The Scourge of Alcohol Consumption among Teenagers

You are a health practitioner in a rural area of Somaliland. The town is a transit point for large trucks carrying liquor that stopover to drop some quantities for the entire town. There has been an increased drop in high school performance due to hangovers and absenteeism among teenagers. The Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) in the rural area receives an average of 30 school and non-school teenagers accompanied by their guardians for complaints such as insomnia, extreme mood swings, nervousness, anxiety, difficulty in concentration, and depression any time they want to drink but do not have the money.

Most teenagers learn to drink at home from the remnants of alcohol their parents/guardians take. Gradually, these teens resort to drinking alcohol on their own. An average teenager takes 1-2 cans on two different days per week. For some teens, there is always a tendency to increase the amount consumed and somewhat an irresistible craving for alcohol. Apart from this being a social drink in Somaliland, teens have found that it makes them temporarily forget bad experiences, causes euphoria if they are depressed, and stabilizes their mood. Some of them tried to quit without success due to withdrawal symptoms and negative experiences on some bad days.

The failure in school performance is alarming, and Somaliland realized its youth and future are in grave danger.

Apart from Disulfiram and Acamprosate, there are no other treatment/management options for alcoholism in Somaliland. 

The Somaliland District Health Authority has set aside funds and approached you as a renowned public health practitioner to assist with high-impact interventions to manage alcohol addicts that could be adapted to the entire district. Come up with different interventions apart from using medications to help manage teenagers who are willing to quit drinking but cannot do so on their own.

The Superstition Fueling Cannabis Smoking

Consequent to this superstition, the prevalence of smoking Cannabis is very high among all school-age citizens, mostly from high school to colleges and universities. Most hospital visitations record complaints such as persistent cough, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. However, Timbuktu's healthcare workers never considered the linkage between smoking Cannabis and these symptoms. 

The most widely “assumed” dosage regimen for smoking Cannabis in Timbuktu is smoking a wrap very early in the morning before going to school and later in the evening when the energy is low to spark further alertness. Other people smoke at different times during the day “as the need arises.” Most teenagers, youths, and even the elderly (males and females alike) have been plagued with smoking Cannabis.

The healthcare workers in Timbuktu always tend only to ascribe lung diseases, hyperactivity, stained teeth, recurrent and often severe vomiting, and addiction as consequences of smoking. However, a recent survey revealed a high risk of psychiatric disorders, problems with memory function, damage to the lungs, cardiovascular and heart damage, and a decrease in testosterone. The latter findings are worse and have long-term effects on the individual and the community.

A non-governmental organization that recently won a huge grant has engaged you in the project to reduce Cannabis smoking in the Timbuktu community. As a project director, what strategies will you employ to make the community differentiate superstition and science, encourage smoking cessation, and reduce the rate of smoking Cannabis by more than 50% in the long term?

Step 2: Select

Based on the case scenario you have selected in Step 1, review the list provided below, and select at least (4) characteristics to carry out a community needs health assessment:

• Age (e.g., children and youth, adults, seniors)
• Race and ethnicity
• Income level
• Education level
• Insurance status
• Language preference
• Disability status
• Veteran status
• Sexual orientation
• Gender

Based on the characteristics you have selected above, prepare a 350-400 word writing which explores each identified characteristic. Ensure that the following are included in your response: 

• Determine which data are qualitative and quantitative
• A justification for your selected categorization  
• Why is this data relevant for your selected population and problem?
• What other kinds of data would be useful to improve your needs assessment?
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using quantitative and qualitative data in community health needs assessments
• How do you plan on collecting data to conduct the needs assessment?
• The sources of data available to you to use
• The relevant authorities which you would request to collect data

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