Public health issue within your community.

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Consider why you chose the particular public health issue within your community. (Examples might be alcohol use reduction for teens at prom; anti-smoking campaigns for construction workers; HIV/AIDS education programs for elementary students; disease prevention and health promotion for seniors at a long-term care facility; or increasing diagnostic testing participation for colonoscopies with middle-class women over 60 years of age.)

The specific topic and target population must be selected from your community and must be a verifiable issue. To be verifiable, it must have been a newspaper story, a health department memo or newsletter, a city proclamation, or any issue for which you can provide actual documentation to verify that the issue you chose was one currently—or recently occurring—in your community. That documentation must be provided with your response.

Choose a specific theory or model, and then consider why you are using this one in creating an intervention to address this public health issue. Your intervention must use the constructs of the theory/model and must be specific to the target group, for that topic, in your community. For example, the social ecological model (SEM), which was introduced in Module 4, is composed of levels, namely interpersonal, intrapersonal, institutional, community, and societal. It is based on the belief that change within the physical and social environments will also influence health behavior within individuals. Consequently, if one chose the SEM as their theory/model, emphasis on the five levels would be critical. If, on the other hand, the social capital theory was chosen, it is based on networks and relationships, with the two important factors being trust and reciprocity. So, your intervention most certainly would address cooperation, working together, and building strong bonds for healthy relationships and communities.
The Assignment

Write an 8- to 9-page paper (not including title page and references) that includes the following:

Title page
Introduction of public health issue and target population with documentation and brief explanation
Theory/model to be employed in addressing issue (explain why you chose this theory/model)
Identify the constructs of the theory/model and explain how they apply to your community issue
At least 1 paragraph specifically describing your intervention for each construct
Evaluation of intervention

Sample Solution

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates Among Middle-Class Women Over 60 in [Your Community Name]

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death among adults in the United States, despite being highly preventable through regular screening. According to the American Cancer Society (American Cancer Society [invalid URL removed]), screening rates for CRC remain lower than optimal, particularly among certain demographics.

This paper focuses on the issue of low CRC screening rates among middle-class women over 60 in [Your Community Name]. A recent article in the [Local Newspaper Name] dated [Date] titled “[Headline of the article]” highlighted a community health department report indicating that only [Percentage] of women in this demographic subgroup were current with their CRC screenings. This is concerning as timely detection significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival rates.

Theoretical Framework: Social Ecological Model (SEM)

The Social Ecological Model (SEM) will be employed to address the issue of low CRC screening rates among middle-class women over 60 in [Your Community Name]. The SEM posits that individual health behaviors are influenced by factors at multiple levels:

  • Intrapersonal: Individual knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about CRC and screening.
  • Interpersonal: Social support networks, family influence, and communication with healthcare providers.
  • Community: Availability of screening services, cultural norms, and community resources.
  • Institutional: Healthcare system policies, insurance coverage for screening, and provider practices.
  • Societal: Economic factors, public health messaging, and national cancer screening guidelines.

This multi-level approach allows for the development of interventions that target various factors contributing to the low screening rates in our target population.

Applying the SEM Constructs to the Community Issue

  • Intrapersonal: Many middle-class women may lack awareness of CRC risk factors, screening options, and the importance of early detection. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial.

Intervention: Develop and distribute educational materials (pamphlets, videos) tailored to middle-class women over 60, highlighting CRC risks, benefits of screening, and available options (colonoscopies, stool tests). Partner with local women’s organizations and senior centers to host educational workshops led by healthcare professionals.

  • Interpersonal: Social support networks and communication with healthcare providers can significantly influence screening behavior.

Intervention: Organize peer support groups for women over 60 to discuss concerns and experiences related to CRC screening. Partner with primary care physicians to encourage them to proactively recommend and schedule CRC screenings for their female patients in this age group.

  • Community: Limited access to screening services or cultural norms that discourage preventive healthcare could contribute to low rates.

Intervention: Work with local healthcare providers to offer extended clinic hours or weekend screening options to address scheduling barriers. Partner with faith-based organizations and community leaders to address cultural misconceptions about CRC screening and promote its importance within these communities.

  • Institutional: Potential gaps in insurance coverage for CRC screening might be a deterrent for some middle-class women.

Intervention: Advocate for local healthcare institutions and insurance providers to offer affordable or low-cost CRC screening options. Partner with patient advocacy groups to raise awareness about insurance coverage for these procedures.

  • Societal: National public health campaigns often focus on broader demographics and might not resonate effectively with middle-class women over 60.

Intervention: Develop a targeted public health campaign specifically geared towards middle-class women over 60. Utilize local media outlets and social media platforms to disseminate culturally relevant messages about the importance of CRC screening and available resources. Collaborate with local celebrities or community influencers to promote the campaign and encourage participation.

Evaluation

The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated through a mixed-methods approach.

  • Quantitative data: Track changes in CRC screening rates among middle-class women over 60 in [Your Community Name] through local health department records or surveys.
  • Qualitative data: Conduct focus groups or interviews with participants in the educational workshops or peer support groups to gauge their knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers to CRC screening after the intervention.

This data will help assess the intervention’s impact and identify areas for improvement to ensure long-term success in increasing CRC screening rates within the target population.

Conclusion

By adopting a multi-level approach based on the Social Ecological Model, this intervention plan aims to address the complex issue of low CRC screening rates among middle-class women over 60 in [Your Community Name]. By combining educational materials, peer support, increased access to services, advocacy for insurance coverage, and targeted public health messaging, we can empower women to take control of their health and prioritize potentially lifesaving preventive measures.

 

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