Health Care Delivery Model
Health Care Delivery Model:
Childhood Asthma
Sara
October 22, 2005
University of Portland
School of Nursing
Abstract
Childhood asthma affected an estimated 5 million children under the age of 15 during the year of 1995. The diagnosis of this disease is on a continual rise in the United States, and it is the responsibility of all health care providers to busy themselves in providing the proper patient education, treatment, and preventative measures available to prevent unnecessary suffering caused by asthma (Improving Childhood Asthma, n.d.). Throughout the next few pages the following essential issues will be: defining more closely this patient population, identifying organizations that provide care for this population, discussing methods in which this care is financed, and finally suggesting mechanisms in which nursing can impact this health care delivery model. Addressing the aforementioned essential issues concerning childhood asthma will provide the necessary knowledge to health care providers treating this monster childhood disease.
Identification of the patient population being served The patient population focus for this paper will be children with asthma. This chronic lung disease, grouped into the COPD class of diseases, affects an estimated 5 million children every year (Improving Childhood Asthma, n.d.). "Asthma is a growing health problem in the United States, particularly in inner-city African-American and Latino populations" (Asthma: A Concern for Minority, 2001). The death rate for these inner-city patients is three times that of whites. Noted as contributing factors to the increase in death rates are: low socioeconomic status, lack of access to medical care, substandard housing that increases exposure to certain indoor allergens, lack of education, and the failure to take prescription medicine appropriately (Asthma: A Concern for Minority, 2001). Health care providers involved in the care of this specific patient
Childhood Asthma
Sara
October 22, 2005
University of Portland
School of Nursing
Abstract
Childhood asthma affected an estimated 5 million children under the age of 15 during the year of 1995. The diagnosis of this disease is on a continual rise in the United States, and it is the responsibility of all health care providers to busy themselves in providing the proper patient education, treatment, and preventative measures available to prevent unnecessary suffering caused by asthma (Improving Childhood Asthma, n.d.). Throughout the next few pages the following essential issues will be: defining more closely this patient population, identifying organizations that provide care for this population, discussing methods in which this care is financed, and finally suggesting mechanisms in which nursing can impact this health care delivery model. Addressing the aforementioned essential issues concerning childhood asthma will provide the necessary knowledge to health care providers treating this monster childhood disease.
Identification of the patient population being served The patient population focus for this paper will be children with asthma. This chronic lung disease, grouped into the COPD class of diseases, affects an estimated 5 million children every year (Improving Childhood Asthma, n.d.). "Asthma is a growing health problem in the United States, particularly in inner-city African-American and Latino populations" (Asthma: A Concern for Minority, 2001). The death rate for these inner-city patients is three times that of whites. Noted as contributing factors to the increase in death rates are: low socioeconomic status, lack of access to medical care, substandard housing that increases exposure to certain indoor allergens, lack of education, and the failure to take prescription medicine appropriately (Asthma: A Concern for Minority, 2001). Health care providers involved in the care of this specific patient