1
Introduction
This essay is divided into various major sections. In the summary of the article, the main health issues are highlighted as well as the age groups affected which are the youths at the early ages. The analysis section looks at the environmental aspects as they relate to the specified age group. The article discusses the effectiveness of the health education based on the developmental theories in the section of health education strategies. The communication strategies are also analyzed in connection to the provision of nursing care. In connection to this, the appropriate communication strategies that are appropriate for the chosen age group in terms of health care needs are analyzed. Finally, this article also contains the conclusion in which the arguments that have been discussed on this article are summarized.
Summary of the article
This article provides an overview of the health youths in the modern world. The main health issues that are affecting this age group are poor hygiene, abuse of drugs; which will be broadly analyzed, behavioral risks that are persistent, poor basic sanitation and most importantly, the newly emerging diseases which have resulted to the deadly mix which has resulted to a change in the classic picture of the youths perceived as healthy. The burden of poor health is usually stomached by these youths as a result of the effects of injuries, especially those resulting from drug abuse. The health of the youths defines the global interest. The health issues highlighted above in one way or the other have had an adverse effect in their contribution to the economic development. The existence of these health issues is basically in contrast to the achievements that have been gained through the national authority’s effort, the youths themselves together with their surrounding communities, supported by the efforts of those working to ensure that this population special needs as well as right to health that is good are met and understood.
Analysis
Based on the psychoanalytical approach, the understanding of the dynamism of a personality development is normal. Based on this approach, it is clearly understood that the youths are usually in the process of growth and their lives are basically characterized with dynamism. Most of the events unfolding in their lives are normal and to some extent they have been justified as stages in the development process. In most societies, the youths are always confronted with new threats and situations that are risky to their current health (WHO, 2001), as they progress towards the future whereby the status of their health may be in compromise. This calls for the need of health sector involvement in order to enhance effective approaches that are new. These approaches are based on the understanding that the youths are very exposed and it is very normal to go through some stages in the lives which tends to compromise their health situation. The ability of the health sector to overcome the conservatism as it respond to the needs of the youths has been perceived with optimism as the health strategies are expected to respond to the youths needs.
The concept of the adolescents in their youth stages is generally perceived to be a very dynamic concept which has even currently been defined within the life course approach context to development and health. These youths are participants in societal evolution in addition to their connection to the health system as they grow. The values, religious traditions and cultures are perceived as important phenomenon sociologically and psychologically which can play an important role in the responsibility of risk and health protective factors. The supportive and safe environment moderating influence as well as its role in providing sound mental health, the violence containment and sense of worthiness can lose meaning to these youths. The perception of the youths to the world is merely out of no prejudice, through an opportunity window in which peace and tolerance is created. This group in ambition initiates social reconciliation despite the clash generations stereotypes.
When looking at the youths in references to the issue of drug abuse, it is clearly understood that in most of the youths, the onset of drug abuse usually takes place at the early stages in life. For a long time, the abuse of the alcohol has mostly been associated with the young people especially the men. This tread has changed because currently, the involvement in this illicit act has increasingly grown in the women too, in some cases even surpassing that of the youths. When it comes to the use of the illicit drugs, this has been very common with the with the youth people for a long time. Among these illicit drugs, the most common and widely used to these youths has been the cannabis, which has portrayed the youths desire to explore in risks that they do not understand the repercussions. To most, this has been a stage that they have had to experiment mainly based on the psychoanalytical approach, and this is what is usually perceived to be the dynamism of the development of the personality (IYD, 2004).
The impact on the youth development
The impact of the health issues on the youth development has been very clear. These youths are still in their early stages of growth and the occurrences taking place in their current lives will always come to haunt them in their later stages of development. The drug abuse in particular affects the development of the youths in many ways. Following the involvement by the youths in much risky behaviour strongly affects their relationship with the parents and family members (IYD, 2004). The harmful effects of drug abuse can be viewed in different ways; which may either be short term or may be witnessed in the long term therefore affecting the future of these youths. In addition, the occasional drug use has the effect on the cognitive development.
Drugs are in some cases depicted in a way that they usually look less destructive than they actually are. In these cases, generally what are usually not usually taken into consideration are the long term effects as well as the impact they have to the development of these youths with special cases to the functions that are cognitive like the memorizing capacity (Steve et al, 2008). While little or no side effects are associated with ecstasy, it is clear from various studies that its use can alter even permanently certain functions of the brain. Although the inhalants are not usually listed as illicit, their abuse has been widespread, particularly by those youths who have been disadvantaged. With the psychoactive drugs, the main problem is that when they are used by the youths, their focus is usually based on the emotional and mental effects that are desired thereby ignoring possibility of occurrence of the mental and physical side effects that are potentially damaging. Basically, no drug that is illicit can be termed as safe. These psychoactive substances when introduced to the bodies of these youths in one way or the other will always result in affecting the human body functioning thereby causing intense damage in the long run which has strong negative impact on the development of these youths.
