Ashford Courses

Weeks 1 Complete

Using Epidemiological and Health Status Data. Health status and epidemiological data are assessed to determine major health concerns and the populations in need of assistance. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand the different types and sources of health data. Include the following in your post:

Describe the seven different types of health data presented in the text.

Identify two different sources of health data, one on the national level and one on the local level (from your county or state).

Obtain the most recent health data regarding heart disease from these two sources.

From the same source of local data, identify the most significant health condition and explain how you came to this conclusion.

Discuss the importance of this information in planning health education/promotion programs.

Describe how the action of obtaining and analyzing data relates to evidence-based practice.

Behavior Change Theories and Planning Models. For your assignment this week, you will describe various theories and models used in health education, specifically, behavior change theories and planning models.

Part I: Behavior Change Theories

Briefly describe the difference between theories and models. Why is it important to use theories in

health education?

Describe the socio-ecological approach. Identify which levels of the socio-ecological approach

behavior change theories can be applied to and provide reasoning for your selection.

For each of these levels, provide a description of the behavior change theories. You may include your

own diagrams or figures to support your descriptions.

Select one theory from each level and provide information regarding its use and effectiveness in health education.

Part II: Planning Models are essential tools for the professionals who plan health education and promotion programs.

Describe each of the seven program planning models presented in the text. In these descriptions, highlight the unique attributes of each of these planning models and discuss the similarities found across the models.

For three of these models, describe an example of its real-world application from a scholarly source.

Week 2 Complete

Roles and Responsibilities of a Health Education Specialist. The roles of the health educator were most recently updated in 2010 using the Health Education Job Analysis model discussed in your course text. Almost forty competencies have been identified and categorized into seven areas of responsibility. Address the following in your post:

Identify and describe each of the Seven Areas of Responsibility for a health education specialist. Discuss the importance of each area of responsibility and provide examples of each.

Define the role of a health education specialist by summarizing these responsibilities. Was this the role that you initially imagined for a health educator?

Compare your previous ideas of this profession to the role described using the areas of responsibility. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Health Education Settings. Health education is shaped by the audience it targets, and is often dictated by the setting in which health education takes place. Provide a thorough description of the four traditional settings (school, public, worksite, and health care). Include in your descriptions:

The goal(s) of health education programs in each setting.

The reasoning behind selecting each setting as an appropriate place for health education programs.

The need for trained health education specialists in each setting.

A brief summary of the “a day in the career of” section of each setting.

A description of the additional responsibilities for each setting.

The advantages and disadvantages of working in each setting.

Describe possible non-traditional settings and other opportunities that are available for the professionals in this field.

Week 3 Complete

Health Education Related Agencies. Numerous agencies are related to the health profession. They are categorized into three classifications: governmental, quasi-governmental, and non- governmental health agencies. Provide a description of each of these classifications and include several examples with your descriptions. Discuss the difference between governmental and quasi-governmental agencies. Select one example agency from each classification and visit the separate websites. From these websites, determine and explain the purpose and mission of each agency. Identify and describe a health education program or campaign featured on each website. Which agency appeals to you most? Why? You must include the website URL links for the examples of these sources in your post. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts

Information Sources. Describe the different types of information sources (primary, secondary, tertiary, and popular press publications). Give multiple examples of publications from each type and describe the rigor in which the information is reviewed for each of these publication types. Next, find one article from each type of information source on the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. For each of the four articles, interpret the conclusions regarding the effects of cigarette smoking. Describe how the conclusions were determined. Determine whether the information provided in the article supported the conclusion.

What was the difference in the quality of information from each of these sources? Discuss any consistencies or inconsistencies in the information from all four sources. Reference each source in APA format and provide the website URL link, if available. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Health Education Literature. Part of the role of being a health care professional is not only being a resource of health information, but communicating that information to those in need. Health care professionals need to be able to find health information from credible sources.

Part I: Research Articles
All research articles follow a very similar pattern when it comes to content. Review the Holman and White article from this week’s required resources. To locate the article, click on the “Find Articles & More” link in the top navigation bar of the Ashford University Library. Then, select the “Databases A-Z” link, followed by the letter “P” option. Scroll down to the “PubMed Central” database, and enter the article title in the search bar. You will want to review the full-text, PDF version of this article.

Step 1: Explain all of the sections of this article by describing the content and purpose of each section.

Step 2: Comprehensively analyze the content by addressing the following guiding questions which have been adapted from your text:

Were the objectives of the study clearly defined?

Was the research question stated?

Did the introduction provide reasoning for asking the research question?

Are the subjects well described? Was the recruitment of the subjects clearly defined?

Was the design of the study described well?

Was the process of data collection clear? Were the data collection instruments described well?

Was validity and reliability data reported for the data collection instruments?

Did the results address the research question?

Did the conclusions align with the results?

Did the authors suggest practical applications of the findings to a population that is similar to the subject

population?

Part II: Evaluating the Accuracy of Non-Research-Based Information
When we obtain information from sources other than research articles, we still need to determine whether the information is accurate and valid. Explain the criteria used to evaluate non-research based information by addressing each of the following guiding questions:

Discuss each of the questions developed by Cottrell (1997) that are listed in your course text on page 297.

