Health Behavior Influences

Health Behavior Influences

This is the first major individual assignment. This assignment addresses CEPH Competency #D2-2-6.

The purpose of this assignment is to learn how to think like a behavioral scientist. You will work backwards from a health issue to identify:

• Behaviors that influence the health issue
• Influences at every level of the Socio-Ecologic Model (SEM), impacting the health behavior that ultimately lead to the health issue

Step 1

Select a health issue of interest, such as HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, obesity, etc.

Step 2

Identify a particular population that is at increased risk for the health issue, for example, veterans in San Diego County, youth without housing in the Southern U.S.

Step 3

Identify at least two health behaviors related to the health issue within the selected population.

Step 4: Abstract

Write an abstract describing in detail the health issue, population, and related health behaviors. It is a justification of why the health issue is important to address and in what population. The abstract serves as an introduction to the Table below.

Abstract requirements:

• Describe 1 health issue and the outcomes that are associated with it (for example, death, disability, lost work productivity, etc.)
• Describe 1 population that is particularly impacted by the health issue
  • Include concrete measures, such as the prevalence and/or severity of the health issue in the population
• Describe 2 health behaviors that contribute to the development or sustainment of the health issue
  • Include concrete measures of the behaviors, such as the level or rate that a behavior is observed or endorsed in the population
• References and citations
• Minimum of 500 words, excluding the references

Sample abstract

(This sample abstract is less than 500 words owing to the lack of a description of the contributing health behaviors. It only states the health behaviors.)

Childhood obesity is a major public health issue with serious and lasting consequences. Not only does excess weight increase the risk of adverse health outcomes during childhood, but children experiencing obesity are substantially more likely to develop serious, chronic conditions in adulthood (CDC, 2013; Maffeis, Pietrobelii, Grezzani, Provera, & Tato, 2001; Reilly & Kelly, 2011). For example, children experiencing obesity are more likely to have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, and low self-esteem compared to their peers who are not obese (Freedman, Zuguo, Srinivasan, Berenson, & Dietz, 2007; Li, Ford, Zhao, & Mokdad, 2009; Wang, Wild, Kipp, Kuhle, & Veuglers, 2009). Of particular concern are racial and ethnic disparities in rates of obesity; a 2014 study reported that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was highest among Hispanic children and adolescents for every age group between 2 and 19 years (38.9% among Hispanic children versus 28.5% non-Hispanic white children, 2-19 years). Despite intense public health efforts to reduce childhood obesity, it has proven extremely difficult to combat given the vast number of causal influences. For instance, historically underserved populations, such as Hispanic families, are less likely to live in areas with affordable access to healthy foods (i.e., “food deserts”) or green spaces, due in part to inequitable housing policies such as redlining. Two of the behaviors that contribute most to the issue are sedentary behavior, including screen time, and lack of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Step 5: Table

In a table, identify and briefly describe factors that exert influence on the health behavior that contributes to the health issue in the target population, as described in the abstract. Identify a minimum of 4 factors across a minimum of 4 levels of the SEM. Use the PRECEDE model, phases 1 – 4, to guide the identification of factors and the description of how these factors predispose, reinforce, or enable the health behavior. Provide at least one reference for each factor.

There are different iterations of the SEM. For this assignment, select one that is presented in the lecture, McKensie textbook, or other course material.

Refer to the following table for guidance.

Health Behavior: Z
Level of Influence	Health Behavior Influences
Intrapersonal Intrapersonal-level influences involve individual characteristics and experiences, such as knowledge, attitudes, habits, beliefs, etc. that may predispose a behavior.	Z behavior to address Y health issue amongst X population is influenced by their XX individual characteristic. Their XX individual characteristic predisposes them to Z behavior (how?) … (reference).
Interpersonal Interpersonal-level influences include relationships with key members of an individual’s closest social circle that may reinforce, enable, or precipitate a behavior.	Z behavior that leads to Y health behavior in X population is influenced by their relationship with XX. Their relationship with XX reinforces / enables / precipitates the Z behavior (how?) … (reference).
Organization/Institutional Organization/institution-level influences include structured communities in which an individual belongs. The organization’s formal and informal policies, procedures, practices, rules, customs, norms, expectations, etc. may reinforce, enable, or perpetuate a behavior.	Z behavior to address Y health issue amongst X population is influenced by the XX in which they belong. The XX reinforces / enables / precipitates the Z behavior (how?) … (reference).
Community/Culture Community-level factors include such forces as cultural and social norms, practices, expectations, pressures, etc. that may reinforce or perpetuate the behavior of an individual.	Z behavior that leads to Y health behavior in X population is influenced by the XX, common within the community. These cultural/social XX reinforce / perpetuate the Z behavior (how?) … (reference).
Policy Policy-level factors include legislation and regulations by federal, state, and local governing bodies that may enable or perpetuate the behavior of an individual.	Z behavior to address Y health issue amongst X population is influenced by the policy of XX by YY governing body. This policy enables / perpetuate the Z behavior (how?) … (reference).
Environment Environment-level factors involve overarching environments and systems, such as the physical, economic, social, political, et al. environments and systems in which an individual lives. These environments and systems may exert indirect influence, enabling or perpetuating the behaviors of an individual.	Z behavior that leads to Y health behavior in X population is influenced by the XX environment/system in which they live. XX reinforces / enables / precipitates the Z behavior (how?) … (reference).

Guidelines

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Students may choose how to best present their work (format, length, etc.).

Submitted assignment requirements:

• Included
  • Abstract with references
  • Table with references

• Demonstrated proficiency with PRECEDE model
• Demonstrated proficiency with the SEM
• Demonstrated a behavioral science approach to health promotion
  • Grounded in research and evidence-based
• Demonstrated sound critical thinking – analyze, synthesize, evaluate, reflect
• Met graduate-level and scholarly writing standards
  • Written articulately and without grammar and spelling errors
  • References and in-text citations adhered to APA or AMA style guidelines
    • Purdue University, Online Writing Lab, APA StyleLinks to an external site.
    • Purdue University, Online Writing Lab, AMA StyleLinks to an external site.
• Followed all the assignment instructions