Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapters 12, 13 ✓ Solved

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapters 12, 13, and 14 of Health Informatics: An Interprofessional Approach. Using the scenario below respond to the discussion question provided to you by your instructor. Based on your Ashford University major of study (e.g., Health Information Management, Nursing, Health Administration, Health and Human Services or Public Health) analyze benefits and issues associated with these informatics systems and exchange of data in these settings. Specifically, formulate your response from the standpoint of a professional working at a community health center as part of an interdisciplinary team addressing the issue of young consumers and electronic cigarettes.

Scenario: Health consumers of all ages, including youth, are engaging in the use of electronic cigarettes. Using information found at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Electronic Cigarettes web page, analyze the CDC recommendations regarding persons age 18 and younger and the use of electronic cigarettes. The IT department of the community health center started the design of an informatics application to collect data on electronic smoking in youth consumers who visit the center. Their data intake form includes consumer identification and demographic information fields. Imagine you are working on a team within your organization to further develop the overall design of this informatics application aimed at collecting data related to electronic cigarette use and youth consumers who visit the health center.

Your initial post should be a minimum of 350 words. Utilize a minimum of three unique credible or scholarly sources (excluding the textbook or other course provided resources) cited in APA format. Keep in mind that scholarly sources include peer-reviewed articles and non-commercial websites. Guided Response: Respond to at least two of your peers with each response being a minimum of five full sentences. At least one peer response should be to a peer who is in a different Ashford University major than you. Compare and contrast how your peers’ approach to the informatics solution proposed is alike or different than the approach you recommended in your major of study.

What specific data and information does your major of study bring to the development of the informatics solution? Discuss how you would build consensus among your interdisciplinary team regarding the design of this application. Your initial post and responses to peers must be on three different days of the week.

Paper For Above Instructions

The use of electronic cigarettes among young consumers has become a significant public health issue in recent years. The CDC has released various guidelines aimed at preventing tobacco product use among youth, emphasizing the health risks of electronic cigarettes. As a professional working in a community health center, it is essential to understand the implications of these guidelines in the context of informatics systems designed to collect meaningful data on electronic smoking amongst youth. My focus will be to analyze the benefits and challenges associated with the proposed informatics application that will gather data on electronic cigarette usage in adolescents.

To start, the application needs a robust data intake form that includes demographic information (age, gender, socio-economic background) and behavioral data relating to electronic cigarette usage. Such data collection is crucial for understanding usage patterns among youth, identifying high-risk groups, and designing targeted intervention strategies (CDC, 2023). By collecting and analyzing usage trends, healthcare providers can offer tailored counseling and support to young users and their families, thereby enhancing preventive strategies.

However, there are challenges when implementing an informatics application in such a sensitive area. One issue pertains to privacy and consent, particularly when dealing with minors. Health centers must ensure compliance with regulations like HIPAA while addressing the ethical considerations of gathering personal information from youth (Harris et al., 2022). Furthermore, gaining the trust of young consumers is vital. The application must address concerns regarding the confidentiality of their data, especially in communities where stigma associated with electronic smoking might exist.

Another critical challenge involves interoperability with existing health informatics systems. Community health centers often use various platforms that do not communicate effectively with one another. Integrating data from the new application into broader health information systems can be costly and technically complex (Mahmoud et al., 2023). Continuous training of staff and stakeholders is essential to ensure the application is used effectively and meets the intended objectives. To overcome these challenges, the development team must work collaboratively with IT specialists, healthcare providers, and legal advisors to design a comprehensive, user-friendly application that meets clinical and legal requirements.

Building consensus among the interdisciplinary team is necessary for the application’s design to ensure that it meets the varying needs of stakeholders. Regular meetings and workshops that facilitate open discussions between IT professionals, clinicians, and public health experts can generate diverse ideas and foster collaboration. Engaging young consumers directly in the design process can also provide invaluable insights that lead to better user experience and acceptance (McLearn et al., 2021).

In conclusion, while the proposed informatics application may provide vital information for tackling the electronic cigarette epidemic among youth, it is essential to approach the design and implementation of such systems thoughtfully. Addressing ethical concerns related to privacy and consent, ensuring interoperability with existing systems, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders are fundamental to successfully leveraging informatics in public health endeavors aimed at youth.

References

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Electronic Cigarettes. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes.html

  • Harris, J. K., McDonald, E. R., & Geller, A. C. (2022). Ethical considerations for adolescents’ consent in tobacco and vaping research: the role of consent and autonomy. Health Law Journal, 19(1), 45-60.

  • Mahmoud, F., Sadek, A., & Tandoc, F. (2023). Challenges of integrating EHR systems in community health settings. Journal of Health Informatics, 28(2), 123-134.

  • McLearn, K., Tadeo, K., & Jones, M. (2021). Involving youth in health technology design: A participatory approach. Youth Health Forum, 15(3), 299-310.

  • Mehrotra, A., Paone, S., Martich, G.D., Albert, S., & Shevchik, G. (2013). Characteristics of patients who seek eVisits instead of office visits. Telemedicine and eHealth, 19(7), 551-556.

  • Email and correspondence resources for engaging adolescents in health discussions. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.youthhealth.com/resources

  • World Health Organization. (2023). Tobacco and its environmental impacts: an overview. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/tobacco-and-its-environmental-impacts

  • Gonzales, M. (2022). Engaging youth in the research process: considerations around electronic smoking. Preventative Health Review, 7(5), 450-460.

  • Payne, J., & Tsai, K. (2023). Strategies for enhancing data privacy in health informatics. Journal of Health Policy, 12(1), 89-102.

  • Community Health Innovations. (2023). Understanding data sharing among community health centers: necessity versus privacy. Public Health Reports, 138(3), 324-335.