A needs assessment is usually always the first step when implementing any kind of program or providing services to the public. This entails identifying who your target population will be, the size of the group you are trying to reach, and which resources are going to be necessary for successfully carrying out the proposed program. It is also important to find out as much information as possible on your target audience and the future program to be implemented through research of related literature, secondary data, and the existing data that is already out there. Further research must be done as well to determine the needs of the target population. This primary data collection and analysis will identify behavioral and environmental factors that influence health. Evaluating these relationships among the target population will give greater insight into their behavioral patterns and the reasons behind their actions and choices regarding their health. In order to be successful in health promotion, we must identify the process in which people learn so that we can educate them in a way that is conducive to the target populations’ learning styles. A great way to measure the effectiveness of a future health education program is to evaluate the effectiveness of existing ones. We must identify and examine all current and potential factors that would improve or impede the health education program or process. 

 

Within Area I, I have had experience within a few subcompetencies when working with my current organization, The Northwest Florida Cancer Control Collaborative (NWFCCC). Within subcompetency 1.1 Plan assessment process for health education/promotion, we have defined our priority population to be assessed (1.1.1) as anyone who has been affected by cancer. This does not only include those who have cancer or who have survived cancer, but also consists of friends and family members of those who have fought cancer, and anyone else who has an interest in spreading and raising awareness about cancer. However, we have limited our reach to eighteen counties within Northwest Florida. I have also created several resource spreadsheets to identify existing and potential resources (1.1.2) to better serve our target population. Through monthly collaborative meetings and conference calls, we are always trying to engage our priority populations, though our members, partners, and stakeholders to plan and participate in various local events where we can reach more people and grow the collaborative (1.1.3). We constantly access existing information and data related to health (1.2) which we share on all of our meeting calls. For example, using Florida Charts, I made a spreadsheet identifying the top three cancers in each county we cover. Lung cancer affects more people in our eighteen counties than any other type of cancer. This was shared with all collaborative members and we are now going to put much focus on tobacco prevention (especially among our youth) and tobacco cessation as well. Also, at a recent event held by the Escambia County Health Department called Ciclovia, we had the chance to collect primary data to determine the needs of the people within our community (1.3). Ciclovia had a huge turnout where we had hundreds and hundreds of surveys filled out and submitted – far beyond the aspiring 35 we set a goal for. Now we are inputting all the surveys into the computer so we can evaluate the results and determine the needs of those community members who attended.

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Artifacts:

Professional Organization Resources

Top 3 Cancers in NWFL Spreadsheet

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