Policy & Advocacy for Pop Health: Application: Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign

Policy & Advocacy for Pop Health: Application: Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign
DEVELOPING AN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN 6 The Case for Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) NURS-6050N-23: Policy & Advocacy for Pop Health Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) denotes a critical population health issue in America. Research shows how “FTD is devastating for those affected. Yet it is little known and it is poorly understood. “It can take years for families to get a correct diagnosis” (PR, 2015). As the most prevalent form of dementia for adults under age 60, this issue is vital to foster awareness of since “It is frequently confused with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and certain psychiatric disorders. Misdiagnosis is costly for patients and the medical community” (PR, 2015). Scholars also show how “FTD is a rare disease, affecting approximately 50,000 nationwide. It is a debilitating form of dementia that affects the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain. FTD strikes people in the prime of life–typically between ages 50 and 60–and erodes their ability to speak, move and/or behave within social norms. There is no known cure for FTD” (PR, 2014). Summary of the two Advocacy Campaigns Of the 2 campaigns, the first is called the Food for Thought Campaign. It hosts events in 37 U.S. states, so it attempts to achieve diversity. This campaign also uses a targeted approach to reach a global audience as currently “More than 10 countries across the world are taking part” (PR, 2015). In contrast, the second campaign seemed to be more local in aim as it dealt primarily at One World Trade Center in New York and had more social media emphasis. An Explanation of the Attributes of the Effective Campaigns Some traits that made the Food for Thought Campaign effective include its dual emphasis on raising funds to fight FTD but also increasing awareness. By aligning events during World FTD Awareness Week from October 4-11, 2015, it also helps to promote education through community and social collaboration as it supports “Sharing food brings families and communities together,” she added, “and these events foster a sense of connection for people facing an isolating disease” (PR, 2015). The range of activities, not merely a single race-theme, make this campaign effective since free choice is given and “Participants stage any Food for Thought event they choose. Examples: offering coffee and donuts at work while playing a YouTube clip, having a home cooked meal with friends, sharing family recipes on social media or partnering with a local community restaurant for profit sharing” (PR, 2015). Food brings all people together, so I like the logic of this campaign as races and exercise events can often isolate or intimidate those who are not athletically inclined, healthy, able, or fit. A major attribute of the second campaign is the fact that it has a highly global social media connection. Development of a New Plan for the Health Advocacy Campaign for a new policy in Relation to the Issue and the Population. Part of the plan will be to facilitate awareness of and correct fallacies about FTD, how it is effectively diagnosed, treated, and ultimately prevented. Specific Objectives for the Policy to be Implemented Provide information about the myths and realities of Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD Offer strategies for patients and their families to improve the quality of life of people affected by FTD Augment collaboration by providing resources, awareness, and education for FTD Help to prevent misdiagnoses among the medical community Work to achieve foster a cure My plan will also involve having local and national celebrities engage in the campaign to give it more pop culture appeal, modeled after a 2014 British governmental campaign, entitled “Live Aid for the 21st century”, “featuring several celebrities singing the song “With a Little Help from My Friends” by the Beatles” (Celebrities back £3m dementia campaign, 2014). The proposed campaign will be backed by data and evidence to demonstrate how “Frontotemporal degeneration is a rare, debilitating form of dementia that affects the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, robbing its victims of the very things that make them unique as human beings—their personality, their emotions, and their ability to communicate” (PR, (2014). Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) is paramount for citizens to understand since it “strikes in the prime of life when few thinks of dementia. That makes awareness so important” (PR, 2015, October 1). Studies also confirm how “Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) encompasses the syndromes of behavioral variant FTD and primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and refers to those neurodegenerative diseases characterized by predominant pathological involvement of the frontal and temporal lobes” (Hopkins & Chan, 2016). References Celebrities back £3m dementia campaign. (2014). Marketing (00253650), 1. Hopkins, S., & Chan, D. (2016). Key emerging issues in frontotemporal dementia. Journal of Neurology, 263(2), 407. doi:10.1007/s00415-015-7880-7. PR, N. (2014). Discovery Fit & Health Helps Raise Awareness for Frontotemporal Degeneration with Exclusive Broadcast Rights to Short-form Documentary IT IS WHAT IT IS – FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION: TRAGIC LOSS, ABIDING HOPE. PR Newswire US. PR, N. (2014). Rare Brain Disorder Included for First Time in National Plan to Cure Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias. PR Newswire US. PR, N. (2015). Eat, Not Exercise, to Do Some Good: National Nonprofit Takes a Bite out of Dementia with Grassroots Campaign Targeting All 50 States. PR Newswire US. PR, N. (2015). First-ever World FTD Awareness Week Launches Tonight at One World Trade Center. PR Newswire US.
