problem statement

Assignment-specific Description & Goal. This required assignment will allow students zto practice with their peers what they have learned during Week 2 (e.g., course content, APs) with regard to problem statements and conceptual framework development for program planning and evaluation. Student groups will be able to apply their skills to practice persuasive communication in terms of introducing public health priorities and developing conceptual frameworks that have clear implications for future responsive public health programs.

Prompt. Students will focus on “setting the stage” for planning emergency management programs in Puerto Rico, The local agency who will be implementing these programs, SiSePuede, is a medium-sized non-profit organization that has been contracted by Puerto Rico’s Department of Health. 

1. Problem Statement: ~0.50 page. Provide a brief overview regarding the recent history of disasters in Puerto Rico and their impacts on health (e.g., conditions, behaviors, etc.). 

a. The overview should clearly elucidate the priority population for your program would ultimately engage. (0.50 point).

b. The overview should be clearly framed with frequency, severity, cost, or equity arguments for their long-term outcome of interest. Toward that goal, ensure that your statement clearly reflects the ‘part’ of the problem that your program would ultimately address (e.g., primary, secondary or tertiary prevention). (1 point)

c. The overview should describe the importance of addressing a long-term outcome through addressing short-term outcomes (i.e., which would be described in a short-term objective). Groups must make the case for why the short-term outcome is important specifically in terms of effecting change in long-term outcomes/goals, using available literature. (1 point)

2. Conceptual Frameworks: ~1 page & 1 Figure. Based on a review of the literature and a local needs assessment, your agency (SiSePuede) has determined that an Ecological Model would be crucial to addressing the problem described in #1a-c that would incorporate determinants: (i) at the Individual Level from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB); (ii) at the Interpersonal Level from the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT); and, (iii) at the Neighborhood/Communities level in terms of neighborhood access to resources.

a. Develop a Figure which depicts an ecological framework that includes the: (1) long-term outcome you’ve identified in 1a-b; (2) short-term outcome you’ve identified in 1c; (3) relevant constructs from TPB and SCT as well as relevant neighborhood access constructs that are viable determinants of the short- and long-term outcomes (1 point). Your framework should include multiple pathways – that clarify how constructs/determinants intersect with each other to influence your outcomes.

b. Describe how your framework:

i. Is logical, in terms of: 1) your choice of constructs from TPB and SCT as well as your neighborhood access constructs; and, 2) the relationships you’ve depicted between constructs as well as in relation to outcomes. This section of the assignment allows students to consider whether the framework would “make sense” to non-experts and whether it is plausible. (0.5 point).

ii. Is parsimonious and useful, in terms of how your choice of constructs and relationships fit within existing literature on emergency management among underserved and resilient populations. This section of the assignment allows students to consider how they would justify their decisions in which of a myriad of factors would be most helpful, based on a ‘needs assessment’ and existing theory. (2 points).

iii. Fits within local context, in terms of your hypothetical agency’s resources and your team’s skills. Here, you are providing hypothetical information that would clarify how a local, medium-sized non-profit organization could develop a responsive program to address every construct and relationship in your framework for the priority population you have specified. This section of the assignment allows students to consider what resources and skills would be needed to develop their particular program. (1 point).