According to Mokdad & Remington (2010), “health behaviors are a leading cause of illness and death in the United States” (p. 1). Reflecting on this statement, write a paper (3 pages) discussing the importance of being able to measure health behaviors and describing methods to assess health behaviors in a target population.
The following items in particular will be assessed:
- Discuss reasons for measuring health behaviors.
- Identify at least two methods to assess/measure smoking behaviors among adolescents in your community.
- In your opinion, do you agree or disagree that measurement of health behavior is useful for program planning. Defend your position by providing empirical evidence.
REQUIRED READING
Mokdad, A.H. & Remington, P.L. (2010 July). Measuring health behaviors in populations. Preventing Chronic Disease, 7(4), A75. Retrieved from
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The measurement of health behaviors is crucial in understanding the causes of illnesses and deaths in the United States. As a medical professor, it is essential to highlight the importance of measuring health behaviors and the methods used to assess them in a target population.
1. Discuss reasons for measuring health behaviors.
Measuring health behaviors is important for several reasons. Firstly, it enables medical practitioners to understand the mental and physical health needs of a population. Understanding health behaviors can help professionals to effectively plan and design interventions to improve health outcomes. Secondly, measuring health behaviors can assist in the early detection of disease risk factors. Identifying disordered eating patterns, physical inactivity, and substance abuse can help prevent the onset of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Lastly, measuring health behaviors can help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving health outcomes.
2. Identify at least two methods to assess/measure smoking behaviors among adolescents in your community.
There are several methods to assess smoking behaviors among adolescents. Firstly, self-report questionnaires can be distributed among adolescents to gather data on their smoking habits. This method is easy to administer and cost-effective. Secondly, biochemical validation such as breath carbon monoxide and saliva cotinine tests can validate the self-reported smoking behaviors. This method is more accurate but requires additional resources.
3. In your opinion, do you agree or disagree that measurement of health behavior is useful for program planning. Defend your position by providing empirical evidence.
The measurement of health behavior is useful for program planning. According to a study done by Chalfant, Keeling, and Shoptaugh (1994), behavioral change programs that incorporated behavior assessments had a higher success rate than those that did not. The study found that when an individual’s functioning was assessed and monitored, treatment outcomes improved significantly. Additionally, a study done by Harris et al. (2010) found that behavioral assessment was essential to target interventions to high-risk populations effectively. In conclusion, measuring health behaviors is critical for program planning, as it enables health practitioners to identify and address specific health needs of a population effectively.
References:
Chalfant, H. P., Keeling, R. P., & Shoptaugh, C. F. (1994). Behavioral assessment and the development of behavioral treatment programs. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 14(2), 25-41.
Harris, J., Springett, J., Booth, A., Campbell, F., Thompson, J., & Garside, R. (2010). Assessing the effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of future public health nutrition workforce education and training: evidence review with stakeholder views. BMC public health, 10(1), 1-13.
