NSG 4068 Using a Health Policy Model to Develop a Change in Policy to Improve the Public’s Health Arguments that the Opponents Make

NSG 4068 Using a Health Policy Model to Develop a Change in Policy to Improve the Public’s Health Arguments that the Opponents Make

NSG 4068 Using a Health Policy Model to Develop a Change in Policy to Improve the Public’s Health

Arguments that the Opponents Make

The opponents may make arguments that include the fact that the community members are aware of the health risks of overconsumption of sugar-flavored drinks and beverages. As a result, they are well informed in their decisions related to the consumption of the drinks. They will also argue that the companies involved in the marketing of the drinks have informed the public about the health risks of excessive consumption of the sugar-flavored drinks and beverages. Consequently, the public is informed about the risks, hence, no need for the policy.

Getting Buy-In for the Proposed Policy

One of the strategies that would be adopted to get buy-in from the stakeholders is creating awareness among the community members. I will educate the public about the health risks of consuming sugar-flavored drinks and the need for its regulation. Creating awareness will increase the community support for the policy. The second strategy is developing strategies for countering the opposition. I will develop data for use in countering the arguments from the opponents and increasing the need for the policy (Hickey et al., 2018). Lastly, I will aim at gaining support from influential legislators in the region. The legislators will assist in pitching and influencing others to support the policy.

Stakeholder Groups

A number of stakeholders would be needed for the successful implementation of the proposed policy. They will include legislators, public health officials, healthcare providers, and community representatives. The stakeholders will play active roles in the entire processes of policy implementation. They will also influence the community to adopt the proposed policy.

Conclusion

Sugar-flavored drinks and beverages have adverse health effects. The implementation of a policy aiming at taxing the drinks and beverages is appropriate. It will minimize the predisposition of the population to the health effects of sugar-flavored drinks and beverages. Active stakeholder involvement as well as lobbying for buy-in from the community members will be explored.

References

Bleich, S. N., & Vercammen, K. A. (2018). The negative impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on children’s health: An update of the literature. BMC Obesity, 5(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40608-017-0178-9

Harrison, J. S., Barney, J. B., Freeman, R. E., & Phillips, R. A. (2019). The Cambridge Handbook of Stakeholder Theory. Cambridge University Press.