According to the testimonies of people who have been victims of drug abuse at one stage in life, the drugs have has ability to affect the development in one way or the other (Blomqvist, 2002). Many have confessed that the drug abuse has been a transitional stage which has been in most cases hard to resist considering the peer influence. The transitional stage in most cases tends to begin at the early stages of life thereby rising to peak at the times of high school education, although during the adulthood, the tread is usually at a declining phase (Rohrbach et al, 2005). Of cause there may be likelihood of expecting many possibilities in life, although this optimism brings a realization of sailing in between with the capability of being trapped in a life that an individual does not desire to have. As these youths emerge into adulthood, they will most likely move from their parent’s homes, in many incidences thereby becoming employed with an aim of becoming independent as the look forward to settling on jobs that are more permanent. The likelihood of living alone increases with the major developmental undertaking appearing to be that of learning their responsibilities acceptance for their own life, with the decisions being independently made. The progress of this process will strongly be determined by the major factor which will be the extent of recovery from the drug abuse. Basically, the type of life that a youth will be exposed to in the future will strongly depend on the type of type of drug they have been exposed to during their development. The likelihood of emergence of such issues in the future will strongly depend on the lesson that these youths have learnt. If the drug strongly compromised their normal healthy growth, these youths will not wait for the influence of those that care for them to help them in realizing the impacts of these health issues because experience will have taught them the best lesson.
Health education strategies
Assisting the youths in making the decisions that have positive effects on their health and future prospects can really be a hard task for the educators and communicators. There must be use of a variety of means to ensure that the young people are reached which is generally a very diverse group with wide scope in terms of experience coupled with different lifestyles and needs (Parmer, 2002). The importance of gaining access to training, youth programs, higher education and school cannot be undermined as this effort will be aimed at ensuring that the young individuals gain access to self efficacy; which is social capital health asset. The school attendance rates, even in high cases are not in themselves an indication of relevance both socially and economically in light to the training program. The health practitioners and educationalists can use the criteria which will determine whether or not health is promoted by the educational institutional criteria which will include staff roles that are well defined, gaining access to nutrition, the content of health education in the curriculum, management of stress, mainstreaming of the gender and most importantly the counseling access (WHO, 2010)
In the health protection and promotion, the consideration of the parent will be the key while the door way will be the perspective of the youths; which is similarly true generally for the health and education. The parent responsibility in educating the youths in relation to the effects of drug abuse becomes a main concern in various societies which in many traditions can be considered as an obligation. In the cases whereby there is failure of the parents to perform their duties, the gap may be filled by the modern media; which in most cases may not be in a manner that it will promote the health. The timing, nature together with the content to be provided in the education is provided for by civic leaders, the community and the professionals in health together with the youths.
Communication strategies
The communication source for the development and the health of the youths includes the educational systems, internal mechanisms that are psychological, the media and the influence of the fellow age groups. The youths are influenced by the adults in the family and from the extended community families through the means of dialogue or also through the provision of the reinforcement that are negative and positive. Favor solicitation and role modeling in exchange through rewarding also plays an important role in shaping the tread of behavior that is to be followed by these youths including the behavior relating to the drug abuse. The religious communities leaders also communicate to the youths in a way that they encourage them in addition to demonstrating how the health can be promoted and protected by the individuals and the community as a whole in addition to providing environment that is both safe and supportive (Adamchak, 2000)
The enhancement youths integration; both socially and economically will be made possible through appropriate communications that ensures that every youth understands their protection needs and preparation as they get ready to face the world. Some legal aspects in addition provide protection to the youths from the risky health practices. They at the same time provided with an opportunity through which they can be able to manage their healthy and social relationships with their age group colleagues. In the same age group, the influence of the fellow friend has a strong influence that enables the shaping of the behaviors of these youths before they can be tapered into adulthood. In the communication, the influence from the fellow age group members is usually very strong and exceeds in most cases the parents and family influence, together with the expectations of the community and the faith principles. The influence is usually channeled by the student groups and youths through the use of the motivation and peer information sharing and through proceeding to education to the peer counseling. Through communication and partnership which is emphasized by the need to support the youths self expression, this becomes very important to the mental health and harmony in the social setting.
Communication becomes of great importance because the youth changes are in most cases lived in a unique way to the youths that are expressing them. When these young people are overwhelmed by self doubt that is nearly inevitable, resulting to the changes in the mood coupled with the prevailing questioning of the social cultural values, the expectations of the parents and the principles surrounding the religion, then it becomes very imperative that when the youth is guided by a caring and skilled person who is older they feel that they are not all alone, in a way that they can be made to understand that someone is always willing to share their ideas, reflect together with them and listen to what they have to say.
In order to ensure that there is effective communication in addressing the issues raised by the youths that are sensitive, there is the need for the parent to overcome the taboos in the social setting, the discomforts existing at the personal level, and lack of the skills and information that is relevant. The place on the family front line can be used by the primary health care workers in assisting the youths to not only acquire but also in addition to sustain the desired heath socially, mentally and spiritually.
Conclusion
Although it is known that the healthiest population is constituted of the youths, various ventures have jeopardized this health perspective. The influencing factors to the youth health are numerous as well as being interrelated. It therefore becomes vital that the health policies of the youths diversify in this sector. The environment to be provided by the parents can be natured by the health professionals, in the case whereby these parents should be responsible for the youth health. More impotent is the issue of these youths participation in all the health provision stages with an inclusion of design, assessment of the needs and evaluation in the bind to ensure appropriate, efficient and effective health responses. Promoting the young peoples good health will depend on provision of information that is appropriate, facilitation of the life skills development which will enable the youths to be able to face the heath issues that could affect their lives in a manner that is mature through exercising the appropriate judgment, maintaining a self esteem that is healthy, emotions and feelings management and ability to face the pressure that they may encounter.
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