Health educators may be involved in the analysis of a case study to demonstrate how they will implement strategies to address a health issue for a given population. Within a case study, you will find extensive health information that may support the strategies which a health educator may recommend for this health issue. Or, you may find that a different or alternative strategy not mentioned in the case study is supported by the health information provided. Thus, as a future health educator, your health literacy skills whereby you filter, analyze, and interpret health-related information, will be important when reviewing a case study. Furthermore, you may also find that health literacy skills are important when engaged in research and identification of potential sources to assist in your recommendations for health education practice.
For this Assignment, review the Point Mar Case Study provided in this week’s Learning Resources for the Final Project. Select a health issue from this case study to focus on for the Final Project and that you would like to address with a health education program. Reflect on this health issue and consider peer-reviewed literature and data-based resources (e.g., websites, peer-reviewed journals, etc.) that can be used to research this specific health issue.
The Assignment: (1–2 pages)

  • Describe the health issue that you selected from the case study, including an explanation of why this health issue is important for the health education profession.
  • Describe how this health issue should be addressed through a specific health education program.
  • Include a list of 3–5 peer-reviewed literature resources that you are considering using as support for your Final Project.
  • Identify data-based resources or support for this health issue.

Point Mar Case Study Congratulations! You have been hired by the Vista County Health Department as their new health educator. This county has never had a health educator and is only minimally staffed with three public health nurses, a sanitarian, two community health workers and a physician health officer who all occupy the small public health department to which you are assigned. Your resources are limited as this is a relatively poor county economically. Your public health department is located along the Pacific coast in the southern part of the state. The county has an overall population of approximately 100,000 with the main population center located in the port city of Point Mar. Point Mar has a population of 37,500 while the other five towns in the county have populations ranging from 2,000 to 9,300 and, in addition, there are scattered pockets of people living in many unincorporated areas of the county who are involved in a variety of economic pursuits. The principle sources of income for Vista County are derived from agriculture, commercial shipping, fishing, tourism, and small to medium businesses. The population of Vista County is 43% Caucasian, 33% Hispanic, 12% Asian/Pacific Islander, 10% African American, and 2% American Indian. There has been a recent influx of Southeast Asians into Point Mar and there is a regular Latino migrant farm worker population employed in the County’s agricultural areas. In general, the road systems are adequate to connect all the towns in the county. The distances between towns range from 8–20 miles and all towns and most outlying areas have telephone, electricity, sanitation, and water services. In addition, there are two major newspapers, three radio stations, and one cable television station serving the county. Of these, one newspaper, one radio station, and the cable TV station are located in Point Mar. There are three high schools, four middle schools, and five elementary schools in the county with one-third of the children in the county being bussed into these schools. There are three hospitals in the county with two of these (Vista County Hospital and San Sebastian Regional Medical Center) located in Point Mar. There are also ambulance services, fire and police services, and other governmental agencies serving the entire county. Based on your needs assessment you have identified five potential health issues in the Point Mar community. These include:  Periodic outbreaks of food poisoning among the fast food restaurants serving the beach recreational areas of Point Mar  Increasing levels of childhood obesity associated with adult onset type II diabetes  An increase in TB among Asian immigrants that have moved to the area  An increase in Chlamydia infections among teens in the community  High job-related accident rates among Latino dock workers at the port  An increase in accident rates associated with falls among seniors in the community