1-Epidemiology and the Community
In this assignment, update an existing CDC table with information from more recent study results provided in the 2013 National Vital Statistics Report: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf (Links to an external site.).
The rates listed in the table are the most fundamental epidemiology rates. You will be able to provide the crude birth rate information missing from the column labeled “U.S. 2013” by simply reading Births: Final data for 2013 (Links to an external site.) by National Vital Statistics Reports. To provide the other information missing from this column, you will need to research the CDC site and potentially use the statistical formulas provided.
Fill in the missing components of this table (Links to an external site.):
After completing the table, take note of whether the rates indicated increased or decreased from the 2011 national study. Ultimately, does this chart show that we are becoming healthier as a nation or sicker?
The Epidemiology and the Community assignment
Two pages double spaced APA 7
Must contain responses to these questions that are placed in paragraph form, not simply listed as bullets. You need to demonstrate that you can collect, compile, and present a broad array of information in a narrative form.
Must include introduction and conclusion paragraphs
Must use at least two scholarly sources. Be sure to integrate your research rather than simply inserting it
2-Coordinated School Health Programs
(**Same format as assignment 1) 3pages
In this assignment you will discuss the strengths associated with Coordinated School Health Programs (CSHP) and where they can be best utilized.
Go to Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2013 (Links to an external site.) (YRBS) to examine the CDC’s 2013 data regarding youth risk behavior. In the Results section of the abstract on page 1 of the document, you will see the following information: “During the 30 days before the survey, 41.4% of high school students nationwide among the 64.7% who drove a car or other vehicle during the 30 days before the survey had texted or e-mailed while driving, 34.9% had drunk alcohol, and 23.4% had used marijuana.” As mentioned last week and in this week’s Assignment 1, epidemiology data plays a huge role in knowing where to focus public health efforts. Documents like the YRBS are full of data that can help public health professionals identify the areas of most need. If you were a public health professional and were going to focus an aspect of your CSHP efforts in one direction, you might use the data in the sentence above to determine that texting while driving is a serious health concern
Your task for this assignment is to choose one of the following topics discussed on pages 5–29 of the YRBS:
Unsafe driving behaviors (texting, drinking while driving, etc.)
School violence/bullying
Mental health
Tobacco use
Alcohol use
Drug use (marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, etc.)
Sexual behaviors (multiple partners, condom use, etc.)
Answer the following questions on an aspect of your chosen topic:
What is the personal reason you chose your topic and subtopic?
What does the data show regarding this health issue? That is, what percentage of youth engaged in the behavior, and what can you hypothesize regarding why it is reported as improving or worsening?
Is this health issue focused in primarily one area of the United States, or is it a problem everywhere? (Answering this question will require additional research.)
On which state and, more narrowing, which county will you focus your efforts?
From the perspective of a CSHP leader:
What areas of your CSHP would you like to touch upon to make your approach to this health issue as comprehensive as possible (e.g., classroom, P.E., after-school programs, cafeteria, administration, etc.)? For example: If you were studying obesity in elementary-aged children, you could have the classrooms discuss the importance of healthy eating; in P.E. students could participate in more active games and fewer elimination games; in the cafeteria you could work with the employees to develop healthier options for the daily lunch beyond the state standards; for the administration you could recruit the principal and other instructors to serve as “health champions” and models for good health behaviors; and with the after-school programs you could conduct all-school and family assemblies to allow families to see the changes that are taking place at the school while also demonstrating some simple, healthy recipes they can try at home.
What is the main focus of your CSHP? That is, what aspect of the school-day experience do you feel needs the most attention regarding this health issue? For example: With childhood obesity, making modifications to the P.E. class is likely to have the largest impact.
How will you tailor the aspects of your CSHP to be of interest to students in grades K–4? 5–8?
List three potential barriers that may prevent you from implementing your entire plan. How will you overcome these barriers?
