The use of prescriptions drugs for non medical purposes has

become an increasingly popular trend in young adults and

adolescents. Engaging in sexual activity while under the
influence of these drugs has shown to increase unprotected
sexual activity and encourage risky behaviors and actions.
Children often neglect and ignore the consequences of todays
actions, and dont realize the severity of them till later in life.
Bringing awareness and education and guidance can help
reduce these statistics and encourage children to make better
health decisions for today and for their future. These articles
take a look at the current health problems and focuses in
adolescents and young adults.

Article 1: Office of Disease Prevention and Health

Promotion
Healthy People Adolescent health

This article focuses on the risk behaviors of young adults and

adolescents and the relationship between those behaviors and the well
being of young adults. Adolescents are categorized as young children
and teens ranging in ages 10-19. Young adults are ranging in ages of
20-25/26. These age categories help researchers identify and
understand how the behaviors and actions/activities while in
adolescence will impact later quality of life and overall health. The
article is separated in categories that break down the purpose and
focus of the article. The article provides a goal, and overview and
objectives, the importance of adolescent health and behavior, and a
focus on understanding adolescent health needs and demands as well
as the impacting surrounding factors such as family and friends, peers,
school, neighborhood influences, and media exposure. The focus of
the article is to identify goals for adolescents and developing young
adults, by increasing awareness and understanding the role and impact
of diversity in communities, and how health promotion programs can
be build to specifically meet the needs of culturally diverse populations
in adolescents. The leading health risk behaviors that are increasingly
putting adolescents at future health risk are substance abuse,
smoking, unprotected sexual activity, motor/vehicle crashes and
accidents due to intoxication or impaired driving abilities. Many of
these behaviors lead to STDs, heart problems, unplanned pregnancy,
increased medical bills and anxiety, financial burdens, and even
homelessness. Many of these actions is financially irresponsible and
can potentially significantly impact ones personal quality of life and
overall health. Many adolescents do not realize the consequences of
their actions initially, but are putting themselves at great risk for health
problems and complications in early adult life and development. Most,
if not all of these health risks can be preventable and avoided.
Understanding the financial burden, lack of discipline and guidance in
health and decision making field, and result of poor and risky behavior
in adolescents will help health professionals build and mold a health
promotion program that will adhere to the needs and conclusions
within the targeted community/population.
Two main focus areas of the article referred back to ethnic
diversity as well as increasing positive and reinforcing youth
development interventions for adolescents. This can be supported and
attained through developing relationships with trustworthy individuals,
providing the target population/group with good opportunities for
volunteer, and experiences, increasing support and encouragement to
partake in physical activities and recreational activities, and improving
opportunities to help build them into successful and
growing/developing, productive members of society. The framework for
this target group is effective in the sense that it recognizes the
diversity changes and continuous alterations in demographics.

Understanding the culture and demographics population will help

understand the needs and potential solutions and programs that will be
most effective. This is a great example for me to apply to my own
health program because of the diversity and the demographic status. I
can apply the framework model and approach to my own health
promotion program because of he way that it can be applied to many
cultures and assessments are based on the demographics status and
changes.
Well designed and relevant target focus topics can help increase
awareness and participation from adolescents, helping to guide and
build them to have more self worth, confidence, and the knowledge
and power to improve their present and future quality of life.
With continuous assessments and evaluations of target populations
and groups, relevant and effective interventions and programs can be
implemented and supported through local, state, and community
levels by various groups and support systems.
Article 2: Nonmedical use of Prescription Drugs and Sexual
Risk Behaviors
The article focused on the connection and relationship between
substance use and abuse in high school students, and the health risks,
diseases that sprout from those behaviors and actions that are
committed in younger ages. It also focused on the relationship and
correlation between the use of nonmedical use of prescription drugs
and sexual behaviors and actions following its use/abuse. Both past
and current sexual activity was assessed in high school students to
understand the reasoning and consequences of this behavior in high
school students. Data was collected from 2011 through 2013
assessments and findings from high school students during that time.
The analysis and research identified aspects and factors such as past
and current sexual activity, number of lifetime sexual partners, the use
or abuse of substances (drugs, nonmedical use of prescriptions drugs,
and alcohol), as well as the use of condoms during sexual activity. The
assessments used the logistics regression model that includes
consideration for sex, race, ethnicity, and overall demographics and
substance abuse. The non medical use prior and during sexual activity
and intercourse as well as the use/non-use of condoms was also
included in the assessment and evaluation, findings and conclusions
The results showed a strong correlation between high school
students who didnt use a condom and also engaged in substance
abuse of nonmedical use of prescriptions drugs prior to or during
sexual activity. These results also showed how decisions like these in
adolescent year will ultimately impact them in their young adults years

