In the DeKalb County 88.4 percent of the population age 25 years or older received a high school graduate or higher.
The priority population that will be targeted in the identified health issue is adolescents (10-19). According to the Census Bureau (2015), adolescents (10-19) in the DeKalb County accounts for 12.2 percent of the population. The health issue is alcohol use and abuse in adolescents.
Health status
Alcohol use in adolescent’s years is more than a widespread than the use of tobacco or illicit drugs. Adolescents are more likely to drink alcohol than smoke cigarettes or use marijuana. Drinking puts adolescents at risk for motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death in adolescent years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of drug use and attitudes among American 8th, 10th, and 12th graders continues to show encouraging news, …show more content…
Substance use and abuse can lead to many negative consequences including death, disability and poor judgment (Dunn, 2106). In addition, according to the CDC, some consequences of underage drinking include, higher risk for suicide and homicide, changes in brain development that may have life-long effects, disruption of normal growth and sexual development and school problems, such as higher absence and poor or failing grades