Five Questions in Context to the Theory at a Glance - Essay Example

Running Head: health sciences and medicines Theory at a Glance The primary purpose of the assignment is to discuss five questions in context to the Theory at a Glance along with identifying different theories and its impact and implication in the social environment pertaining to health issues. 1. As per Glanz, Rimer and Su (2005), Theory at a Glance describes influential theories of health related behaviours, ways of shaping behaviours and impact and influence of community and environmental factors. Theory at a Glance makes health care theories accessible along with offering health care solutions in a theoretical manner. This particular discussion is based on developing health promotion innovation pertaining to controlling obesity amongst the Latino children. For this purpose diffusion of innovation has been analysed in terms of advantages and disadvantages. Rogers (2003) stated that diffusion of innovation is a theory that states how, when and at what rate new ideas and technology spreads across the culture. The rate at which ideas flow through cultures can be different in every environment depending on how, when and why ideas are spread in the social environment. In order to deal with the obesity issues, ideas will be spread out by the opinion leaders and health care professionals. This can be considered as quite useful as opinion leaders and health care professionals have adequate knowledge. However, in case of personal opinions and experiences being imposed, flow of information may get affected and manipulative. This also states that there cannot be any assurance and guarantee of achieving desired results through spreading ideas. Thus, the diffusion of innovation theory can be considered as quite restricted in terms of desired results as it is driven by the influence and impact of internal and external factors. 2. Schwarzer, (2008) defined Health Action Process Approach as a part of Behavioral Change Theory that talks about self regulatory processes. It revolves around goal setting phase and goal pursuit phase. The goal setting phase is driven by motivation and personal will while goals pursuit phase is driven by the act of making a choice that is often driven by the conscience in the short as well as in the long run. This particular theory can be used in the Latino community suffering from obesity issues. It needs to be mentioned that self motivation is the best approach of dealing with an issue or a problem. This theory can be used in addressing the obesity issue as self realization is the key to success in any goal achievement. Individuals suffering from obesity issues can take obesity as a challenge by switching to low fat diet. They can set short and long term goals based on their preference and convenience. It is important to set small goals like reducing 2 pound in two weeks and later 4 pounds in 2 weeks through strict control over the diet and by switching to low fat diet. After achieving short term results, they can easily get motivated along with making a choice of including health diet as a part of their life. This will also help in gaining confidence as achievements often offers great confidence and zeal to continue the good work in the long run. Strengths of this model is based on self motivation and self realization that extracts the best out of individuals while the weakness can be getting demotivated in case of not achieving the short terms goals. In spite of having strengths and weaknesses, this theory can be tried to understand oneself in terms of getting motivated through conscience and dedication resulting in desired results and outcomes. The reason behind choosing this theory is based on little interventions and self understanding of oneself in dealing with a health issue. Rather than depending on others to get desired results, the theory focuses on achieving desired results through self dedication and motivation and that is why has been preferred. 3. Boskey (2010) stated that the Health Belief Model is used by scientists for studying and promoting the uptake of health services. The model was developed to assess and understand behavioral changes after receiving treatments. The health belief model developed by the researchers at the US Public Health Service was inspired by the reason people choose X-Ray examinations for detecting tuberculosis. The model was based on four elements consisting of perceived susceptibility based on individual assessment of risks, perceived severity, individual assessment of severity of the health complication and issue, perceived barriers based on individuals’ perceptions over barriers discouraging to adopt a particular behaviour and perceived benefits based on individuals’ assessment of positive consequences of switching to a different behaviour. This model has been modified in the present by adding different elements and variables like demographic variables, health motivation, perceived threats and barriers and socio-psychological variables affecting the health behavior in the short as well as in the long run. This model has a number of strengths in the form of identifying and analysing the perceptions of individuals over health barriers, benefits, severity and susceptibility that up to an extent addresses the issue in a great manner. At the same time, it considers demographic and psychological factors along with health motivation and threats. Davis (2011) stated that African Americans have high prevalence of diabetes because of the demographic factors like poverty, obesity, inadequate intake of healthy food and deficiency of Vitamin D. In this case, demographic factors have been the factor of threat causing diabetes to an extent. This model has certain weaknesses in the form of being based on common sense framework and lacking systematic approach. Individuals can perceive whatever they want to based on the impact of psychological and demographic factors and most importantly it does not discusses much about the social factors and can be considered as a major weakness. This model is ideally suited for health care organizations as heath care professionals can perceive things based on their knowledge and understanding but this model is not appropriate to use in schools as children have fragile mind and false perceptions may hamper the initiative. 