Task:
You have been accepted as an intern with Queensland Health. Currently you are completely a rotation within a section that has one of the following remits:
• Physical activity
• Sedentary behavior
• A specific dietary behavior (e.g. fruit and/or vegetable consumption; consuming sweetened drinks)
• Tobacco smoking
• Alcohol use or an alcohol-related harmful behavior (e.g. binge drinking; alcohol-associated violence; alcohol-associated sexual assault; drink driving)
• Road-related harmful behavior (e.g. no seat belt use; speeding; drink driving)
You may choose the same health behavior as Assessment 1.
Your supervisor has asked you to prepare a report reviewing current evidence with respect to the application of a behavior change theory to one of these health behaviors. Your chosen health behavior should be considered within the context of a specified target population. Your report should provide a clear rationale for addressing the health behavior and critically examine the evidence on what influences are known to affect the chosen behavior. The influences that are examined should reflect the behavior change theory/ construct. The report should include how theoretical constructs predict the chosen health behavior based on existing research that tests whether the theory predicts such behavior or related behavior.
You may choose a single construct or a complete theory depending on the extent of the research available. You will need to define the full theory (irrespective of whether you choose a construct or theory) and be explicit about what theory you are choosing to cover. You might consider the following theories or constructs from these theories: Theory of Planned Behavior, Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, Protection Motivation Theory, Health Action Process Approach, Prototype Willingness Model. There are other health behavior change theories, please check with your lecturer if you have any questions.
When constructing your response, you should consider the following elements:
Elements: Detail:
Purpose To persuade and inform
Text type Report
Audience and your role Your role: Health communication intern working for a non-government organisation
Audience: Senior management within Queensland Health
Conditions Report
Word count: 2000 words
Referencing style: APA 6th edition
Criteria
(Objectives from ECP)
1. Explain the role of health behaviors in chronic disease and injury prevention and management
4. Critically analyze published research on health behaviors and synthesis it to form a persuasive rationale for health promotion practice
5. Critically appraise and apply health promotion frameworks
6. Demonstrate effective written and visual communication skills
Getting started:
• Select a health behavior
• Select a health behavior change construct or theory to apply
• Review the lectures notes from throughout the semester
• Conduct wider reading around the application of your chosen construct/theory in relation to your chosen health behavior as it applies to your specified target population for health behavior change
• You may cover sections such as:
a. Rationale for the chosen health behavior
b. Definition of theory/construct
c. Review of the theory/construct from practice, particularly as relevant to the health behavior
d. Putting it all together
• Report templates and sections will be discussed in the Workshops