Health and Community Concerns

1. Obesity
 Through use of resources and the conduction of a windshield survey, child
obesity (adolescents) was identified as a major health concern within the
Concord community. By observing students in the school systems and in the
community, the prevalence of obese children is on the rise. The problem exist
because obesity leads to an increase risk of heart disease (i.e. high cholesterol,
coronary artery disease, and hypertension), juvenile diabetes, and an overall
increase morbidity and mortality rate later in life.

2. Teen pregnancy
 When focusing on the adolescent population in the 28025 area, a major health
concern that is noticed is adolescent teen pregnancy in females. While the
numbers slightly decreased up to the year 2006, the numbers now have began to
rise once again. The most common reason for the problem is lack of education
amongst adolescents as well as peer pressure from the people they surround
themselves with. The younger the girl, the more complications that can arise and
it is the responsibility of health care professionals to provide intervention for
these girls.

3. Smoking
 Speaking with adolescents in the school setting, many admit to the use of
tobacco products on a consistent basis. Various reasons exist for the use of
tobacco products such as social acceptance, stress relief, and rebellion. Students
arrived at school with the smell of smoke on their clothing. Although the
students may not have participated in the act of first hand smoke, exposure to
second hand smoke existed (however, many students admitted to the school
nurse they had smoke prior to school starting). A school nurse meeting attended
through the Cabarrus County Health Alliance addressed the Tobacco Reality
Unfiltered (TRU) campaign targeted teenagers on the benefits of quitting the
habit.