Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate ability to gather and critically evaluate appropriate health information from a variety of sources, and apply relevant theoretical perspectives
in order to interpret this to identify a health need for a specific population (part one)
Learning Outcome 2: Demonstrate insight into the contested nature of health and health promotion, and how these debates impact on working to promote health (prioritising health need , selecting relevant aims and objectives, relative effectiveness of approaches)
Learning Outcome 3: Demonstrate problem-solving abilities and critical awareness of health promotion theories by designing a strategy to tackle a health promotion need (the strategy)
Part one: Assessing health needs.
Identify and prioritise the health needs of a specific population group, by applying theories of health needs (approximately 40% of the wordage.)
Part two: Addressing health needs.
Design a strategic proposal for health promotion to address the prioritized health need, utilizing health promotion theories and principles (approximately 60% of the wordage. References can be shown at the end of part 2 and are not counted as part of the wordage limit.)
How to write the assignment:
Give your work a title: “Health needs of (name of your group)”.
Use the headings shown in red below to structure your work:
Part one:
Background (150 words)
You should provide a concise background that justifies why this group needs attention, with epidemiological data showing they experience poorer health / health inequalities/ are more at risk of unhealthy behaviour). Use Office of National Statistics, Department of Health, WHO data, or other official body.
There is no need for an overview to start your project by saying something like: “this report will …etc”
Identifying Health Needs
Find 3 research studies into the health needs of your group. (At least one study needs to be a qualitative exploration of the chosen group’s views on their own health needs).
Use the studies to complete the table below to summarize findings. The table can be shown in your report.
Table of findings and mapping theories
Title, year
(give a hyperlink to the study)
Methodology (primary/secondary, qualitative / quantitative)
Approach to needs assessment
Findings
(=the health needs)
Relate health needs to theories
Maslow
Doyal & Gough
Seedhouse
Identify the type of health needs these are: (Bradshaw’s types)
1. e.g. Health and Health needs of runaway and homeless youth (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) (1992) (NB: link to the complete text, not just the abstract as here, and this is too dated to be used)
e.g. primary qualitative, epidemiological approach
Example: Isolation
Example:
Maslow – Sense of belonging
Doyal & Gough – Protection from harm
Seedhouse –
Sense of belonging
Example:
May be Normative need.
2.
3.
Discussion of health needs theories
Then analyse these needs by applying the health needs theories of Maslow, Seedhouse, Doyal and Gough.
You need to discuss all 3 theories here and discuss Bradshaw’s theory under the prioritising the health needs heading. E.g. Needs can be linked to aspects of theories (Maslow, Seedhouse or Doyal & Gough), which show a link/relation between the need and theory. Similarly other needs can be related to other theories. (Use your own wording).
Prioritising the health needs
Identify the most significant unmet need, with a rationale to justify why this is the most important. Apply Bradshaw among other theories.
Also identify Bradshaw’s type of need. Think about: the stages of Maslow’s hierarchy, the social determinants of health, all of Bradshaw’s types, which need appears in all the studies.
You should end this section with a clear prioritised health need. “The priority health need is…”
Part two: A Strategy to Address the Health Needs
Aim
Give one clear AIM which is broad statement linked to your objectives.
Objectives
Three or four different types of SMART objectives stating the type of objective each is, to address the prioritised health need. You will find the types of objectives in the presentation in Week 5.
e.g. Objective 1 (type) , state the SMART objective
Objective 2 (type), etc
Objective 3 (type) …
Health Promotion Activities
Use Beattie’s model of health promotion approaches to structure your strategy, justifying each of the four activities by reference to the underpinning health promotion theories, models, principles, paradigms, research, policy, examples of practice.
Comment on the relative value of each activity and the approach used. Explain which are most likely to improve health, and why.
Example is shown below
Health Persuasion
Activity
Description: This will be based in the (setting), facilitated initially by (personnel), then …( a few words on how the activity is delivered).
Justification: This is included because ….. (e.g.) x model/theory/ suggests that…. ; the activity is guided by y principle which emphases .. A’s research shows this activity is valuable for …., using the specific techniques used in B’s practice/ C policy.
Do the same for the other three approaches: Legislative Action, Community Development, and Personal Counselling
Note:This is the most important part, where you show you understand health promotion theory and can use it to plan a coherent, creative strategy that will improve health.
Resources and Communication skills used
Briefly outline the types of resources you will use, including the communication skills, with rationale. Keep any detail and lists for the appendices.
Evaluation
Describe and justify the types and methods of evaluation you plan to use for one activity. State also when, where and how the evaluation will take place, who will conduct it. You will find the different types of evaluation in the presentation in Week 10.
Gantt Chart
You should provide a Gantt chart that clearly explains who will be involved in each activity tasks within given timescales. You should also provide a key if you are using abbreviations.
There is no need for a conclusion, as your assignment is a report.
Things to consider:
You need to make decisions at each stage, all of which need to be consistent, e.g. the activities need to fit with the aim, the evaluation with the objectives, etc.
Keep in mind the purpose of health promotion
The assignment needs to follow the Learning Centre guidance on academic writing Links to an external site.Links to an external site. and use the module’s key texts.