Community Strategic Plan
Los Angeles Country has a multi-million population and generally well-developed infrastructure and healthcare. However, such problems as the homeless crisis, poor environment, and the crisis of loneliness are factors that can cause serious health problems for the population. One of the most severe problems is the homelessness crisis, which leads to the fact that 60,000 thousands of people lack safe housing, adequate hygiene, and clean water (Jablon, 2020). Another problem is related to environmental pollution, which leads to lung disease and cancer due to air pollution. The third problem is the crisis of loneliness, which is caused by a shift in people’s cultural perception, manifested in the choice to remain single or unmarried for a longer time. However, there is a gap in knowledge about the direct impact of these factors on the health of the population due to the combination of factors and variables for measuring them.
Most of these issues cannot be solved solely by medical interventions, since the homeless and environmental pollution problem must be met by the entire community and by structural estates initiated by local and federal authorities. However, the factor of loneliness stimulates the spread of risky sexual behavior, which leads to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis, and HIV. This fact can be concluded because half of single Americans seek dating, and 20% of them are looking for only casual dates, while 53% agree to both casual dates and commitments (Brown, 2020). Consequently, single people more often have multiple partners and use such applications as Tinder or Grinder to find a date. At the same time, according to Rogge et al. (2020), people who use Tinder or Grinder are prone to risky sexual behavior. Thus, one of the main concerns is the risk of transmission of both STDs and HIV due to the crisis of homelessness and loneliness in Los Angeles Country.
The problem of the spread of STDs is also relevant in the world and the United States. Approximately 357 million cases of curable STDs are diagnosed annually worldwide, and although the largest number of cases occur in countries with limited access to educational and medical resources, the US also faces this problem (Gerbase & Zemouri, 2020). According to the National Center for HIV / AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (2021), one in five Americans had an STD, which cost the US $ 16 million in 2018. However, disease prevention is more affordable because it includes improved information policies and access to contraceptives instead of expensive medicines to treat diseases. Therefore, prevention of risky sexual behavior among residents is a critical step for Los Angeles Country and a contribution to the national STD and HIV reduction program.
Los Angeles Country Strategies and Resources
Community’s Strategic Goal
One management strategy that demonstrates the role of advanced practice is the desire for collaboration. One of the goals and characteristics of advanced practice is interprofessional collaboration to improve the quality of patient care. The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health (n.d) has committed to working with partners to support bold local policies. Such a strategy is conducive to change as solving the problem of homelessness and health issues of the population requires a joint effort. This approach also contributes to addressing the problem of risky sexual behavior and the spread of STDs and HIV.
Community Resources and Improvements
Los Angeles Country has a relatively wide range of services and resources for the population; however, the main problem is the high number of homeless people and the lack of affordable housing for them. The research shows that homeless people are more prone to STDs due to adverse housing and economic conditions (Williams & Bryant, 2019). However, while the government cannot resolve the homelessness crisis, the community has sufficient local resources to help the homeless, low-income, or needy people. For example, the Food Portal helps people get free meals, and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority provides various services for the homeless (“Los Angeles county resources,” n.d.). At the same time, the Department of Health Service and Department of Public Social Services allow all residents to receive assistance with medical services or information and financial aid (“Los Angeles county resources,” n.d.). Thus, these community resources can effectively contribute to solving the problem of risky sexual behavior and the spread of STDs and HIV.
However, it should be noted that the loneliness crisis also has a positive impact on the incidence of STDs and HIV in the US and the community. More and more people choose other interests over relationships, such as studies or careers, and do not seek meaningless dates. As noted by Ueda et al. (2020), single people who have never been in a relationship or divorced have become less sexually active over the past decade and have fewer sexual partners. Consequently, the level of risky sexual behavior decreased due to people who prefer the absence of any sexual contact rather than the absence of a relationship.
Strategic plan
Nevertheless, the risk of spreading STDs and HIV remains relatively high because of single people involved in risky sexual behavior and homelessness. Therefore, the community must achieve such strategic goals as reducing the number of people engaged in risky sexual behavior by 30%, reducing the incidence of STDs and HIV by 50% by 2023. Results will be measured through anonymous questionnaires of clients undergoing regular check-ups or treatment in the community’s clinics and hospitals, as well as rates of STDs, HIV, and hepatitis.
The primary strategy for achieving these goals is to conduct lectures for students of schools, colleges, visitors to social centers for the homeless and low-income people. Educating patients who undergo regular screening or treatment is a second strategy to raise awareness of the dangers of risky sexual behavior. In addition, free distribution of barrier contraceptives for the homeless and people in need through social centers and free clinics will also be provided. Since the implementation of these programs will involve support centers and health care institutions for people in need, as well as community clinics and hospitals, people with different economic statuses, including homeless people, race, gender, and education, will receive educational information. Thus, the overall level of sexual literacy and access to preventive contraceptive methods will increase, which contributes to a decrease in risky sexual behavior and the incidence of STDs.
Conclusion
Therefore, the leading health problem in Los Angeles Country is the risk of spreading STDs and HIV due to the crisis of homelessness and loneliness, which increases the risky sexual behavior of the population. Consequently, the main goals of the community are to reduce risky sexual behavior by 30 percent and reduce the incidence of STDs, hepatitis, and HIV by 50% by 2023. Strategies to achieve these goals are to provide lectures in schools, colleges, and social centers, one-to-one education of free and commercial hospitals’ clients, and the free distribution of barrier contraceptives. The main challenge is that for global change Los Angeles Country needs to decrease economic inequality and homelessness and change people’s attitudes toward relationships and loneliness. Nevertheless, the proposed goals and strategies can partially reduce the problem of STDs in the short term and significantly change the sexual behavior of the population in the long-term perspective.
References
County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health. (n.d.). Strategic plan 2018-2023. Web.
Gerbase, A.C., & Zemiori, C. (2020). Global epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in the twenty-first century: Beyond the numbers. In A. Cristaudo, & M. Giuliani (Eds.), Sexually transmitted infections: Advances in understanding and management. Springer Nature.
Jablon, R. (2020). Judge orders Los Angeles to move thousands of homeless. AP. Web.
Los Angeles county resources.(n.d). Web.
National Center for HIV / AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (2021). 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a sexually transmitted infection.Web.
Rogge, R.D., Crasta, D. & Legate, N. (2020). Is Tinder–Grindr use risky? Distinguishing venue from individuals’ behavior as unique predictors of sexual risk. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49, 1263–1277. Web.
Ueda, P., Mercer, C. H., Ghaznavi, C., & Herbenick, D. (2020). Trends in frequency of sexual activity and number of sexual partners among adults aged 18 to 44 Years in the US, 2000-2018.JAMA Network Open, 3(6). Web.
Williams, S. P., & Bryant, K. L. (2018). Sexually transmitted infection prevalence among homeless adults in the United States: A systematic literature review.Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 45(7), 494–504. Web.