HSCI 3374: Community Health Agencies Department of Health Sciences
Fall 2006 University of Arkansas at Little Rock
OFFICE: Fribourgh Hall 509
PHONE: 501-683-7317
EMAIL: WebCT email
This course explores the principles and practices of public health and voluntary health programs and agencies.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The student will:
Develop an historical perspective of the developments in public/community/environmental health.
Become familiar with the process of community organization/coalition development.
Become familiar with the theories/models pertaining to delivery of health services to the public/community.
Review health control measures dealing with communicable disease transmission.
Examine local, state and national health problems.
Examine current and future environmental health issues pertaining to the practice of public health.
Review and apply prevention strategies to current and future health problems.
Become familiar with various community, state, and national resources/organizations.
Become familiar with how to access and collect health-related information.
Recognize the organizational structure of local, state, and national health organizations.
REQUIRED TEXT
McKenzie, J., Pinger, R., & Kotecki, J. (2005). An Introduction to Community Health
(5 th Edition). Sadbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Additional readings and handouts will be made available online.
COURSE POLICIES
All work MUST be typed and have adequate spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.
Late assignments will NOT be accepted.
Violation of UALR academic honesty guidelines will result in failure of the course. For further information, please visit http://www.ualr.edu/deanstu/ .
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
To help you follow along with the assignments, quizzes, and discussions, here is a simple guide to remember:
Mondays: All four exams and quizzes are to be taken on Mondays and completed by 11:55pm.
Tuesdays - Fridays: Every Tuesday you will start a new chapter and you will read the assigned chapters,view powerpoints slide shows, respond to discussion questions. You may have additional assignments due pertaining to the chapter covered. If so, those will be announced once they are assigned.
Fridays: If You have additional assignments due pertaining to the chapter(s) covered, they will be due by 11:55pm. on Fridays.
Projects: Specific due dates for class project assignments can be found on the class calendar and also within the Assignment Dropbox.
NOTE: TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, READ THE DIRECTIONS FOR EACH ASSIGNMENT CAREFULLY AND FULLY
1. Quizzes
Twelve chapter quizzes will be completed by students. These quizzes serve primarily as study tools for the exams. Also, there is an orientation quiz which is to be completed before all other quizzes.
Exams
Four exams are included in this course. Each exam will cover three chapters. The exams may include multiple choice, true/false, short answer and/or essay items. The test questions will come from the textbook and powerpoint lectures.
3. Discussions
Students will be expected to participate in the weekly discussions. Participation includes two postings: 1) posting in response to Mrs. Snyder's question and 2) posting in response to another student's comments. See grading rubric posted under “Student Tools” for further details.
Reaction Papers
Three short (2-3 pages) papers will be required throughout the semester. These papers should be typed and double-spaced. Reaction papers will provide an opportunity to express personal opinions and perspectives about current health-related issues as reported from three different sources. Reaction papers will not be shared with other students; so honesty and clarity of thought is preferred. Reaction papers should be written in the first person and informally. Remember to respond specifically to EACH question/point listed below! Below are the criteria for reaction papers (please use these headings as you write your paper):
SOURCE (1 point) :
i. Reaction Paper #1 (Newspaper Article) :
Select a health-related article from a current newspaper published within the state of Arkansas. NOTE: Articles from newsmagazines (e.g ., Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report , etc.) or papers such as The Star, The National Enquirer, The Sun, and People, while high in entertainment value and do elicit reactions, are NOT to be used for this assignment. State the title of the article, name and date of the newspaper, name of the author, and page and section number.
ii. Reaction Paper #2 (Local News Report) :
Select a health-related report given on a local news channel. State the title or heading of report, the news channel, date, time and name of reporter.
iii. Reaction Paper #3 (Formal Presentation) :
Select a formal presentation made in class, on campus, or in the community regarding a health-related issue. State the title/topic of presentation, the name of the person making the presentation, and the date, time, and location of the presentation.
