Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

When seeking to identify a patient’s health condition, advanced practice nurses can use a diverse selection of diagnostic tests and assessment tools; however, different factors affect the validity and reliability of the results produced by these tests or tools. Nurses must be aware of these factors in order to select the most appropriate test or tool and to accurately interpret the results.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

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Not only do these diagnostic tests affect adults, body measurements can provide a general picture of whether a child is receiving adequate nutrition or is at risk for health issues. These data, however, are just one aspect to be considered. Lifestyle, family history, and culture—among other factors—are also relevant. That said, gathering and communicating this information can be a delicate process.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

For this Assignment, you will consider the validity and reliability of different assessment tools and diagnostic tests. You will explore issues such as sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. You will also consider examples of children with various weight issues. You will explore how you could effectively gather information and encourage parents and caregivers to be proactive about their children’s health and weight.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

To Prepare

· Review this week’s Learning Resources and consider factors that impact the validity and reliability of various assessment tools and diagnostic tests. You also will review examples of pediatric patients and their families as it relates to BMI.

· Search the Library and credible sources for resources explaining the tool or test you were assigned. What is its purpose, how is it conducted, and what information does it gather?Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

· Also, as you search the library and credible sources, consider what the literature discusses regarding the validity, reliability, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, ethical dilemmas, and controversies related to the test or tool.

Assignment (3–4 pages, not including title and reference pages):

For the Adult Assessment Tools or Diagnostic Tests:
Include the following:

· A description of how the assessment tool or diagnostic test you were assigned is used in healthcare.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

o What is its purpose?

o How is it conducted?

o What information does it gather?

· Based on your research, evaluate the test or the tool’s validity and reliability, and explain any issues with sensitivity, reliability, and predictive values. Include references in appropriate APA formatting.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

For the Child :
Include the following:

· An explanation of the health issues and risks that are relevant to the child you were assigned.

· Describe additional information you would need in order to further assess his or her weight-related health.

· Identify and describe any risks and consider what further information you would need to gain a full understanding of the child’s health. Think about how you could gather this information in a sensitive fashion.

· Taking into account the parents’ and caregivers’ potential sensitivities, list at least three specific questions you would ask about the child to gather more information.

· Provide at least two strategies you could employ to encourage the parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child’s health and weight.

Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children

Assessment Tools

The measurement that was chosen is the body-mass index (BMI) using waist circumference. This measurement is used to examine overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity entail the excessive accumulation of fat that is risky to an individual’s health. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is very high, and this comes with health risks like heart disease, diabetes, etc. (Chen et al., 2018). Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

BMI is commonly utilized to examine overweight and obesity since it is a cost-effective and simple measurement. BMI is obtained by dividing the individual’s weight by the square of their height in meter. BMI thus estimates the total body fat and the individual’s risk to develop weight-related diseases (Quadros et al., 2016). Therefore, BMI can screen weight categories likely to pose health risks. High BMI indicates high body fat while low BMI represents low body fat, where high body fat and being underweight pose health problems to an individual (Sijtsm et al., 2014).Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

However, the validity and reliability of BMI measurement in regard to body fat and the risk to diseases related to weight are uncertain because BMI estimates the total body weight but does not quantify the fat distribution and thus it is difficult to link it to cardiometabolic changes. Central fat distribution is attributable to health problems in comparison to the total body fat and hence it may not demonstrate cardiometabolic risk factors effectively (Quadros et al., 2016).Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

Thus, weight circumference and BMI are used together to evaluate overweight/obesity and predict the risk of health conditions related to weight. The waist circumference is used to measure fat’s total distribution within the body and therefore it can effectively predict health conditions related to weight (Aranha et al., 2020). Additionally, abdominal obesity has been shown to increase the risk of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease; therefore, weight circumference can effectively predict health risks allied to weight.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

When used together, both waist circumference and BMI are valid and reliable measurement tools to assess overweight/obesity, along with the associated health conditions (Aranha et al., 2020).

Child Assessment and Health Issues/Risks

The child that was chosen is an “overweight child who is a 5-year-old boy with overweight parents”. Nurse practitioners (NPs) play the role of evaluating health risks allied to weight and developing appropriate interventions to address the overweight and associated health risks.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

Childhood obesity is associated with many health risks, especially if the parents also have overweight problems. Some of the health risks children with obesity face include diabetes, heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, asthma, breathing problems, and hypertension (Fruh, 2017). Additionally, children with obesity face emotional and social problems such as discrimination, bullying by peers, social isolation, negative body image, depression, and low self-esteem (Davidson et al., 2019).    Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

Additional Information

Additional information relevant for further assessment for this child includes the child’s eating and food intake habits; the family health history of conditions such as obesity; and the child’s activity levels, including time spent playing computer games and watching TV. Information about the child’s psychosocial and mental health will be collected to assess the impact of the overweight on the child’s social and emotional aspects (Davidson et al., 2019).Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

Questions

Some of the questions that would be used to examine weight problem and the associated health risks consist of:

1. Describe the typical foods in your household. The question is useful in evaluating the family’s feeding habits since food is a major contributing factor in obesity and overweight.
2. Describe the typical day for this child. How much time does he spend playing computer/phone games or watching television? This question addresses the child’s activity levels since being physically active helps to reduce weight, burns calories, and strengthens bones and muscles.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.
3. Has the child ever talked about being isolated or bullied by his peers? The question helps to establish any emotional or social challenge the child might be facing because of being overweight.

Strategies to Address the Child’s Overweight Issues

The first strategy includes encouraging the child’s family to adopt a healthy diet that consists of a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and low-calorie foods (Avis et al., 2015). The parents and the caregiver will be advised to avoid fast foods and sweetened beverages for the child. Additionally, to motivate the child to adopt healthy eating habits, the parents and caregiver will be advised to model healthy feeding habits.Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.

The second strategy includes advising parents and the caregiver to ensure that the child is physically active and decrease time spent playing phone/computer games and watching TV. The family will also be encouraged to engage in physical activities to burn excess calories. The parents will be advised to take part in play activities such as playing soccer or cycling in order to encourage the child to be physically active (Avis et al., 2015).Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children.