Consider a population health topic that rises to the presidential agenda level. Which social determinant most affects this health issue? How did two recent presidents handle the problem? What would you do differently?
Rather than focus on the treatment of chronic disease, policies that influence population health tend to emphasize prevention and wellness; the reduction or elimination of waste and the eradication of health disparities based on race, ethnicity, language, income, gender, sexual orientation, disability and other factors. The reasoning is that good health belongs to the whole, not just an individual.
(New York State Dept. of Health, n.d.)
Regardless of political affiliation, every citizen has a stake in healthcare policy decisions. Hence, it is little wonder why healthcare items become such high-profile components of presidential agendas. It is also little wonder why they become such hotly debated agenda items.
Consider a topic (mental health, HIV, opioid epidemic, pandemics, obesity, prescription drug prices, or many others) that rises to the presidential level. How did the current and previous presidents handle the problem? What would you do differently?
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Reference:
New York State Department of Health. (n.d.). Making New York the healthiest state: Achieving the triple aim. Retrieved June 21, 2021 from https://www.health.ny.gov/events/population_health_summit/docs/what_is_popula
Opioid Epidemic
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
Opioid Epidemic
A population health issue that rises to the presidential agenda level in the United States is the opioid epidemic. The opioid crisis continues to claim lives and contribute to poor quality of life among Americans. Nearly 500,000 people have died in the United States due to opioid overdose in the last 20 years (Bohler et al., 2021). The best way to address this public health emergency is to mitigate its causes.
The social determinant of health that most affects the opioid epidemic in the United States is the Community and Social Context, specifically the availability of support systems. These support systems create a global supply chain that increases opioid availability and use. In this regard, eliminating opioid supply networks can help to address the opioid crisis in the United States (Singh et al., 2019). However, it is important to note that focusing on other associated social determinants as well can generate better outcomes.
Two United States presidents, Donald Trump (2017-2021) and Joe Biden (2021-present), have handled the opioid epidemic differently during their tenure. Donald Trump fought for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which was going to reduce coverage for substance use disorders (SUDs) such as opioid abuse and misuse. This would make treatment unaffordable thereby limiting healthcare access. Conversely, Joe Biden has proposed ACA expansion to increase the integration of SUDs into the standard health plans like Medicare under the universal health coverage program (Singh et al., 2019).
However, both Trump and Biden demonstrated their commitment to ending the opioid epidemic by securing additional funding for prevention programs and targeting illicit drug supply networks (SAMHSA, 2022; Singh et al., 2019). As a public health nurse, I would focus on improving the health literacy levels of Americans by leading education programs and campaigns to enhance people’s awareness of the risks and harm of opioid abuse and misuse (Bohler et al., 2021).
References
Bohler, R., Thomas, C.P., Clark, T.W., Horgan, C.M. (2021). Addressing the opioid crisis through social determinants of health: What are communities doing?. Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University. https://opioid-resource-connector.org/sites/default/files/2021-02/Issue%20Brief%20-%20Final.pdf
Singh, G. K., Kim, I. E., Girmay, M., Perry, C., Daus, G. P., Vedamuthu, I. P., De Los Reyes, A. A., Ramey, C. T., Martin, E. K., & Allender, M. (2019). Opioid epidemic in the United States: Empirical trends, and a literature review of social determinants and epidemiological, pain management, and treatment patterns. International Journal of MCH and AIDS, 8(2), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.21106/ijma.284
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2022). Biden administration announces $1.5 billion funding opportunity for state opioid response grant program. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/05/19/biden-administration-announces-15-billion-funding-opportunity-state-opioid-response-grant-program.html