Current Events in Public Health #5: Interventions

Readings

Article 1: Depression

Article 2: Accidental Death

Article 3: Domestic Violence

Choose the article you reviewed last week

Assignment Steps

1. Choose the topic article you reviewed last week

3.  In your community (on campus, in the newspaper, on bulletin boards) or online (tiktok, instagram, facebook ads) find an intervention that addresses your problem.

4. Include the image in your reply

5. Demographic focus of age, race/ethnicity, gender. Tell me who you think the intervention is designed for (demographics) and why you think that.

6. Tell me what you think is good and could be improved about the campaign. If there is no improvement, how could you change it for another demographic group?

Topic 1  Is exercise or medication better for depression? Experts weigh in

If you choose this article, research the determinants for depression

Topic 2:  A ‘wake-up call’ about what’s killing America’s young people

If you choose this article, research either overdose deaths, motor vehicle deaths or gun deaths in the US.

Topic 3:  Cancer incidence rising among adults under 50, new report says, leaving doctors searching for answers 

Example

I found the image below on the NIH website for the “Safe to Sleep Campaign”. The message of the campaign is about putting the baby to bed on their back to reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It is focused on women of average child bearing age.  That is all that is pictured. Focus in ads is important , but this could use a bit more integration of age and gender. 

race: This campaign does a good job with diversity so there does not seem to be a race focus. They also show someone getting home health help, that is more common with lower SES.  That is a good addition.

ethnicity: video in Spanish too.

age: this campaign shows typical “mom” age. It would be nice to see maybe a grandparent or a really young mom to catch a wider group. They could have had that to make it more inclusive.

gender: No dads! That is a big miss. Focus is important for some behaviors, but since this is more education than trying to change behavior, they should have had dads too. 

1. www.hiv.gov

2. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/poverty-i…