In 2004, the Health Department created a citywide health policy called ‘Take Care New York (TCNY)’ to help improve the health of New Yorker residents (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2012). The department established 10 areas of focus, which they noted to be important factors in the increase of illnesses. These reports analyze how the community in Southeast Queens is doing to achieve its health goals. In this case, nine out ten are graded average and above average respectively. However, “having a healthy baby” is an important goal, but it falls under the “below average” category. Thus, this health problem in the community was motivated me to focus on “Maternal, Infant, and Child Health” as my health topic area from the Healthy People 2020 program. Pregnant women in the Southeast Queens region receive late or no prenatal care, which means that the community fails on this aspect of health as a whole (NYC DOH, 2010). Low birth weight and infant mortality are higher in Community District 13 than in any other region of New York City. I concluded that the primary causes of low health grades on “Healthy Baby” are the lack of prenatal and pregnancy education.
Women with education beyond a high school degree had a lower infant mortality rate (4.0) than high school graduates (5.1) or those who have not completed high school (6.5) (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2011.) Queens Village has the third highest count of infant mortality rate in the Queens County. The leading cause of infant death is birth defects, followed by short gestation and low birth weight, cardiovascular disorders, while the highest cause of death in the neonatal period is short gestation and low birth weight (NYC department of health, 2012)
Going back to the ethnicity and demographics section of this essay, the dominant ethnic groups are the African-Americans, which constitute 71% of the community population. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (2011), African American women consistently had the highest percentage of low-birth weight infants (12.9% in 2009), and whites had the lowest (7.2% in 2009) (Hamilton, Martin & Ventura, 2010).
As stated earlier, there is the only hospital in the community and the location is inconvenient for many expectant mothers. However, neighboring hospitals also offer prenatal health at a low cost or free of charge. However, a good number of women in the area actually fail to take advantage of this for a number of social, economic and personality reasons. For instance, it is noteworthy that some women fail to attend postnatal care within their neighborhoods to avoid their friends, neighbors and other people who know them noting their conditions. This is especially common among pregnant adolescent girls who feel embarrassed by their conditions and would like to remain out of sight of their friends and neighbors.
Secondly, some women would like to attend prenatal programs in the hospitals of their choice, especially where their friends, family members of spouses recommend them to attend. Others would like to visit prenatal care from the hospitals recommended by their doctors, workmates or the tradition of their places of work. According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (2010), two programs are being offered for prenatal care: “Nurse-Family Partnership” and “Prenatal Care Assistance Program (PCAP).” In Nurse Family Partnership, a trained nurse specializing in Women’s Health will visit the pregnant patient at home and will do a follow-up until the child reaches 2 years old. This program is free of charge, and women would only need to apply for this program when they are under the prenatal care program. For a woman to qualify for this program, she will be supposed to be confirmed for pregnancy at least two weeks after conception before being followed up throughout pregnancy. Secondly, membership will be based on their won consent and any woman who do not consent will have her decision respected accordingly. A woman who consents and applies for the program will undergo specialized training in a group, where discussions among the women and their nurses will be a fundamental task.
Prenatal Care Assistance Program provides prenatal care for teens and adult women who live in New York City and meet the income bracket (NYC dept. of mental hygiene). In addition, the department of social services offers “Prenatal Care Services through Medicaid.” Under this program, they offer an array of services such as HIV tests, nutritional screening, and post-pregnancy care two months after two months and babies receive pediatric care at least a year after birth.
Since the government has available programs focusing on prenatal care, they should be creating more awareness and announcing it publicly. They should make posters, place a booth in public places and give out flyers on how to obtain medical assistance on prenatal care and the importance of folic acid, especially on women of childbearing age. I would also propose a tie-up commitment between the hospital and the health system. Here, healthy people, 2020 suggests that “Regular and reliable access to health services can prevent disease and disability, detect and treat illnesses or other health conditions, increase the quality of life, reduce the likelihood of premature (early) death and Increase life expectancy” (Healthy People 2020, 2012). Individuals, especially teens, should seek help when they suspect pregnancy. They have the option of seeking help from their family or within the available health clinics. Pregnancy should not be hidden from parents even if they are scared of the consequences the parents will give them.
These Individuals are not only responsible for themselves but also for the life that is growing within them. The Family of the pregnant woman should be supportive and understanding about the situation. Whether the pregnancy is planned or unplanned, they should support the pregnant family member because it is not easy to go through pregnancy alone. Educational facilities should expand their sex education on not only sexually transmitted diseases but also unexpected pregnancy and how to care for the baby in the womb.
References
Hamilton, B. E., Martin, J. A., & Ventura, S. J. (2010). Births: Preliminary data for 2010. National Vital Statistics Reports, 58(16), 4-16.
Healthy People. (2012). Access to Health Services. New York: NYCDH
New York City department of health and mental hygiene. (2012). Take Care New York 2012: A Policy for a Healthier New York City. New York: NYCDH