The Prevention of Health Issues: Epidemiology - Essay Example

In the primary level of prevention, the major concern is to reduce the occurrence of new cases. During this stage, it is critical to put in place measures that promote the desired practice and ensure that the chances of risk are reduced. To achieve this, education programs and public sensitization programs should be implemented specifically targeting the people who may be at risk.

The second level of prevention known as the secondary level is focused on early interventions on a health concern and treating the issue conclusively. It should be noted that the impact of health grows in gravity as it develops. Therefore, early identification and treatment help to avert serious health implications. To implement a secondary level of prevention, mass screening should be conducted to ensure that those who have affected get treatment at the earliest opportunity (Peterson, 2009).

The last level of prevention is known as the tertiary level. Tertiary level of prevention is undertaken during the advanced stages of an epidemic. This prevention is done to ensure that the impact of the health concern is minimized and that the affected persons’ health is not damaged. The measures that are taken during this stage of prevention include rehabilitation and other post disease mitigation measures. The key factor in tertiary prevention is to ensure that those who are affected get the appropriate care to enable them to manage.

In the chosen aggregate of homeless teens in Dallas Texas, the primary level of intervention will entail public education. Specifically, the vulnerable youths will be educated on the importance o self-reliance and other aspects that can help them to sustain themselves. Also, teens can be sensitized about the opportunities available to make their lives better.

For the secondary level of prevention, it will be important to handle the teens that have just become homeless. The main aim of the prevention is to analyze the reasons why the teens became homeless. This will involve obtaining thorough educational and family background information. After evaluating the specific cases, corrective measures such as job placement can be taken to save the teens from homelessness.

Finally, the tertiary level of prevention will be mainly targeted to the teens that have been homeless for a long period. Efforts can be taken to rehabilitate these teens by offering them education opportunities as well as a source of income. Also, counseling can help to assist in the emotional well being of homeless teens.

The most appropriate theoretical model to provide answers to the questions posed in the research is the Health Belief Model (HBM) (Bartholomew, 2011). This model focuses on the beliefs and attitudes of individuals in regards to health issues. In this case, the model can be utilized in analyzing the importance of self reliance for homeless teens in Dallas, Texas. By being homeless, the teens become susceptible to a difficult and unfulfilling life. On the other hand, embracing self-reliance has the benefit of enabling teens to achieve their dreams and prosper. Therefore, the teens can be motivated to work towards self reliance by the use of messages such as “Live your dreams!”