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Instructions

Health Case Study Assignments

• These assignments are designed to allow you to apply social determinants of health with health behavior change theories/models. They are brief writing assignments designed to help you individually apply the theories in a way you will often be tasked with as a public health professional.

Instructions for Health Case Studies #1

Students will examine a short vignette, reflect on provided questions, and then follow writing instructions to write their health case study papers. These will be shorter papers with word count between 500-800 words.

• The assignment is worth a total of 6.6% of your overall course grade.
• Paper must be submitted via UB learns by 11:59pm EST on Friday, February 13.

1. Format
2. Answer the first question on the overall health behavior change theory/model as applied to the vignette in a brief paragraph about 200-300 words.
3. Vignette

• You have graduated with your public health degree and are working for a county health department. Your county just received a grant to increase preventive cardiovascular disease care in a specific zip code. Your boss has asked you to create a program to encourage weekly blood pressure checks. You have to ensure that your program/intervention is based in theory.

1. Complete the health behavior change theory chart.
2. Example at end of description and in weekly folders
3. Answer the two population scenarios each should be a paragraph about 150-250 words.
4. A middle-aged Black woman (with 2 elementary school aged children)
5. A low-income 70-something Indigenous single mom with one child in middle school
6. Include any references used.
7. Questions

• Question to answer in paragraph 1 before chart: How does the health behavior change theory apply to the vignette? (Your choices for this HCS are HBM or TPB.)

1. Think about why you picked the health behavior change theory you have chosen versus the other option for this assignment.
2. Hint: This should not be something like, because I know this theory better. Rather try thinking about the root of the theory and why it will work better for this health behavior.
3. Remember, in formal writing, one should not use I language.
4. Why are the constructs useful for shifting behavior in this specific situation?
5. Think of this as the root and leaves/fruits/nuts/flowers worksheets all theories are unique and useful but in differing ways. The goal is for you to explain to Dr. B and the TA how you understand that uniqueness of each theory.
6. Hint: The constructs are designed to shift specific types of behavior. Think about how we have frequently noted that the health belief model is best for primary prevention versus other theories that work better for different types of prevention or health behaviors.
7. Hint 2: You do not need to and should not address every construct in your paragraph, you do not have space for that, that is why the chart is there to show you understand the constructs.

• Question to answer in 2 paragraphs after chart: How do you apply this vignette and theory/model to the following populations (must answer for both):

1. A middle-aged Black woman (with 2 elementary school aged children)
2. this family may have a large grocery bill with two children who are in an age of growth spurts
3. AHA ( recommends people at high-risk for HBP monitor their blood pressure at home regularly.
4. Think about red-lining, grocery store access, food deserts/swamps/apartheid. And other preventive measures such as physical activity, primary care check-ups, and how accessible or inaccessible these may be for the population.
5. Think about cost of at-home blood pressure machines vs. stopping at Tops, Pharmacy, or other places where there are free blood pressure checkers. How long would travel take? Does insurance cover devices? How does someone track their blood pressure?
6. Consider what Buffalo neighborhoods this person may live in? How easy or difficult would a healthcare provider recommendation of monitoring blood pressure at home be in any given neighborhood?
7. A low-income 70-something Indigenous single grandma care-taking one child in middle school
8. Think about work, family, and social obligations that this person may have.
9. CDC recommends: 3 cups of dark green vegetables a week.
10. Think about reservation food access. Think about inflation and cost of vegetables compared to other foods. Think about knowledge of cooking and cultural norms around types of food eaten. And other preventive measures such as physical activity, primary care check-ups, and how accessible or inaccessible these may be for the population.
11. Think about cost of at-home blood pressure machines vs. stopping at Tops, Pharmacy, or other places where there are free blood pressure checkers. How long would travel take? Does insurance cover devices? How does someone track their blood pressure?
12. Is access different on the Reservation?

Health Behavior:___________________________

Health Belief Model Constructs

Health Behavior root

List one way you could influence behavior through manipulation of this construct (be creative these dont need sources)

Perceived Susceptibility to Disease

Perceived Severity of Disease

Perceived Benefits of Preventive Action

Perceived Barriers to Preventive Action

Perceived Self-Efficacy

Cues to Action

OR

Health Behavior:___________________________

Theory of Reasoned Action Constructs

Health Behavior Root

List one way you could influence behavior through manipulation of this construct (be creative these dont need sources)

Attitude Toward Behavior

Behavioral Beliefs

Outcome Evaluations

Subjective Norm

Normative Beliefs

Motivation to Comply

Theory of Planned Behavior Constructs

Perceived Behavioral Control

Control Beliefs

Perceived Power