What is the task?
You are required to design a needs assessment plan (on a topic chosen from the list below) that could realistically be conducted in a real-life setting. You need to consider what information you would need to collect, from which group/s in the community, and the most feasible methods for collecting the information.
You are expected to explain and discuss the findings of your research into the topic using the most relevant and up-to-date secondary data.
In outlining the process of your needs assessment you are encouraged to refer to one of the planning frameworks discussed in week 1 (or more than one if you find elements of them you would like to combine). Please note that the planning frameworks cover the entire process for a program plan, so for this assessment task you are only required to focus on the needs assessment steps/section of your chosen framework.
You will not be doing any actual primary data collection (only secondary) but when you outline your proposed primary data collection methods, you will need to include a rationale for why you have chosen these methods and support this with evidence. For example, if you choose to use focus groups to collect information from youth in rural areas, explain why this method was chosen and why it is the most appropriate for that particular group. Your ideas need to be evidence-based and referenced clearly.
It is really important that you watch and listen to the narrated PowerPoint below because it covers more specific detail about the assessment task (slides are in PDF HERE)- attached below
The AT1 rubric is a document you need to refer to before beginning your work and it is HERE- attached below
Topics for assessment tasks (this will be your topic for all 3 assessment tasks):
– Topic 3: STIs amongst people aged 15-29
Each topic relates to a current prominent health concern or topic in Australia, covering a range of issues and population groups and accommodating diverse interests from students in different courses. They are also broad topics, so you may need to consider and specify the scope of your topic. For example, we strongly recommend you focus on a particular Local Government Area (LGA) to ‘hypothetically’ conduct your needs assessment (and therefore your program down the track). Click HERE (attached below) for a map of the LGAs in Victoria. Or you could focus on a particular population group. For example, for topic 1, you might want to focus on bushfires and the mental health of children in bushfire affected communities of Victoria. Another example could be, for topic 3, that you choose to focus on STIs amongst males in years 11 and 12. You can shape these topics how you like – just remember that the findings from your needs assessment will guide the ideas for your program, so as you do your research have in the back of your mind that you will be going on to develop a program to address these findings (to tackle the issue).
Why are we doing this?
Undertaking a needs assessment is the essential process of finding out the contextual information about a community and the first fundamental step in designing and running health programs in a community. For those studying health promotion as a major in Health Sciences, or if you’re doing the PH/HP degree, understanding the process of a health needs assessment and being able to conduct one, are part of the Core Competencies for Health Promotion Practice set out by the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) and the newer Core Competencies and Professional Standards for Health Promotion set out by the International Union of Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). In completing this assessment task you will develop the skills to meet several of the other core competencies, including those relating to research, knowledge and communication and public health in general.
Links to ULOs and GLOs
This task links directly to, and assesses Unit Learning Outcome 2. It also contributes toward the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) of Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities (GLO1), Communication (GLO2), Digital literacy (GLO3), Critical thinking (GLO4) and self-management (GLO6).
Summary of requirements
Topic: Health needs assessment plan
Format: Written plan
Length: 1200 words (+/- 10%)
Unit assessment weighting: 35%
Due date: Thursday, March 28th by 8:00pm via the assignment dropbox
Referencing style: APA7. The minimum number of references is 12.
NOT included in the word count: cover/title page, headings, tables/figures/charts, reference list, appendices.
INCLUDED in the word count: all other written material and in-text citations
