Topic - Childhood Obesity

Introduction

This proposal development assignment is intended to facilitate: (1) learning the steps of the health promotion program planning process based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model; (2) applying the planning process to a specific health issue in a meaningful way; (3) gaining experience in health promotion program proposal development; and (4) applying a systematic, socio-ecological approach to addressing public health problems.

Projects that are proposed must select one primary behavioral focus that clearly impacts one health issue from the following list in a specific population and setting:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Unintended injuries
- HIV/AIDS
- Other sexually transmitted infections
- Unintended pregnancies

Philosophy and Background
Health is affected by many factors. The health promotion program planning process involves a systematic approach to identifying and prioritizing relevant factors that affect health; devising a focused approach to address those factors; and evaluating implementation and effectiveness of the program. Planning models, such as PRECEDE-PROCEED, should be considered a guide to program development, not an absolute directive.

Program proposals should reflect objectives and program activities that are consistent with Healthy People 2020: should reflect prevention approaches to health programs. The following are guiding principles for health promotion and education program development:

1. For most people good health per se is not a priority; rather, most value the ability to interact with others, be productive in work or family activities, and enjoy life.

2. Program proposals should present a persuasive argument for why funding should be allocated to address the selected health problem in a specific population.

3. Health is affected by environmental, behavioral, and non-behavioral (genetic) factors. These broad influences should be recognized even though the program will focus on behavioral factors.

4. The program, behavioral and educational/ecological objectives, intervention strategies, and evaluation plan should be guided by a conceptual model and should be clearly connected.

5. Health education and promotion strategies recommended in the program proposal should address multiple influences on behavior and reflect theory, evidence and "best practices."

6. The health promotion program should consider important contextual influences for the chosen population and setting.

Content and Format of Proposal. The application must include the following information:
A. Cover Page with abstract (form included)

B. Key Personnel. A description of key personnel and their roles in developing, implementing, and evaluating the proposed program.
C. Proposal Narrative. Describing the key elements of the proposed project. The narrative must contain the following elements/sections:

(1) Introduction: Health Condition, Population, and Setting
(2) Justification of Health Problem Focus (Based on Social and Health Assessments).
a. Quality of life issue/Establishing need
b. Overview of health problem (national/state/local data)
c. Description of primary target population/Setting
d. Key stakeholders and change agents and relationship with program planners
e. Health goal and objective
- Primary indicator for evaluation

(3) Behavioral and Environmental Assessment
a. Overview of behavioral and environmental risk factors
b. Justification of selected behavioral factors in population and setting
c. Behavioral objectives
- Primary indicator for evaluation
d. Environmental factors (context)

(4) Ecological & Educational Assessment
a. Multi-level influences on behavior: predisposing, enabling and reinforcing (PER) factors
b. Justification of selected PER factors in population and setting
c. Ecological & educational objectives
- Primary indicators for evaluation
d. Problem theory (conceptual model)
(5) Intervention Alignment and Strategies to Address Influences on Behavior
a. Setting factors and working with stakeholders and change agents
b. Program components and description
c. Theory and evidence-based strategies to address multi-level influences on behavior
d. Implementation plan
e. Implementation monitoring plan (process evaluation)
f. Timeline of program activities
g. Action theory

(6) Summary of Evaluation Plan
a. Evaluation of health, behavioral, ecological & educational objectives
b. Implementation monitoring plan

(7) Administrative and Policy Assessments
a. Overview of existing resources and new resources needed to implement program and evaluation plans (staff, materials, funds)
b. Probable barriers to implementation and plan for addressing them
(8) Communication Plan
(9) Conclusion/Summary Paragraph

D. Detailed Budget and budget justification (form included)

Use of Funds. Funds may not be used for "one-shot" programs/activities (e.g., health fairs) or the purchase of major equipment (costs > $5,000).

Health Education/Promotion Program Proposal

Provide an overview of your current thinking for your proposal in response to the "Request for Proposal". Guidelines for content are provided below.

1. Study Goal (Purpose): What is the overall outcome that you expect to accomplish by conducting the program

2. Target Population: Who is the program intended to benefit? Who are the participants?

3. Health Issue and Health Behavior: Why does this health issue need to be addressed? How will focusing on this health behavior help address the problem?