4. Prochaska, Velicer, (1997) defined Transtheoretical Model as an important health care model that assesses the readiness of an individual to act and embrace a new healthier behavior along with offering guidance and strategies to guide individuals through the phases of change to action and further maintenance. In the Transtheoretical Model, there are different phases and stages through which individuals achieve their goals. The first stage is precontemplation where people intend to take initiatives, contemplation is the stage where people start analyzing their behavior, and preparation is the stage where individuals intend to take decisions followed by actions where people modify their behavior and life style. This is followed by maintenance of the behavior and once goals are achieved; the process ends. The study developed by Prochaska, DiClemente, (1997) compared the experiences of smokers who quit on their own by comparing the experiences of smokers who took professional help. The basic premise of the study was to highlight that change is a process that may differ in terms of value and benefits but do have an impact in terms of change in the behaviour. Individuals willing to quit smoking on their own can be moved to contemplation stage by using educational interventions as they enjoy smoking and do not want help and assistance of others and individuals seeking to quit smoking through professional help can be moved to action stage as they have planned to quit smoking. This process has strengths in the form of being systematically and logically designed along with analyzing behaviours at every stage. The weaknesses are in the form of a number of stages that may be time consuming driven by interventions at every stage like personal intervention and social intervention. This model is appropriate for health care organisations, worksites and school and colleges as personal interventions can be applied along with social interventions but cannot be considered as an appropriate one in personal setting as more or less schools, colleges, hospitals and health care centers can all use this theory and model based on personal and social intervention. 5. Bandura (2011) in his book Social cognitive theory: An agentive perspective defined social cognitive theory as a health initiative based on observing others within the context of social interactions and experiences. It includes personal factors, environmental factors and human behavior exerting influence on others. A person is more likely to change his health behavior based on self efficacy, goals and outcomes expectancies. The best example can be of introducing a cooking and exercise program or class for Latinos in order to fight obesity. The program will make participants learn how healthy eating and exercising will benefit them (expectations). Health advisors will help in setting incremental goals (self efficacy), leaned members will serve as a role model (observational learning) and participants will get benefitted by switching to healthy life style and thus getting health benefits (reinforcement). This theory can be considered as quite useful in wide arrays of environment especially in the health environment where participants can learn from others along with getting support, encouragement and inspiration from others. The strengths of this theory are based on learning and observing others that often teaches new things along with impacting the way of thinking. The weakness can be considered in the form of totally dependent on others experiences and behaviours that may or may not work for everyone in the social environment especially in terms of health as different individuals have different health conditions and behaviours. This model is ideally suited for school and communities where individuals can learn from each other while least appropriate in hospitals as different patients have different health experiences based on their body type and complication ad thus cannot be emulated. 6. There is no denying that health care education is of great importance in the social environment. The health care theories chosen to be implemented and used in addressing obesity issues amongst the Latino children is the Explanatory theory and Change theory. As per the National Cancer Institute (1997); Explanatory theory explains the reason behind the existence of the health issue along with identifying key factors behind that in terms of lack of education, lack of sources and resources and lack of social support while the change theory is based on developing health interventions to address the issue. These theories can be implemented by introducing health interventions in the form of health advisors. The explanatory theory can be implemented by identifying key issues behind the obesity by analyzing wide arrays of social and demographic factors like income, lack of social support, lack of medical facilities and lack of awareness while the change theory can be used to address the issue through using interventions in the form of opinion leaders, medical professionals and creating awareness through personal and group interaction. This will help in identifying the issue, its factors along with ascertaining solutions that may be useful in creating awareness along with combating the issue at the community level. Both the theories reciprocate each other in terms of analyzing and addressing the issue along with coming up with desired solutions, outcomes and results to achieve proposed objectives. Thus, the implementation of the combined theories will be by the identification of the obesity issues through an analysis of demographic factors (explanatory theory), followed by health care interventions in the form of health advisors, opinion leaders and medical professionals (change theory). After the implementation of interventions, results will be identified for further analysis in terms of ascertaining outcomes and results based on the implementation of theories. References Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentive perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1-26 Elizabeth Boskey (2010), Health Belief Model, Retrieved on December, 09, 2011 from http://std.about.com/od/education/a/healthbelief.htm Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer, Sharyn M. Su (2005), Theory at a Glance: A Guide for Health Promotion Practice, Retrieved on December, 09, 2011 from http://www.comminit.com/c-change-orc/node/180930 National Cancer Institute (1997), Theory at a Glance, Retrieved on December 09, 2011 from http://her.oxfordjournals.org/content/15/2/125.full Prochaska JO, Velicer WF (1997), “The transtheoretical model of health behavior change”. Retrieved on December, 09, 2011 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10170434 Prochaska JO, DiClemente CC, Norcross JC. In Search of How People Change: Applications to the Addictive Behaviors. American Psychologist 47:1102–1114, 1992. Ralf Schwarzer (2008), Modeling Health Behavior Change: How to predict and modify the Adoption and Maintenance of Health Behaviors, Retrieved on December, 09, 2011 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00325.x/abstract Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press Shani Davis (2011), Vitamin D Deficiency and Type 2 Diabetes in African Americans: The Common Denominators, Retrieved on December, 10, 2011 from http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/24/3/148.full Read More