significant research grounds to demo that the effects on the babe can include disturbed forms of communicating, expose unresponsive or retreat behavior and longer term damages in cognitive and emotional development ( Meredith & A ; Noller, 2003 ) .

Following the grounds, prevalence and the possible major wellness deductions of postpartum depression, the accent sited by NICE for the demand of early designation, diagnosing and intervention of postpartum intervention, during both the antenatal and postpartum period appears to be wholly justifiable ( NICE, 2007a ) .

The most recent comprehensive reappraisal on identifying and measuring methods used to place PND was by NICE ( 2007b ) . Following this reappraisal, clinical counsel was produced on the direction of antenatal and postpartum mental wellness. Designation of adult females with postpartum depression may hold already been completed during an prenatal visit. During a visit a female parent can be asked about her history and if she has experienced any old episodes of depression. However, due to the deficit of wellness visitants, heavy work load and because of other committednesss, it may be that non all female parents are seen for prenatal assignments, ( Shakespeare, 2001 ) . Holocene and up to day of the month research continues to corroborate the effectivity of the function of wellness visitants in cut downing postpartum depression ( Brugha et al, 2010 ) . The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is a client centred attack that helps to bring out postpartum depression in female parents that might otherwise travel undetected. It uses a ego coverage, 10-item questionnaire that focuses on how the female parent felt the old hebdomad. A mark of 12 or over is considered 'probable depression ' , whilst a lower mark of 9/10 suggests 'possible depression, ' ( Cox et al, 1987 ) . Following a recent survey to place methods for accessing postpartum depression, the EPDS was the most often explored, simple, precise, safe and preferable cost-efficient tool ( Hewitt et al, 2009 ) . The Community Practitioners and Health Visitors ' Association recommends that along with the EPDS, the wellness visitant besides needs to include her ain clinical appraisal. A late published qualitative survey by Slade et. Al. ( 2010 ) , reports how 'symptom designation ' through the usage of the EPDS has helped adult females to see that the wellness visitant is 'there for them, ' every bit good as the babe. However one of the ascertained negative issues sing the EPDS is that adult females from other civilizations have troubles understanding and make fulling in the questionnaire, even though there are some EPDS sheets translated into other linguistic communications. 'Depression ' is non ever culturally recognised in other states ( Barclay & A ; Kent 1998 ) .

Once a female parent has been identified by the wellness visitant or diagnosed by the GP for postpartum depression, so consideration can be explored into why some female parents fare better than others in mental good being. Health determiners can be utile to see, Dahlgren and Whitehead 's theoretical account 'Determinants of Health, ' can be utile to assist research and construct a profile of a local community. Health results and inequalities can be greatly influenced both positively or negatively by persons and communities. Health can be strongly influenced by the manner people live their lives including the conditions in which they live and work, by household, friends and societal webs, ( Marmote & A ; Wilkinson, 2003 ) . For illustration a societal determiner such as a deficiency of household or community support might exacerbate or negatively impact on a female parent with postpartum depression. However, good support could hold a powerful and positive impact on an person 's wellness.

Step three of the HNA will now follow. This portion of the procedure will direct the practician to set up a helpful and acceptable intercession. Literature environing postpartum depression appears to concentrate on the effectivity of support groups ( Alakus et al, 2007, Dennis & A ; Chung-Lee, 2006 ) . The Royal College of Psychiatrists, et Al ( 2000 ) compose how support in the prenatal period can cut down the badness of PND. More late, Dennis et Al ( 2004 ) writes that PND can be hard to foretell antenatally and suggests that preventive methods have chiefly proved uneffective. Cox in 1986 wrote how support groups during the postpartum period can be 'one of the most successful agencies of intervention. ' Dennis, et Al, ( 2009 ) writes how support groups are good acknowledged in literature as valuable for cut downing and handling depression. For this wellness needs appraisal, it seems that a pilot postpartum support group would be appropriate. In the country where the writer works there is presently no group running to back up female parents with postpartum depression.

The complexness of PND and the attention required can be complex, so a whole squad attack will be needed, alternatively of an single 1. This will guarantee the attention needed will be successfully provided. When sing the wellness needs intercession a squad will be required to take it. Ideally the squad would dwell of the wellness visitant, G.P.s, baby's room nurses and a community mental wellness nurse. For the intercession to be successful so the squad will necessitate to hold: a shared vision, an apprehension of each other 's functions within the squad, a well-thought-of leader to drive the intercession frontward, a sound action program, flexibleness, and the ability to work collaboratively ( Hill et al, 2007 ) . Collaborative working has been greatly emphasised over the last few old ages in a assortment of paperss and is besides considered an of import function of the SCPHN ( NMC, 2004 ) who works within a community, aboard multidisciplinary bureaus to better wellness and good being, this is besides reflected in the last portion of Acheson 's definition, ' ... through the organized attempts of society. ' There are frequently barriers that can negatively impact effectual collaborative working such as, deficiency of communicating, clip limitations, differing positions and values and frequently troubles even obtaining a room to run into in, ( Almond & A ; Cowley, 2008 ) . The support group will be a good illustration to show collaborative working between professionals and services utilizations.