and as they develop and grow. Solutions included the focus of

interventions within schools to help bring awareness to the potential
health risks and to essentially diminish and reduce the use and abuse
of substances and prescription drugs as well as unprotected and
impaired sexual activities. The program solutions and interventions
were built around the activity within the target population. A focus of
who engaged in what helped produce a health promotion program that
could benefit the target population.
These articles were relevant to my health promotion program in a
sense that they both focus on demographics and diversity within target
populations and how they relate and correlate to leading health risk
behaviors and factors. The focus of my health promotion program is to
identify and address what behaviors in what demographics
communities are resulting id heart disease, STDs, accidents related to
drug use, Mental and physical ailments and disease related to early
childhood and young adult choices and decisions.
PT. 2 Theory driven program activities
For my personal health promotion programs, the main goals of the
program are:
1) Reduce mortality and morbidity rates in young adults by
increasing educating to adolescents and high schools students
today about nutrition and physical activity.
2) Holistically address and improve the quality of life for high school
students, children, and young adults by promoting positive and
proactive activities within schools, the workplace, and in local
communities.
These goals include input and corporation from teachers, educators,
students, parents, and other community groups and stakeholders. This
will increase the involvement and overall sense of progression and
community within the target population, and ensuring that participants
and individuals feel like they are worth it and valuable to the final goals
and outcomes, will potentially and most likely increase participation
and overall positive changes for both the individual and community.
By evaluating strengths and weaknesses of the community,
appropriate programs and activities can be implemented to increase
community health status, decrease health risks and risky behaviors,
and create an overall sense of worth , progression, and health within
the target population. The scope and intended outcomes of my health
program focus on providing specific, relevant, attainable, affordable,
and well rounded activities and opportunities for students, parents, and

educators to increase their participation awareness of health and

wellness issues within themselves and activities in their communities.
The major health focuses/concerns of the health program are:
Obesity/diabetes
STDs
Alcohol/substance abuse
Accidents related to poor decisions
Most of these issues are occurring in individuals ranging from ages 1625. It came to my attention that this age group should not be
experiencing such unfortunate circumstances at such a young age. A
majority of the health concerns and factors that are prevalent in this
community can essentially be prevented and avoided by making better
health and lifestyle choices. Most, if not all, of the deaths and
obesity/disease statistics are all self inflicted, by participating in
unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and activities.
A primary focus of my health program is to bring and increase
awareness and education by providing community activities and
increasing community value and wellness through reaching and
educating students, parents, and teachers. The more education and
support that can be provided to these groups, the more support and
guidance can be provided to better help students and adolescents
make healthier life choices and decisions. Increasing positive youth
intervention programs can reduce the risk of future health problems
and complications as well as overall mortality and morbidity rates in
todays generation.
Program activities:
Create community wide campaigns to deliver messages
through media sources, newsletters, brochures, counseling
seminars, risk factor screenings, and community and local
support groups to target primary target population as well
as sub groups
Community and local activities such as walks, runs, bikes
rides, fairs, and local events to allow groups, students, and
educators to host and provide hands on activities and
workshops, nutritional and physical activity promotion and
education, as well as provide fun , effective, and positive
health challenges for students and the overall target
population.
Coordinate school health program challenges and activities
within schools to motivate and encourage students to
increase their understanding and awareness for their own
personal health and wellness as well as the health and

wellness for their community. These activities, challenges,

and projects can be used as leverage to enhance and
improve their school grades, as well as provide an
opportunity of personal growth and potential increased
health and wellness in all aspects of their lives.
Provide activities and education opportunities for
educators, parents, and committee members to increase
professional and personal skills, education and overall
knowledge and wisdom , in hopes to provide students and
teachers with more available resources, tools, and
information for better education, awareness and
involvement.

Montgomery County is a very diverse and demographically

changing area in Maryland with continuous changes and differences in
the varying cultures that are in the county. White, black, Asian, and
Hispanic cultures make up the majority of the population . with such a
culturally diverse location and area, health promotion activities and
objectives should meet and adhere to these statistics and cultures.
Incorporating sub groups, such as teachers, stakeholders, and parents
should also be noticed and accounted for in the health promotion
program. By coordinating appropriate and relevant events and
activities that are affordable and accessible, relationships, activities,
and opportunities for better health and wellness can be attained and
reached. Understanding the schedules of these individuals in sub
groups and providing well timed activities and meetings can help
increase cooperation and involvement,, and an overall enhanced skill
set, essentially leading to better education and encouragement to
students and adolescents in the community. Committees, team
leaders, educators, an parents can have the opportunity to increase
their own knowledge and education, increase their self worth and
understanding, become in better shape to provide better structure and
guidance for the target population (students and adolescents). This can
also potentially increase community involvement and togetherness,
resulting in better growth and development opportunities to help reach
the main goals of the health promotion program .

Sources:
http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/policies/1-11gao.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/hwi/programdesign/
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr4811a1.ht
m
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives/topic/educational-and-community-basedprograms
https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/pages/viewpage.action?
pageId=65863940
http://www.prevent.org/data/files/initiatives/investinginheal
th.pdf
http://www.prevent.org/Initiatives/Action-Guides.aspx
http://montgomeryplanning.org/gis/interactive/census_mc.s
htm
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/20520591