For assignment length, estimate between 2000-2500 words (about 4-5 pages, double spaced).
Objective: Review a public health profile data available from County web sources (or other sources as useful, see Sources below) to identify 3-to 5 health warning signs for the community they select. Health warning signs are any indication of a health need that is not currently being met OR a negative impact on health that is continuous and persistent. Some typical health warning indicators include childhood obesity, limited physical activity and nutrition, tobacco use, inadequate housing, environmental injustice (excessive exposure to pollution), reproductive health, mental health, sexually transmitted infections, and access to healthcare.
Instructions:1. Identify a community of interest. This can be where you live or work or otherwise of interest to you, or a location outside the U.S. (home country, country of origin, etc.).2. Locate a published “health profile” for the city/community you select. In the United States, county governments are the primary source for developing and managing community health profiles. Some large cities compile their own data. County sources often (but not always) disaggregate data to the city/community level. If you are unable to locate data disaggregated to the city/community level, county-level data will be fine.
- Sources:
- Los Angeles County: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ohae/cchp/healthProfilePDF.htm
- Scroll to search bar to locate city, or scroll further to the hyperlinked alphabetical list.
- For data tables on an broad array of health indicators measured by cities in the county, see here: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ohae/cchp/healthIndicator.htm
- San Bernardino County: https://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/data/
- Community Vital Signs 2020 Report: https://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2021/04/SBCCVS__OCVS_Report20_v5.1.pdf
- Riverside County:
- https://www.rivcoph.org/Portals/0/CHA_Final_RivCo.pdf?ver=2016-03-14-140825-950
- https://www.rivcohealthdata.org/Portals/14/Documents/PUBLICATIONS/COMMUNITY_HEALTH_PROFILE/CommunityHealthProfile_3_13_19.pdf
- Orange County: https://www.ochealthiertogether.org/tiles/index/display?id=97819728243871439
- Ventura County: https://www.healthmattersinvc.org/
- Los Angeles County: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ohae/cchp/healthProfilePDF.htm
3. Review the health profile for the county/city you select. Identify 3-5 indicators that help you focus a sense of health need(s) you find relevant/interesting/pertinent. Explore any additional county web sources that describe current community health initiatives.
4. Write summary of each of the 3-5 indicators you select. Identify and explain how the indicators you selected inform you about what health needs call for more attention/initiative/resources than any they are currently receiving.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The public health profile of any community is an essential source of information for identifying the health status and needs of the population. As a medical professor, I have designed an assignment that requires the students to review a public health profile of a community of their choice and identify three to five health warning signs. The purpose of this assignment is to help students understand the importance of public health data and how it can be used to develop community health initiatives.
Question:
What is the objective of the assignment?
Answer:
The objective of the assignment is to review a public health profile of a community and identify three to five health warning signs. Health warning signs are any indication of a health need that is not being met, or a negative impact on health that is continuous and persistent. The assignment requires the students to explore community health initiatives to aid them in understanding the needs of the community better.
Question:
What are health warning signs?
Answer:
Health warning signs are indicators of a health need that is not currently being met, or a negative impact on health that is continuous and persistent. These warnings can be related to any health issue, such as childhood obesity, limited physical activity, and nutrition, tobacco use, inadequate housing, environmental injustice, reproductive health, mental health, sexually transmitted infections, and access to healthcare. The aim of identifying these warnings is to help the community to focus on the critical health needs that require more attention and resources.
Question:
What is the process involved in completing the assignment?
Answer:
To complete the assignment, the students need to select a community of interest and locate a published health profile. They will then review the health profile and identify three to five indicators that highlight health needs that require more attention than what they are currently receiving. Finally, the students will write summaries of the indicators they have selected and explain how they inform about the critical health needs of the community. The assignment length will be between 2000-2500 words or about 4-5 pages double-spaced.