How does each of these questions enhance your search for credibility?

Are there similarities between these requirements and the writing requirements of your assignments?

What are the seven areas to consider when evaluating information from the Internet?

Evaluate the health information found on the Internet by examining the information provided on emotional health from one of the following websites: the Center for Young Women’s Health, Young Men’s Health, orEmpowHER. Provide an example for each area of evaluation with the information from your selected site. Is the information provided on the website credible? Would you use this information to educate an individual? Explain your answers.

Week 4 Complete

The History of Health Education. Due to the exponential increase of health knowledge throughout history, the need for health education has subsequently grown. Briefly describe health and health education in each period of history (early humans, early efforts at public health, early cultures, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, and the 1800s). Compare public health in the United States from the 1700s to the present. Discuss at least three events that validated health education as being a necessity. Respond to at least two of your classmate’s posts.

The Future of Health Education. With the state of our health care system ever changing, the trends in health promotion and education have become equally dynamic. Examine the following trends as they relate to health education/promotion: demographic changes, societal trends, professional preparation and credentialing, and implications for practice settings. Collectively, what do these trends tell us about the future of health education/promotion? On page 343 in Chapter 10 of your course text, the author highlights four actions that current and future health education specialists need to take in order to keep the professional viable. Describe these actions and discuss your personal role in fulfilling them. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Week 5 Complete

Professional Ethics. All professionals are required to behave ethically. For this discussion, we will examine exactly what that means with regard to health education. Identify and describe the five ethical principles that are mentioned in your course text. For each principle, describe how it applies to health and health education. Present the 10 steps of ethical decision making and create a scenario that illustrates the use of these steps. What are some ethical issues that may occur when providing health education? Are there any ways to ensure that professionals behave ethically? Explain your answers. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Focus of the Final Project

By the end of this course you should have a greater understanding of the health education profession. For the Final Project you will submit a paper that includes the following three parts: an examination of the health education field and profession, an analysis of an HIV prevention program, and the creation of a health education website focusing on heart disease. The first two parts will make up the majority of the paper that you will submit, but you will also need to supply a description of the website you create, the information it contains, and the website’s URL in your paper. It is advised that you create the description of your website before you actually build it to ensure that it contains all the required components.

Part I: Introduction to Health Education and the Health Education Profession

Discuss the historical and future trends that have impacted the need for health education.

What are at least three major historical events that shaped health education?

What is the focus of today’s health education? How does it differ from previous foci of health

education?

Examine the roles, responsibilities, and professional resources of health education specialists.

What are the seven areas of responsibility of the profession?

How would you describe the overall role of a health education specialist?

Who receives health education? Who do health educators work with?

What are two professional resources for health educators? How can they utilize these resources?

What is a Certified Health Education Specialist (C.H.E.S)? How is certification obtained?

Describe three professional settings where you might find a health education specialist at work.

What do these settings have in common? How are they different?

Are there any additional skill sets that a health education specialist might need to work in one of

these settings versus another?

Part II: HIV Prevention Program

1. Evaluate the HIV Prevention Program implemented by the Idaho State Department of Education by

answering the following questions:
• What is the main purpose of this program? How was it designed to facilitate this purpose?

Who is the target audience for this website? Who are the collaborators and stakeholders involved in this program?

What are the main components of the information provided on this website?

2. Evaluate the information provided on the, “HIV, Other STD, and Teen Pregnancy Prevention and Idaho Students” PDF.

Is the information given reliable? How can you tell?

Is it presented in a way that the target audience will understand?

Part III: Delivering Messages Using Technology and Social Media
For this part of the Final Project, you will apply technological strategies to create a website that provides health education for women at risk for heart disease. You must include a description of the website and the main topics that you will address through the website in the paper that you submit for grading. A link to the website URL must also be included so that your instructor can view and grade your website.

2.

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Your website must meet the following inclusion criteria:

A minimum of three pages total. Including at least two web pages, in addition to the homepage.

A brief introduction to heart disease and its effect on your chosen population which includes data

that supports the need for and purpose of this education.

A minimum of five basic tips or facts regarding heart disease and women from credible and reliable

sources. All sources must be referenced and cited according to APA guidelines as outlined in the

Ashford Writing Center.

At least three to five links to and information on various organizations that support your message

and provide assistance or education to your population.

Images, videos, website links, articles, and multimedia must be incorporated (including health

information and health care resources) where appropriate, to engage your viewers and educate them regarding heart disease.

Follow these quick start-up instructions and go to the Wix.com website to register for and begin creating your website. Tutorials are provided when you register to help you get acquainted with this website-building platform. If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact the Wix.com technical support directly, as the technical support offered within your Student Portal will not be able to assist with this outside website.

If you are unable to utilize this platform to complete this portion of your assignment and have tried contacting Wix.com technical support, please contact your instructor. Clearly label the website as a course assignment. It will not be searchable to the general public, but it will be public and anyone who is given your specific site link will be able to view it. Provide the required information as well as the URL to your website in your paper. Once you have received your final grade for this course, you have the option of deleting this website through your account with Wix.com.