COPD Evidence-Based Health Promotion and Teaching Opportunities

In this assessment, an evaluation of a 75-year-old non-family member with symptoms of COPD and asthma was done. A comprehensive home and safety checklist are documented to evaluate the social, financial, psychological, physical, daily activities, and safety measures in the home of the patient. The conclusions drawn from the assessment are documented below. From the results of the evaluation, evidence-based health promotion and teaching plans are proposed.

Conclusions Derived from the Checklist 

Social Support 

Social support and interactions with friends and family is an essential aspect of an individual’s life. These aspects are apparently absent in the 75-yer-old patient in the interview. Although his family pays him a visit occasionally, he is largely sidelined from them. The patient does not receive emotional or social support from friends and relatives. Social exclusion strains on a person's physical and mental well-being, which can also lower their immunity. COPD and asthma are critical conditions that require close monitoring of the patient to effectively ameliorate symptoms of exacerbations.

Financial Status Analysis 

From the patient's financial data item in the checklist, the patient was unable to manage his condition during the early stages due to a lack of health insurance. The patient is also aged and does not have a source of income that would otherwise provide medical cover or the means to pay medical insurance.

Psychological Health Data 

Data from the psychological health item on the checklist reveals that the patient is often stressed because they have no social support. The patient is also depressed because of old age feels hopeless for the future. In the physical activity item, the patient likely developed COPD due to poor exercising habits, a history of smoking, and poor dieting. Consuming fast foods and foods rich in sugar affects the body's immunity to wade of illnesses.

Activities of Daily Living 

The patient’s ADLs are greatly impaired. He has difficulty doing basic activities such as walking or lifting objects at home. The patient stated he rarely goes for walks, which would have been useful in keeping him fit. This presents a health challenge as he has to live a sedentary life, thus exacerbating his condition. Without proper sleep, the patient's body would be unable to prevent illnesses.

Home Safety 

` The patient's house was well ventilated, which means he was at low risk of contracting respiratory infections spread through droplets. However, the patient's home lacked proper heating, and during the cold season, the patient risked developing other respiratory illnesses. The many stairs in the patient's house provide a health risk as the patient may have breathing difficulties after all the effort in climbing stairs. There is also the risk of fire given that the patient’s home lacks a fire extinguisher. However, the shower and staircases are fitted with handles and slip rugs to reduce cases of falls.

Evidence-Based Health Promotion and Teaching Opportunities 

Physical Examinations and Health Assessment 

From the case of the 75-year old patient, the risk of COPD and asthma could have been avoided by regular physical examinations and health assessment. Physical assessment include conducting tests to determine ailments or risk factors in people that can be prevented with early treatment. Health assessment involves taking one's health history to detect diseases in both people who may seem healthy and those who may seem unwell (Jarvis, 2019). The exams include auscultation and use of respiratory instruments such as a stethoscope.

Teaching Evidence-Based Practices 

A case such as that of our patients can be avoided through effective EBP practices. Teaching strategies for EBP involve using patient examples and clinical scenarios. Using practical evidence is a way of feeding ideas instead of having a definitive course they should follow. Obtaining a critical mass of people trained using EBP is vital for initiating sustainable change (Lehane et al., 2019). EBP shows with clinical evidence preventive procedures.

Evidence-Based Curriculum Considerations 

The case of the 75-year old can be used to develop EBP curricula on the social, psychological, and physical impacts associated with COPD and asthma. Educators on respiratory health should draw evidence-based components from research and their experiences handling patients with COPD and include them in teaching, assessments, and examinations. The evidence and findings research should be harmonized with clinical and patient experiences to ensure that the curriculum is focused on achieving optimum patient outcomes (Lehane et al., 2019). COPD guidelines on health restoration and promotion varies and therefore, it is important to structure the curriculum based on available evidence. Understanding the possible causes such as smoking and sedentary lifestyle makes it easy to integrate preventive measures into the curriculum.

Workshop Outreach Programs 

The patient in this assessment would not have been in poor health if there were effective workshop outreach programs around his area. Seminars and workshops provide EBP teaching opportunities for rural areas that may have limited access to information. Community health workers can be found in workshops to provide health education to target populations. Health education provided in the seminars is critical to addressing the barriers to care. A health educator at the workshop will deliver training to individuals, families, and communities. A workshop provides outreach opportunities to children. Parents are educated on how to maintain hygiene, seeking medical aid, or dental care for their children.

Stakeholder Engagement in EBP Education 

In the case of our patient, change can be initiated by authorities and policymakers as the aged may not be in a position to help their health situations. The engagement of national policy makers and healthcare professionals can determine the integration of EBP in education and clinical care settings. A cohesive, coherent policy on teaching EBP is needed from officials and authorities to aid in disseminating and implementing evidence in a more structured way. EBP should be embedded in care in the form of audits, practice improvements, and systematic reviews (Lehane et al., 2019). Engaging patients with evidence can aid in decision-making about treatment plans and healthcare-patient interactions.

Conclusion 

Information is crucial to health promotion and disease prevention. EBP information helps populations self-treat and delineate information about preventive measures of diseases. Evidence-based practices aid in effecting better treatment and even people's acceptance of treatment.

References

Jarvis, C. (2019). Physical Examination and Health Assessment E-Book . Elsevier Health Sciences.

Lehane, E., Leahy-Warren, P., O'Riordan, C., Savage, E., Drennan, J., O'Tuathaigh, C., & Lynch, H. (2019). Evidence-based practice education for healthcare professions: an expert view. BMJ evidence-based medicine , 24(3), 103-108.

Appendix: Comprehensive Health and Safety Checklist 

No .	Question	Yes	No
Social Support Data
1.	Do you feel supported by others around you?	
2.	Do your son’s, daughter’s or grandchildren visit regularly?		
3.	Do you receive financial, emotional, and social support from your family and friends?	
Financial and Demographic Data
1.	Do you have a source of income?		
2.	Do you have health insurance?		
3.	Does your healthcare provider provide alternative options for making payments	
Psychological Health Data
1.	Have you felt depressed and hopeless in the last one month?	
2.	Do feelings of anxiety or discomfort around others bother you?	
3.	Have you experienced mood swings recently?	
Physical Health Data
1.	Have you had a balanced diet in the past few weeks?		
2.	Do you go for walks or jogging?		
3.	Have you slept well in the past few weeks?		
Activities of Daily Living Data
1.	Do you exercise regularly?		
2.	Do you often smoke?	
3.	Do you have difficulty walking or lifting objects at home?	
Safety Data
1.	Is your house well-ventilated?	
2.	Does your house have heating for when it gets cold?		
3.	Does your house has a lot of stairs?	
4.	Are there fire extinguishers in your home?		
5	Are there slip rugs or handles in your shower?	