Instructions In this unit, you will continue to research the health issue identified in the Unit I Assignment and apply the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TMC). As you carry on with your research,

UNIT I DISCUSSION

Discussion based on Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia is one of the places in the United States that are seriously confronted with chronic diseases. The common ones include heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, as well as other respiratory diseases like asthma. Despite that being the case, obesity is the major health concern in the region. According to the 2013 health reports, about 30.2 percent for the Georgians aged 18 years and above were obese. On the other hand, the preference for high-school students aged between 14 and 18 years was 12.7 percent (Bayakly, 2015). The health issue of concern because of the increasing preferences and the number of mortalities that occur as a result of associated diseases like heart disease, which contributes to the total death cases by 22 percent. The cases, however, have continued to increase. Currently, the preference among adults is approximately 31.6 percent. The one for the youth is about 17 percent. The percentages indicate that despite the intervention, the obesity cases are on the increase and that could be attributed to different factors like individual behaviors, occupation, income, and level of education (Georgia, 2019). How individuals live, eat, and exercise could be playing a significant role in the trends being witnessed. That could require the change of behaviors to be able to combat the issue and live a healthy life.

Description of the local and the health issue

Atlanta is the capital city of Georgia, and it is situated to the northwest part of the state, and it sits at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Chattahoochee River. Nationally, the region is ranked 18th with the highest number of obesity cases (Pirani, 2018). The health issue in the area is of great concern because it leads to other diseases that cause significant deaths in the state. Those are cardiovascular and heart diseases. Both the disorders cause 5 percent more deaths when compared with the national averages. What that implies, is that the challenge if not addressed, could become the leading cause of death in the state (Belt & Staff, 2018). Perhaps, the question one could ask is about the factors that are leading to the increasing cases of obesity in the place. Like many other cities and states, several unhealthy behaviors could be related with the high preferences of obesity and which include lack of regular exercise, poor nutrition, and excessive use of tobacco and alcohol (Bayakly, 2015). In a survey conducted in 2013, it was found out that approximately 27.7 percent of the Georgians do not engage in physical activities while 79 percent do not meet the aerobic guidelines. On the other hand, 24 percent consumed less or no vegetable each. Further, 19 percent are smokers, and 4.7 percent are heavy drinkers. The issue is directly related to the lifestyle and behaviors of the people in the region.

Describe the target population

According to the 2014 statistics, the city had approximately 450,000 people where 49.8 percent are male whole 50.2 percent are female. The whole population is urbanized with the local authorities charged with the responsibility of ensuring access to essential services like healthcare, water, housing, and education. The relationship between the health issue and the city, it is that the cases of obesity have continued to increase and all races in the region are affected almost equally. In the place, the majority of the population are the blacks who constitute about 54 percent of the total population (Inforplease, 2019). The whites come second at 38.4 percent. The Hispanics and the Asians constitute the remaining. Notably, to some level, obesity prevalences vary in terms of race, ethnicity, and education. The adults without high school education, for instance, have the highest prevalence at 35.6 percent (Pirani, 2018). Those with a college degree have a prevalence of 22.7 percent. In terms of race, black Americans, Hispanics, and white Americans have an incidence of 39, 32.4, and 29.3 percent, respectively.

The relationship between the identified health issue and the target population

From the data collected, it is evident that the behaviors of the locals significantly contribute to the health issue. The number of people who smoke, excessively drink, not cautious about diet and do not exercise, is significantly high. The behavior trends could be associated with lack of education, attitude, and economic wellbeing (Bayakly, 2015). For example, the low recordings of the number of cases among the college graduates is a clear indication that those whose understand the problem, can take measures that can be used to reduce the chances of becoming obese (Belt & Staff, 2018). Also, the racial attitude towards individual lifestyles could be contributing to the relationship with the issue. Finally, given that the region has a large black population, it is possible that there could be economic power disparities (Georgia, 2019). The implication of that is that some locals may not be able to afford a proper diet that can nourish their health and also pay for physical exercise services. Given the highlights, it is, therefore, essential to note that the problem is addressed mainly from the behavioral point of view. That will help the locals understand the risk they are facing so that they can change their behaviors to ensure a healthy life.

References

Bayakly, R. (2015). The burden of Chronic Disease in Georgia, Retrieved from https://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/Chronic%20Disease%20Burden_Rana _8.13.15.pdf

Belt, D., and Staff, P. (2018). Obesity In Georgia: New Maps Show How Common It Is, Retrieved from https://patch.com/georgia/atlanta/obesity-georgia-new-maps-show-how- common-it

Georgia (2019). The state of obesity: Better policies for a healthier America, Retrieved from https://www.stateofobesity.org/states/ga/

Inforplease (2019). Atlanta, Ga., Retrieved from https://www.infoplease.com/world/us- cities/Atlanta-Ga

Pirani, F. (2018). Georgia adult, teen obesity rates among worst in America, Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/local/georgia-adult-teen-obesity-rates-among-worst- america/S07yXfiisLhaxaQU7lMQEM/