Policy & Advocacy for Pop Health: Application: Developing a Health Advocacy Campaign
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN (Part 2) 9 The Case for Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) (Part 2) NURS-6050N-23: Policy & Advocacy for Pop Health Introduction The present US health care policies and regulations established by the various government agencies, insurance companies and other healthcare organizations pose certain challenges to us as nurses and of course the patients who are generally the ones caught in the middle of cost and payment constraints and access to applicable quality care. According to the 2005 data from the United States Census Bureau about 50 million Americans are uninsured while at the same time the cost of health care is still rising. With the continued rising costs of care, degenerating and lack of access to comprehensive care, and poor-quality services, there is an urgent need to improve our health care performances in the United States. (Carey, 2006). As such, changes are required in government, health care organizations and insurance policies that tackles most of the health-related issues. (Kendig, 2006). This project focuses on the development of an advocacy campaign with a view towards addressing how current laws or regulations may affect how to proceed in advocating for a proposed policy and how to influence legislators and other policymakers to enact a policy. The project also examined possible barriers to the legislative steps that could impede a proposed policy from being enforced as designed. (WaldenU, 2017). The existing laws and regulations that are used can address the situation and contribute to changing the chronic illnesses that plague the world but using these strategies by themselves will not be suffice for addressing the problems associated with Non-Communicable Diseases across the world. This is because many countries have weak health care systems, even those that are considered “First” world countries such as America. The existing laws and regulations are encapsulated in global legal doctrines as well as national doctrines to provide budgeting for healthcare prevention but this often is negatively impacted by under-budgeting that occurs, poor demand forecasting, and poor distribution of services to those most in need. (Cherry, & Trotter Betts, 2005). Governments across the world are implementing fiscal policies that are predicated upon raising taxes, utilization of subsidiary statutory instruments such as regulations that establish standards that must be met toward cigarettes, alcohol, and other major contributors to NCDs, and the improvement of access to NCD treatments. Government agencies also play a role in monitoring and enforcing regulations that are established to address this global healthcare problem. Other measures that are taken by governments are predicated upon the allocation of resources to train healthcare providers, developing policies that ensure the retention of healthcare providers, establishment of financing mechanisms for the provision of healthcare services, and universal access to essential medicines to treat NCDs in some countries. There are also investments into the infrastructure within these countries predicated upon capital investments. There are also mechanisms that are in place to try to ensure accountability regarding governance over these issues, and the accountability begins at the highest-levels of governance. (Cherry, & Trotter Betts, 2005). Methods of Influencing Legislators & Policymakers to Support the Policy The policy can be influenced through evidence-based research that focuses upon the economic losses that occur because of these chronic diseases within countries. This is especially true for low and middle-income developing countries wherein the losses could exceed $500 billion per year if they fail to address these NCDs within their populations. More employees dying early or more employees afflicted with chronic illnesses that take them out of the workplace will impact the GDP of these countries with some losing on average 4% per year. The objective for any lobbying effort should be to focus on the prevention of diseases by empowering citizens to engage in more healthy practices and behaviors while also providing the opportunities for those within the lowest and least economically advantaged classes to access more quality food, lifestyles, etc. It is imperative to recognize that governments cannot simply throw money toward this problem as this strategy will fail. There must be an investment into the people wherein the policies that are cultivated are capable of empowering citizens to lead a healthier lifestyle. Summary of Obstacles Arising in the Legislative Process and the Solution There are many obstacles that will arise throughout the legislative process and these include the fact that industries such as Big Tobacco, Big Alcohol, and Big Pharma are intent upon ensuring that the negative lifestyles led by global citizens continue. Other industries with vested interests toward preventing these policies from coming into fruition include the Soft Drink Industry and the Fast Food Industry. These stakeholders spend millions of dollars lobbying their cause to governments across the world. Therefore, they are formidable foes who will continue to prevent legislation from cutting into their profits. In addition, many countries have weak health care systems, and before these systems can effectively be reformed, the ability to transform their citizens will be almost impossible as this is mandatory. To address these problems requires the adoption of a comprehensive approach by leadership wherein the use of community-based programs is included within the strategic plan with investments made in healthcare systems at the forefront of the strategy. To improve how citizens, engage in lifestyle behaviors requires an improvement in healthcare infrastructures so that these vital and critical functions will be there to guide, monitor, and serve patients. There must be an approach toward reducing suffering among the most vulnerable citizens wherein the objective is to ensure that the government can increase expenditures affixed toward these NCDs while also defining who within society are entitled to receive government assistance as governmental safety nets are required for assuring that the most vulnerable and most likely to suffer from NCDs are not unable to access the required variables to succeed in improving their lifestyle behaviors. These expenditures can be characterized by publicly-funded services for the most vulnerable citizens, the use of taxation and compulsory insurance contributions, and financing for healthcare that includes the right to health within national budgets. Quintessentially, the World Health Organization has proposed the adoption of a universal access to healthcare approach that all governments should implement, but this has yet to come into fruition. Conclusion In conclusion, for a successful advocacy to be implemented to improve and bring meaningful changes to our health care system, it requires insistence to access and to the resources of power, the will to advocate, time and commitment, and the energy that goes along with all the necessary political skills. As nurses, we must take action in the public health policy sector; determine and analyze the known power bases available to us as we consider the role of an advocacy for change and improvement in our health care system; promote and discuss the various processes in the legislative sector; search for different strategies in our pursuit of effective action plan; and compile a list of resources available to boost our morale and develop the tenacity and ability to model, shape and impact the health policies. Finally, we must initiate proposals that will bring about change and improvements, and use our nursing power to veto any unfavorable proposals to substantially influence the implementation of effective and efficient health policies. (Fawcett, & Russell, 2001). References Carey, M.A. (2006). U.S. scores poorly on health scorecard. Washington Health Policy Week in Review. Retrieved from www.cmwf.org/healthpolicyweek/healthpolicyweek_show.htm?doc_id=405005 Cherry, B., & Trotter Betts, V. (2005). Health policy and politics: Get involved! In B. Cherry & S. Jacobs (Eds.) Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends & management (pp.211-233). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Inc. Fawcett, J. & Russell, G. (2001). A conceptual model of nursing and health policy. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice 2(2), 108-116. Kendig, S.M. (2006). Advocacy, action, and the allure of butter: A focus on policy. Highlights of the Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health 8th Annual Conference. Retrieved from www.medscape.com/viewarticle/523631. Magnusson R. S., & Patterson, D. (2014). The role of law and governance reform in the global response to non-communicable diseases. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4077679/ Milstead, J. A. (2016). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.