importance of being able to measure health behaviors and methods to assess health behaviors in a target population.
READING RESOURCES:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Developing process evaluation questions [Evaluation Briefs No. 4]. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/evaluation/pdf/brief4.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). Evaluating your strategic plan [Evaluation Briefs No. 5]. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/evaluation/pdf/ertnews_spring09.pdf
Chriqui JF, Schneider L, Chaloupka FJ, Gourdet C, Bruursema A, Ide K & Pugach O. (2010). School District Wellness Policies: Evaluating Progress and Potential for Improving Childrens Health Three Years after the Federal Mandate. Health Policy Center, Institute for Health Research and Policy,
Mokdad, A.H. & Remington, P.L. (2010 July). Measuring health behaviors in populations. Preventing Chronic Disease, 7(4), A75. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/jul/10_0010.htm
Optional Readings
Committee on Health and Behavior: Research, Practice, and Policy, Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health (2001). Organizations, communities, and society: Models and interventions. Health and behavior: The interplay between the biological, behavioral, and societal influences (pp. 241-264). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9838&page=241
Committee on Health and Behavior: Research, Practice, and Policy, Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health (2001). Evaluating and disseminating intervention research. Health and behavior: The interplay between the biological, behavioral, and societal influences (pp. 274-309). Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Retrieved from http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9838&page=274
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:
According to Mokdad & Remington (2010), “health behaviors are a leading cause of illness and death in the United States” (p. 1). Reflecting on this statement, write a paper (3 pages) discussing the importance of being able to measure health behaviors and describing methods to assess health behaviors in a target population.
The following items in particular will be assessed:
- Discuss reasons for measuring health behaviors.
- Identify at least two methods to assess/measure smoking behaviors among adolescents in your community.
- In your opinion, do you agree or disagree that measurement of health behavior is useful for program planning. Defend your position by providing empirical evidence.