When asked her definition of community, Belize’s Ministry of Health Information Officer Arlette Sheppard answered, “Well, it’s not defined by boundaries. It’s really defined by the values, the way people communicate, the resources they use . . . They have their own dynamics and we need to work with that” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2012f). What significance does this definition have for public health professionals seeking to plan relevant public health programs? Why might some communities find a given public health issue more relevant than other communities do?
For this Discussion, review the media presentation for this week. Reflect on the concept of community in Planning Public Health Programs in Belize. Then, focus on the public health projects featured in theScholars of Changevideos (see the Learning Resources). Reflect on the scholars’ experiences and how people like you were able to foster social change within their communities. Consider how you might make a positive difference in your community through a public health program.
Then, select a community facing a public health issue that you can use as the basis for a public health program you will feature in your Scholar-Practitioner Project (SPP) for this course. (Refer to the SPP guidelines in this week’s Learning Resources for details.) If you completed Step I of the SPP in PUBH 8450: Community Health Assessment and Step II in PUBH 8440: Application of Public Health and Behavior Change Theories, please refer to that community. If you have not have completed Steps I and II of the SPP, use a community and public health issue you may have investigated from other courses or an issue in which are interested.
Post 3-4 pages of a brief summary of the community and the public health issue you have previously investigated or one in which you are interested. Explain why this is a relevant health issue for the community you selected. Finally, describe a possible public health program that you could develop if you had unlimited resources, and explain how it would address the public health issue.