4. What are the preliminary plans for what will you do?

Final Proposal: Maximum Length= 25 pages (maximum not including references but including the summary page, budget form, any tables, charts and appendices); double spaced

Building upon class activities and feedback on the concept paper, students will develop a final program proposal.
Describing the key elements of the proposed project. The narrative must contain the following sections:

(1) Introduction: Health Condition, Population, and Setting
- Overview of health condition, population affected, and setting or context for population and program
- Planners' relationship with stakeholders and/or priority population, if any
- Organization and setting/context of planning group

(2) Justification of Health Problem Focus (Based on Social and Health Assessments)
a. Quality of Life Issues/Establishing Need (Social Assessment: Needs/Assets Assessment)
b. Overview of Health Problem (National/State/Local Data)
Should make a strong case for health condition focus in this population including:
- Well-documented prevalence or incidence of a health condition in a population at national, state, or local levels as appropriate
- Comprehensive approach to needs assessment including existing data sources (e.g., surveillance data, statistics, records), quantitative methods (e.g., surveys, health assessment), and qualitative methodologies (e.g., interviews, focus groups) for collecting target group-specific data

c. Description of Primary Target Population /Setting
- Description of population including demographics and context in which they live, work, play, and pray
- Tentative setting in which the program will take place

d. Key Stakeholders and Change Agents and Relationship with Program Planners
- Organization and setting/context of planning group
- Comprehensive list of primary stakeholders including program participants; specific strategies to engage and maintain stakeholders including specific descriptions of what role, if any, stakeholders will play throughout the program

e. Health Goal and Objective
- Clear goal provided; health objective clearly stated & includes specific health condition focus and indicator, population, amount of change in indicator expected, and time frame; expected amount of change based on national or state objectives and/or needs assessment data

(3) Behavioral and Environmental Assessment
a. Overview of Behavioral and Environmental Risk Factors
- Overview of behavioral and environmental factors in population and setting

b. Justification of Selected Behavioral Factors in Population and Setting
- A behavioral focus related to health issue is clearly identified and differentiated from non-behavioral factors and behavioral influences
- Well-documented relationship between behavioral focus of program and health condition that makes a strong case for behavioral focus in this group
- Provides evidence for feasibility of changing behavior in this population /setting

c. Behavioral Objectives
- Clearly stated and measurable objective that includes specific population, behavior and indicator, amount of change in indicator expected, and time frame
- Amount of change expected based on national or state objectives and/or needs assessment data

d. Environmental Factors/Context
- Key environmental factors contributing to health in the target group are clearly identified and documented; program participation is clearly described

(4) Ecological & Educational Assessment
a. Multi-level Influences on Behavior: Predisposing, Enabling and Reinforcing (PER) Factors
- Predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors that influence the target behavior are identified
- Factors clearly reflects at least three, separate levels of influence (e.g., intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organizational, public policy)

b. Justification of Selected PER Factors in Population and Setting
- Clearly documented association between educational/ ecological factors and behavior focus in this or similar population (with theory, evidence)
- Provides clear evidence for feasibility of changing these factors in this population and setting.

c. Ecological & Educational Objectives
- A measurable objectives clearly written for each influence variable; includes specific population, educational/ ecological factor and indicator, amount of change in indicator expected, and a time frame
- Amount of expected change is justified

d. Conceptual model
- Factors influencing behavior organized into a conceptual model reflecting theory-based constructs

(5) Intervention Alignment and Strategies to Address Influences on Behavior
a. Program delivery
- Describe how program will be carried out in setting, includes change agents and other stakeholders
- How participants will be recruited and maintained in the program
- Describe capacity development activities including training for change agents, staff or others

b. Program Components and Description
- All program components or elements are clearly described, including materials, equipment, and media

c. Theory and Evidence-Based Strategies to Address Multi-level Influences on Behavior
- Primary intervention strategies are clearly described for all levels of influence (to impact all education and ecological objectives)
- Strategies derived from theory and evidence-based sources; based on conceptual model

d. Implementation Monitoring Plan
- Describes process objectives or questions that relate to primary program components
- Describe data collection, assessment of dose and reach, how data will be used to keep program on track

e. Time Line of Program Activities

(6) Administrative and Policy Assessments
a. Overview of Existing and Needed Resources Needed to Implement Program and Evaluation Plans (staff, materials, funds)
- Basic budget outlining and justifying major requirements for carrying out and evaluating the program; essential staff, materials needed and the role(s) of key partners if applicable identified

b. Probable barriers to Implementation and Plan for Addressing
- Identification of specific setting(s) for program; comprehensive and appropriate list of issues likely to affect program implementation
- Strategies for addressing the issues identified above; strategies are proactive, appropriate, and realistic.

(7) Summary of Evaluation Plan
a. Evaluation of health, behavioral, ecological & educational objectives

b. Implementation monitoring plan

(8) Communication Plan

(9) Conclusion/Summary Paragraph

Attachment:- Assignment Guidelines.rar

Attachment:- Concept Paper.rar