SUMMARY (2 points) :
In a few sentences, briefly summarize the main points, ideas, events, etc. reported/presented in the source as it pertains to community health.
PERSONAL REACTION (6 points) :
Discuss your personal reaction to the newspaper article/news report/presentation. Give your ideas on the topic. What questions have you thought about? Why did you select this article/report/presentation? Is it newsworthy? Should the public be informed? Is this an important community health issue? Why or why not?
COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPLICATIONS (6 points) :
State the community health implications of the issue. What will happen if this issue or problem is not addressed? Is it currently being addressed? What, if any, future course of action was suggested? What can/should be done to improve the condition
Community Service Project
Students will be required to complete 15 hours of community service with a local community-based organization of their choice. Each student is responsible for contacting and setting-up their community service hours. More information about community service opportunities will be provided. Students will also be required to summarize their experiences using the outline provided below. (Approximate length: 3-5 pages.) Please use these headings in your paper and respond to EACH question/point listed below.
Your Name
Name of the organization where you completed your community service
Address of organization
Telephone number, fax, website address
Contact person at organization (supervisor to student) – include title and degrees
Email address of contact person
Brief Description of Organization
i.Mission
ii. Population(s) Served (include race, sex, geographic region, socioeconomic status)
iii. Educational Activities Provided
iv. Services Provided
v. Number of Paid Staff
vi. Approximate Number of Volunteers
vii. Type of Organization: governmental, non-governmental, or Quasi-governmental
viii. How Funded?
ix. Other Relevant Information
C. Description of community service activities in which you were directly involved.
What did you learn from this experience?
What did you enjoy doing? Briefly explain.
What did you not enjoy doing? Briefly explain.
Would you recommend that others volunteer with this organization? Why/Why not?
What does this organization do particularly well with regard to educational activities and/or services it provides? Briefly discuss.
What recommendations do you have for improving the way in which the organization serves its target population(s) – especially with regard to PREVENTION?
Community Health Analysis (CHA) and PowerPoint
Students will be required to complete an in-depth written analysis of a current community health problem, including an overview of different community based organizations that address the health problem. The CHA should be approximately 5-7 pages in length, typed, double-spaced (12 point font). Students should write up their CHA using the following guidelines:
I. Overview of Health Problem/Issue :
Epidemiological Diagnosis
Provide a complete overview of morbidity, mortality, fertility, and/or other data relevant to your specific health problem. Identify and describe population(s) most affected based on sex, age, race/ethnicity, geographic region, SES, and other relevant demographic variables. Which population(s) would you target in a community-based health promotion/education program? Why?
Behavioral & Environmental Diagnosis
Identify all of the behavioral, non-behavioral, and environmental factors that contribute to the health problem and explain how each factor contributes to the health problem. Select two or three factors, considered to be the most important in contributing to the health problem and the most amenable to voluntary change that you would target in a community-based health promotion/education programs.
II. Community Based Organizations
Identify one national, one state, and one local community-based organization that address the health problem your group selected. Provide a brief overview of the mission, type of organization, contact information, and programs and services provided by each of these organizations. Include the websites for each organization in the Appendices.
References
Include a reference list using standard APA format (minimum 5 references).
Appendices
Include websites for each organization here.
Community Service Project 75 points
Community Health Analysis/Presentation 100 points
* Total points are subject to change per professor's discretion .
GRADING SCALE
A = 720 - 800 points
B = 640 - 719 points
C = 560 - 639 points
D = 480 - 559 points
F = < 479 points
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Disability Support Services: It is the policy of UALR to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal law and state law. Any student with a disability who needs accommodation, for example in arrangements for seating, examinations, note-taking should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. It is also the policy and practice of UALR to make web-based information accessible to students with disabilities. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of the online course materials for this class, please notify the instructor immediately. The chair of the department of Health Sciences, Dr. Newman McGee is also available to assist with accommodations. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services, telephone 501-569-3143 (v/tty), and on the Web at http://www.ualr.edu/dssdept/ .