Once a squad had been brought together, a locale would be decided for the support group. The local certain start kids 's Centre would be an ideal locale. Certain start Centres are a authorities enterprise which purpose is to give kids the best possible start in life, ( DOH, 2007 ) . The country the writer works in is a rural location with limited public conveyance. Many of the female parents with PND live in stray parts, so for these female parents, free conveyance will be provided. However, if support at the local kids 's Centre is cut this may hold a negative impact on this service being offered for the group or any future groups. Leting the female parents with PND, who live in stray countries, the opportunity to go to the support group can hold a important, positive consequence on their depressive symptoms ( Hunker, et Al, 2009 ) . It will be of import to utilize a locale with child care installations. The certain start Centre has been used for a assortment of groups in the yesteryear and offers a non-stigmatising locale ; a warm and friendly environment.

Mothers identified with postpartum depression will be referred to the group and during a place visit, information will be provided so the female parents can make up one's mind whether they want to come. A telephone call prior to the group will besides be made. Empowering people, leting them to do informed picks and bettering their life accomplishments, which are needed for doing alterations, are all portion of the wellness publicity procedure ( Naidoo & A ; Wills, 2000 ) . Many female parents with PND will be in the contemplation phase described in Prochaska and DiClemente 's Stages of Change Model ( 1983 ) , where they are cognizant that there is a job but may non be certain or motivated to do the alterations needed. This theoretical account involves the individual traveling through a series of phases when turn toing debatable behavior. Peoples will go through through different phases at their ain gait. Prochaska and DiClimente ( 1982 ) compose how identifying where a individual is within the theoretical account will enable the practician to accommodate their intercessions to run into their single demands. This might intend that the wellness visitant offers the female parent listening visits at place ( HCP, 2009 ) until she feels ready to go to the support group.

The support group would run over eight hebdomads for one and a half hours and a creche will be provided run by the baby's room nurses. The wellness visitant and community mental wellness nurse will jointly run the group and will be trained suitably. The purpose of the group will be for female parents to derive support from other female parents in similar state of affairss and with similar experiences ( Alakus et al, 2007 ) . The purpose will be for the female parents to experience less down, better their self-esteem, self-worth, addition assurance, make friendly relationships and develop get bying schemes. To assist the female parents achieve this, the hebdomadal support group will offer both instruction and besides a assortment of taster Sessionss. For illustration, cognitive behavioral therapy, exercising, babe massage and holistic therapies. The beginning of the group will let female parents to portion any events of the past hebdomad.

Exercise can be an effectual intervention for postpartum depression every bit good as increasing the female parent 's sense of good being and can be a offered in the group as a combination of both exercising and relaxation techniques. Two recent clinical tests found that many adult females are loath to utilize medicine for intervention of PND. The survey besides revealed that exercising can relieve depression every bit efficaciously as medicines, ( Daley, et Al, 2007 ) .

Research has shown that infant massage in group work can cut down emphasis endocrines, significantly lessen depression symptoms and besides aid female parents to better relationships with their babes ( Heh, et al 2008 ) .

For adult females sing PND cognitive behavioral therapy is the intervention of pick ( NICE, 2007 ) . The Sessionss will assist female parents to dispute negative ideas and modify beliefs specifically associating to motherhood. CBT helps people to prosecute in activities and has been shown to cut down symptoms, better a individual 's quality of life and better map ( NICE, 2009 ) .

Evaluation is an of import portion of a wellness needs appraisal and rating of any intercession needs to be considered, as highlighted in the clinical administration rules ( Adams & A ; Forester, 2002 ) . There are a assortment of assessment methods. To mensurate the effectivity of the group the female parent 's original EPDS tonss would be recorded and so they would be asked to make full in another 1 at the terminal of the 8 hebdomads to see if their tonss had improved. Improved EPDS tonss and a decrease in PND could intend that the group could go on to run. Long term effectivity of the group, if it continues, will be seen in the bar or hold of 'morbidity or mortality, ' ( Mitcheson, 2008 ) This may finally take to the decrease of cost for handling people with PND. An effectual manner of measuring the intercession could be through a SWOT appraisal, a technique credited to Humphrey ( 1960-1970s ) . SWOT is a structured method used to place strengths, failings, chances and menaces.

To reason, it can be seen that by working through the phases of a wellness needs appraisal that the demand for an intercession in the writer 's country was clearly identified. The literature reviews provided information to help with the apprehension of PND and the effects it can hold on the female parent, household and babe. There is clearly a demand for a more accurate and consistent manner of placing PND and so entering and utilizing the information. For the group to be effectual, it was identified that good collaborative working was indispensable. As the function of the wellness visitant has changed over the old ages, it is of import to show how they can better wellness and cut down inequalities through successful, choice intercessions.

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