The session long project (SLP) is a progressive assignment that involves assessing a health behavior; researching and identifying an evidence-based model or best practice strategies to best address the health behavior; creating a plan (i.e., program or an intervention) and outlining implementation procedures; and suggesting appropriate evaluation tools to measure effectiveness of the proposed program or intervention. This will be developed in phases throughout the session. The task and assignment expectations for each segment of the project will be explained in each module.

 

Choose one of the following health behaviors to focus on for the rest of the session long project:
•Prevent exposure to toxics in the home
•Prevent exposure to toxics in the workplace

Choose one of the topics listed above to focus your literature search for the rest of the SLP. You will be writing your Module 1 – 5 SLP assignments based on this one topic.

For Module 1, conduct a literature search utilizing peer-reviewed journal articles, books, professional organization articles, government Web sites, etc. Write a 3-page background paper on the health behavior you selected.

The following items will be assessed in particular:
1.Choose a health behavior and a target population to focus on. Identify and describe the health behavior of interest and the focus target population.
2.Based on your literature search, assess and provide background information on the behavior/topic. Include statistics to explain the scope of the problem.
3.Provide an explanation as to why it is important to address the health behavior you have chosen.
4.What benefits or consequences do the behaviors have on individuals’ health?

Below you will find a list of references. You can use these or your own. If you use any of the below. You will have to copy and paste the website to your browser to view.

Required Readings

Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors (2006) Conduct a community assessment: Chapter overview. Moving to the Future. [Electronic resources]. Retrieved April 1, 2013 fromhttp://www.movingtothefuture.org/story_read.php3?sid=0db33f&story_id=157&chapter_id=12&origin1=chapter_contents

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2013). The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm

Vermont Department of Health (2011). Community assessment tool kit: Nutrition and physical activity. Fit and healthy Vermonters. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from http://healthvermont.gov/local/grants/documents/CommunityAssessmentToolkit.pdf

Optional Readings

Just for interest:

Committee on Health and Behavior: Research, Practice, and Policy, Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health (2001). Health and behavior: The interplay between the biological, behavioral, and societal influences (pp. 19-166). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9838&page=19
Modeste, N. & Tamayose, T. (2004). Dictionary of Public Health Promotion and Education: Terms and Concepts, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

U.S. Public Health Services (2011). Introduction to risk and protective factors. Youth Violence: A Report of Surgeon General [Chapter 4]. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK44294/

World Health Organization (1998). Health promotion glossary. Geneva, Switzerland: Division of Health Promotion, Education and Communications, Health Education and Health Promotion Unit. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/hp_glossary_en.pdf