MPH Foundational Competencies (CEPH)
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you should be able to:
- Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels [CEPH.06]
- Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health [CEPH.07]
- Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs [CEPH.08]
Key Resources
Textbook: Master of Public Health Competencies: A Case Study Approach, Chapter 7
Prompt
For this discussion, you will analyze a case study in public health from the textbook, Master of Public Health Competencies: A Case Study Approach edited by Santella. Please review the following case study from this text:
- Chapter 7: Using Participatory Methods to Create a Community Action Plan for a Rural Community Coalition.
This case study was based on real public health initiatives. Therefore, your engagement in this discussion will help you hone workforce related skills for public health practice.
For your initial/main post, please address all of the following questions (at least one paragraph for each):
Community-Based Participatory Planning (CBPP) (~75 words):
- Minimizing Structural Bias (discrimination): How does community engagement during the planning process minimize the possibility of structural bias within the public health services delivered? If community engagement were not considered, what challenges would there be with achieving health equity?
- Social Factors of Health Equity: How does community engagement support successful outcomes in achieving health equity? Please offer an example that illustrates the social factors. What challenges exist in addressing these social factors in the community engagement process?
Cultural Awareness during Assessment Planning (~75 words):
- For international public health policies and programs, how would CBPP ensure respect for all persons and their cultural values and practices?
- When comparing the different levels of public health policies and programs (including international, national, state, and local), how may the assessment process (e.g., needs, assets, and capacities assessments) uphold the cultural values and practices of the targeted population or community?
Assessment Skills (~150 words):
- Desired Outcomes: Within this case study, what were the desired health outcomes for the community?
- Please analyze the community’s strengths and challenges with achieving the desired outcomes within this case study. You should compose your response by addressing the following assessment types:
Needs assessment (~50 words):
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- Strengths: How did the needs assessment support progress towards the desired health outcome?
- Challenges: Were all needs accounted for? If so, please explain. If not, what lessons may be learned from this case study to improve needs assessment in the future?
Assets assessment (~50 words):
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- Strengths: How did the assets assessment support progress towards the desired health outcome?
- Challenges: Were all assets adequately optimized? If so, please explain. If not, what lessons may be learned from this case study to improve assets assessment in the future?
Capacity assessment (~50 words):
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- Strengths: How did the capacity assessment support progress towards the desired health outcome?
- Challenges: Were all capacities realized and utilized? If so, please explain. If not, what lessons may be learned from this case study to improve capacity assessment (or inform the capacity-building process) in the future?
In all posts, please make certain to include in-text citations and a reference list.
Collaborate with your colleagues on this case study within your reply posts. Please further the discussion by offering suggestions, elaborating on points made, presenting additional evidence/information, asking open-ended questions, etc.
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric.