1. Read Schoon, Porta, & Schaffer (2019) Chapter 8 2. Identify an interdisciplinary team [or collaborative meeting] in your community that addresses a public health need in your community (i.e. smoking, alcohol, obesity, wellness, homeless, domestic violence, youth/senior issue, etc.). Please note that this interdisciplinary/collaborative meeting should NOT be a patient specific (case management, discharge planning, etc.) meeting in a
clinical setting.
Introduction
Interdisciplinary collaboration is a fundamental approach to addressing public health needs in communities. By bringing together professionals from various disciplines, interdisciplinary teams can efficiently and effectively address complex health issues. This paper aims to identify an interdisciplinary team in the community that addresses a public health need, focusing on the issue of obesity. Furthermore, it discusses the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling public health challenges.
Obesity as a Public Health Issue
Obesity is a critical public health concern that has reached epidemic proportions in many countries, including the United States. It is a multifaceted problem influenced by various factors, such as genetics, environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and socioeconomic status. Obesity has significant implications for individuals’ physical and mental health, leading to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancer (Conolly et al., 2018). Addressing obesity requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses interventions at various levels, including individual behavior change, environmental modifications, and policy development (Haidar et al., 2019).
Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Addressing Obesity
Given the complexity of obesity as a public health issue, effective interventions require collaboration among professionals from diverse fields. Interdisciplinary collaboration brings together individuals with diverse expertise, perspectives, and skills to tackle common goals collaboratively. It involves shared decision-making, information sharing, and coordination among team members (Bennett et al., 2017). Interdisciplinary teams can promote innovative solutions through the integration of knowledge from different fields, ultimately leading to more comprehensive and effective interventions (Bowers et al., 2016).
Identifying an Interdisciplinary Team in the Community
In my community, the interdisciplinary team that addresses the public health issue of obesity is called the Community Obesity Task Force (COTF). The COTF is a collaborative meeting that includes professionals from various sectors, including healthcare, public health, education, nutrition, urban planning, and community organizations. The team’s primary objective is to develop and implement strategies to prevent and control obesity in the community.
The COTF meets monthly to discuss and coordinate efforts related to obesity prevention and management. The team members bring their expertise and perspectives to identify and prioritize interventions that address the various factors contributing to obesity in the community. During the collaborative meetings, the COTF engages in problem-solving, data sharing, and joint planning to develop evidence-based interventions and programs that target individuals, families, schools, workplaces, and the overall community.
The COTF employs a comprehensive approach that encompasses several strategies. These strategies include promoting physical activity, encouraging healthy eating behaviors, improving access to affordable healthy food options, creating supportive environments for active living, advocating for policy changes, and fostering community engagement and empowerment. Moreover, the COTF also conducts research and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the implemented interventions and inform future actions.
The Significance of the COTF and Interdisciplinary Collaboration
The Community Obesity Task Force plays a vital role in addressing obesity in the community. The interdisciplinary nature of the team allows for a holistic understanding of obesity and encourages a comprehensive approach to its management. The collaboration among various professionals ensures that interventions target different levels of influence, such as individual behaviors, social determinants, and environmental factors. This multifaceted approach is crucial because obesity is a complex issue influenced by multiple factors that require a range of interventions to address effectively.
Interdisciplinary collaboration also enables the exchange of knowledge and expertise among professionals. By pooling together diverse perspectives, interdisciplinary teams can generate innovative solutions to public health challenges. For example, public health professionals can provide data on the prevalence and trends of obesity, educators can contribute insights into the development of school-based interventions, and urban planners can suggest modifications to the built environment to promote physical activity. This integration of knowledge ensures that interventions are evidence-based and tailored to the unique needs of the community.