For this assignment, you should build upon the work that you did in the previous discussions (Week 2) and the Causal Pathway Mapping Exercise assignment i

Scenario

For this assignment, you should build upon the work that you did in the previous discussions (Week 2) and the Causal Pathway Mapping Exercise assignment in Week 3. You should also work to incorporate any suggestions or feedback you received from your fellow learners and instructor. Revising and improving your writing and topic focus is a key part of being a Master's level writer and practitioner.

Remember, for this assignment you should be taking one of the following approaches:  

• Focus on a population health need for a specific population health issue that is of interest or relevance to you on a personal or professional level.  
• Focus on a population health need for a specific population health issue previously presented in the “Potential Assignment Topics.”

Assignment Instructions

This assignment focuses on describing the population health need and target population that you will be carrying throughout your assignment submissions during this course. As you progress through this course you will be developing the following within the context of your chosen population health need and population:  

• Week 7 – Intervention Design: Theory of Change Model.
• Week 9 – Intervention Communication Plan. 

So, before completing this assignment, it may be wise to review the future assignments to ensure that your chosen topic and population will be a feasible basis for your work.   

This assignment will also ask you to conduct and present research findings related to the following, within the context of your topic, population, and community in which your potential plan will occur:  

• Significance of the issue within the community.  
• Behavioral and psychological factors. 
• Current state of resources and program.  
• Potential desired improvements.  

The Public Health Masters Program Library GuideLinks to an external site. and Public Health Resources List [PDF] may be useful in identifying specific public health problems and gaining insight into current approaches toward prevention and education. Be sure to look at the different levels of public health interventions as you explore additional resources.

Additionally, the Writing CenterLinks to an external site. may be helpful resource.

You may also wish to review the Topic Selection and Problem Analysis Example Outline [DOCX]. You can use this outline as you start working on your assignment submission.

Your assignment will be assessed using the following criteria:

• Describe a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics. 
  • Think about how the community that your potential intervention or project will occur impacts these considerations:
    • Why is your chosen public health need particularly relevant or urgent within the context of your community?
    • How might your chosen population's needs or characteristic within your community be slightly different from state or national aggregate information?
• Describe the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population. 
  • Why are these factors likely to have the biggest impact?
    • What evidence might support your rationale?
    • What criteria could you use to determine the potential impact of these factors?
• Explain the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need.
  • What gaps exist in these current resources and programs?
  • What barriers exist within the community for people to access these resources or services?
• Identify potential improvements in current programs.
  • How could the improvements you identified be implemented within the context of your chosen community?
  • How will a behavior-based intervention among the selected population improve the health outcome you have selected?
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions. 
• Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.

Submission Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting. See Evidence and APALinks to an external site..
• Length of paper: 3–5 typed double-spaced pages, not including required cover sheet and reference page. No abstract required.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 1: Explain the social and behavioral factors that impact the health of individuals and populations.
  • Describe the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population. 
• Competency 3: Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health.
  • Describe a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics. 
  • Explain the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need.
• Competency 4: Design an evidence-based, population-based intervention.
  • Identify potential improvements in current programs.
• Competency 6: Communicate audience-appropriate public health content in a logically structured and concise manner, writing clearly with correct use of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and APA style.
  • Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
  • Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.

Week 5 Assignment: Topic Selection and Problem AnalysisWeek 5 Assignment: Topic Selection and Problem AnalysisCriteriaRatingsPtsDescribe a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics. 34 to >28.9 ptsDISTINGUISHEDDescribes a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics within the context of the community in which a potential intervention or project will occur.28.9 to >23.8 ptsPROFICIENTDescribes a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics. 23.8 to >0 ptsBASICIdentifies but does not describe a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not identify a public health need and a population's relevant characteristics./ 34 ptsDescribe the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population. 34 to >28.9 ptsDISTINGUISHEDDescribes the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population. Notes the rationale or criteria used to determine potential impact of factors.28.9 to >23.8 ptsPROFICIENTDescribes the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population.23.8 to >0 ptsBASICIdentifies but does not describe the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not identify the behavioral and psychological factors that will likely have the biggest impact within the context of the chosen public health need for a specific population./ 34 ptsExplain the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need.34 to >28.9 ptsDISTINGUISHEDExplains the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need. Provides a rationale to the gaps or barriers in accessing the resources or services.28.9 to >23.8 ptsPROFICIENTExplains the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need.23.8 to >0 ptsBASICIdentifies but does not fully explain the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not explain the current resources and programs available to the specific population relevant to the chosen public health need of the chosen population./ 34 ptsIdentify potential improvements in current programs.34 to >28.9 ptsDISTINGUISHEDIdentifies potential improvements in current programs. Notes how improvements could be implemented within the context of the community using a behavior-based intervention.28.9 to >23.8 ptsPROFICIENTIdentifies potential improvements in current programs.23.8 to >0 ptsBASICIdentifies potential improvements to public health programs. However, improvements either are not aligned with the chosen population, chosen public health need, or are too broad to be realistically implemented.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not identify any potential improvements in current programs./ 34 ptsOrganize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.17 to >14.45 ptsDISTINGUISHEDOrganizes content so clarity is enhanced and all ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.14.45 to >11.9 ptsPROFICIENTOrganizes content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.11.9 to >0 ptsBASICOrganizes content with some logical flow and smooth transitions.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not organize content for ideas to flow logically with smooth transitions./ 17 ptsApply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.17 to >14.45 ptsDISTINGUISHEDApplies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing. Exhibits strict and nearly flawless adherence to stylistic conventions, document structure, and source attributions.14.45 to >11.9 ptsPROFICIENTApplies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.11.9 to >0 ptsBASICApplies APA style and formatting to scholarly writing incorrectly and/or inconsistently, detracting noticeably from good scholarship.0 ptsNON_PERFORMANCEDoes not apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing./ 17 pts