Despite increased abilities across developmental realms, including the maturation of pain systems involving self-regulation and the coordination of affect and cognition, the transition to young adulthood is accompanied by higher rates of mortality, greater engagement in health-damaging behaviors, and an increase in chronic conditions.  Rates of motor vehicle fatality and homicide peak during young adulthood, as do mental health problems, substance abuse, unintentional pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.  

Describe how the advanced practice nurse can play a role in improving the health of young adults through preventive screening and intervention. 

I just attached two discussions to make a reply to each one. Each reply should include 200 words and a minimum of two references in APA 7 format within the last 5 years.

Plagiarism must be less than 10 % 

Peer 1: Denise

There needs to be more care and provision of health care during the transition from childhood to adulthood. There are several reasons for this to occur; among them are discontinuities in care, differences between health systems for children/adolescents and adults, problems in breaking the link with pediatric doctors, lack of communication between pediatric doctors and adults within the care system, loss of health insurance, previously linked to parents, feeling well-being and difficulty in identifying a health problem.

During young adulthood, there is an opportunity to act in prevention. Many serious illnesses and disorders can be prevented or better managed if young adults are encouraged to prevent illness and promote well-being. Tracking warning signs for diseases in adulthood, such as high cholesterol with a risk of coronary artery disease in the future, can reduce the risk of a severe event through early changes in habits. However, there is a gap in the age group of young adults who should receive preventive education on smoking, healthy eating, and mental health and need to receive it adequately and broadly. One of the causes is the relationship between poor health and well-being, and unemployment is explained by social selection to unemployment. (Hult et al., 2023)

Also, the health system use rate among young adults is lower than in other age groups. During this period, young people use emergency services more than prevention and health promotion services. What do not mean that this population does not need health services but finds it difficult to fit into the process. They are too old to go to the pediatrician but too young to see a general practitioner or cardiologist. In general, young women receive more care when seeking the gynecology service during this period than young men. Women consult seeking pregnancy prevention, and the health professional addresses other aspects, such as the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Public policies should focus on developing care centers aimed at young people, with educational and sports activities focused on preventing diseases in adult life and on counseling for the prevention of STDs, teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse, depression, and mental disorders of sleep. (Guilamo-Ramos et al., 2021)

Expanding access to health services is an essential part of reducing health disparities. Offering affordable health insurance to young people is part of the solution, but economic, social, cultural, and geographic barriers must be considered. The creation of new strategies to increase adherence to health care in the young population should be considered by health managers. More research will be needed to understand barriers to health care, which will facilitate public health efforts to address access to health services as a social determinant of health.

Peer 2, Germina:

When it comes to making a meaningful impact on the well-being of young people as a whole, the advanced practice nurse is in a position that is unparalleled to any other. With the provision of comprehensive preventative screening and interventions, the advanced practice nurse has the ability to make a positive contribution to the mitigation of the possible unfavorable health impacts that are associated with entering young adulthood.

In an all-encompassing kind of preventative screening for young people, screenings for issues pertaining to both mental and physical health, as well as substance abuse, should all be included. Not only should screenings for physical health assess for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, but they should also evaluate for lifestyle choices such as smoking, having a poor diet, and not being physically active. Evaluations of the patient’s level of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation should be included in screenings for mental health. Because substance abuse is linked to a wide variety of risks to a person’s bodily as well as mental health, it is important to conduct tests to determine whether or not a person is addicted to drugs.
The advanced practice nurse will be able to take preventative actions to minimize the health risks associated with young adulthood after conducting extensive examinations. Some examples of possible interventions include the dissemination of information and the provision of aid in matters concerning the treatment of chronic illnesses, the adoption of healthier lifestyles, the maintenance of mental health, and the abuse of substances. The nurse practitioner who has received advanced training is able to provide health education on a number of topics, some of which include the maintenance of a healthy diet, the participation in physical activity, and the control of stress. In addition, the advanced practice nurse is able to provide patients who are battling issues related to their mental health, as well as those who are coping with the effects of chronic illnesses or addiction to substances, with counseling and assistance. In addition to this, the advanced practice nurse is able to assist young adults in having access to resources that support health promotion. This is one of the many benefits that this type of nursing provides. As an illustration of what this entails, one example would be providing assistance to young adults in gaining access to medical care, mental health services, and other community resources.