IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING WORD LIMIT REQUIREMENTS:

Please note that each and every assignment has its own word limit.

The three policies that I have chosen from the American Public Health Association (APHA) website are as follows. The first is increasing access and reducing barriers to children’s vision care services. This policy dates back to October 24 of 2020 (American Public Health Association, 2020). I think this policy is important because not only is it an important component in a child’s education, but it also has to do with their social, communication, and extracurricular activities and success (American Public Health Association, 2020). One weakness of this policy is that it is hard to get the children what they need in a timely diagnosis and treatment but also having comprehensive and high-quality care (American Public Health Association, 2020). In order to improve this, there needs to be some kind of system in place where children at a certain age or at a certain time during school get checked for their vision in order to catch these things right away. Another challenge is the injuries that children can go through after they have had some kind of ice surgery or even before they have any surgery. It is hard to be able to fix this in a child solely for the fact that children are constantly moving and are always doing some kind of high-risk activity which makes it hard for them to be able to dodge a tennis ball, for example, or dodger baseball. Some strengths that they are trying to work on is that they would like the DHHS to engage in public and private stakeholders in order for there to be public awareness campaigns in order to educate the public about how important a child’s vision is (American Public Health Association, 2020). Another strength is state legislators trying to mandate that all children wear sports protective eyewear that meets the standards of the STM international and are trying to educate parents and health professionals about how important a child’s vision care is (American Public Health Association, 2020).  

The next policy I was interested in was the importance of universal healthcare in improving our nation’s response to pandemics and health disparities. I think I found an interest in this one just because it does have to do with the COVID-19 pandemic, and I think any information we can find on this virus is good. In 2020 we did not have an adequate cover when it came to healthcare systems in the United States for this type of vulnerable group, and there was a lack of flexibility to respond to periods of economic and health downturn’s (The importance of universal healthcare in improving the response of our nation to pandemics and health disparities, 2020). One of the weaknesses of this policy is that universal healthcare is more expensive and seems to continue to increase when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid, for example. Another weakness is that spending on healthcare programs like the ones talked about above represents the gross domestic product and is showing that it will continue to increase (The importance of universal healthcare in improving our nation’s response to pandemics and health disparities, 2020). One way to fix these problems is that universal healthcare will lead to rotating medical services and increased weight times, but overall we would have universal healthcare, which is what everyone wants. There is an idea from the New York state legislator that could be used in order to solve this problem. Having universal single-payer coverage could be beneficial for things like this. Some strengths in this policy or that we are trying to move forward from this pandemic. Another strength is that there are a lot of other policies that were already in place that have a good relationship with this new policy.  

The last policy I was looking at is the regulation, implementation, and enforcement of policies regarding E-cigarettes used across the lifespan. I personally think I chose this one because many people I know have been using E-cigarettes for years, and as much as they say they aren’t addicted to them, I can tell that they have to go everywhere with their little pods and cigarettes. Many of the people I know and many of my friends have been using E-cigarettes since we were in high school. I graduated high school almost ten years ago, and I find it incredible how addicted these people are after all these years. One weakness is that there are very few regulatory actions that the state and federal levels can do regarding cigarettes (Regulation, implementation, and enforcement of policies regarding e-cigarette use across the lifespan, 2020). One way to help move this forward is showing all of the evidence on E-cigarettes that contribute to nicotine product initiation as well as other research that has been done. Are these policies have some strengths to them. A few are that they not only protect children and the youth as well as the adults, but they also can enforce and enhance your cigarettes to a minimum legal sales H laws like alcohol. I think if they increase the age limit, it would be beneficial. I only say this because I see how people are with alcohol, and yes, even though there are people that drink under the age that is required, you don’t see a dramatic effect as you do with E-cigarettes as much.   

References 

American Public Health Association. (2020). Increasing access and reducing barriers to children’s Vision Care Services. AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION. Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/Policies-and-Advocacy/Public-Health-Policy-Statements/Policy-Database/2021/01/12/Increasing-Access-and-Reducing-Barriers-to-Child-Vision-Care-Services. 

Regulation, implementation, and enforcement of policies regarding e-cigarette use across the life span. AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/Policies-and-Advocacy/Public-Health-Policy-Statements/Policy-Database/2021/01/12/E-Cigarette-Use-Across-the-Life-Span. 

The importance of universal health care in improving our nation’s response to pandemics and Health Disparities. AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/Policies-and-Advocacy/Public-Health-Policy-Statements/Policy-Database/2021/01/14/The-Importance-of-Universal-Health-Care-in-Improving-Response-to-Pandemics-and-Health-Disparities.