Due date: Each student MUST submit an electronic copy on Canvas before Sunday, Feb, 11:59 pm PT
ONLY Word document format (no PDFs please)!
This assignment will contribute 15 % to your individual final grade
Note: This is an individual assignment even if the group members share the same general topic; each student must submit
their own work. Please review the SFU’s Academic Integrity resources.
Word limit: max 1,600 words (excluding appendices and references). Font: 10pt Arial or 12pt Times New Roman, 1.0-2.0
line spacing is acceptable.
For the first assignment, each of you will prepare a needs assessment to have a deeper and better understanding of a
selected health issue and prepare grounds for potential health promotion intervention. The purpose of this task is to learn
about the health issue, target population/s and start thinking about a potential intervention to address the selected health
issue. We recommend that you finalize the topic by Jan 21 or earlier.
The following points should be covered in your submission (you can choose to have 3 formal headings to cover the
following questions but feel free to organize your needs assessment the way you think it’s most appropriate for your topic).
As described below, you will choose one behavioural aspect of the health issue and address it in your assessment.
TASK: Introduce the health problem, health behavior/s to change and target population for intervention
I. Needs assessment and rationale (~30%) (review of evidence)
What is the [health] issue/problem? Define it as a population health issue [identify and describe]
How prevalent/common is it? [magnitude and epidemiology]
Who is/what groups are most impacted? [characteristics of the affected population/s]
II. Behavioural and environmental determinants of the issue. Selecting a key health behavior/s for
intervention * (~50%)
What are the key behavioural (individual) and social (environmental) determinants of the health
issue? Provide a brief summary of the key known determinants/factors that play an important
role, support your answer with evidence from the scientific literature and other published
resources
Select health behaviour and target audience based on needs assessment results
Consider individual, family, community/institutional, societal determinants of the behaviour
Consider at least one behavioural theory to explain the target behaviours and rationale for
intervention
III. Suggest potential approach to intervention – (20%)
Conclude your needs assessment with “fantasizing” (higher-level thinking, avoid focusing on
details) about your ultimate program “picture” (what is it going to look like to make you proud
and of course achieve the change you were hoping for?)
Yes … fantasize, but remember it has to be informed by and grounded in the assessment
conducted above. You may consider:
i. What are the community strengths/assets/capacities for change? [community capacity]
ii. What has been done thus far to address the problem (research and lay programs)
iii. What are the possible points of leverage for intervention? [target group/s, stakeholders,
funding, etc.].
- Apparently, in the 1,600-word paper it’s practically impossible to cover every behaviour and/or determinant
contributing to the health issue. Select one (no more than two) behaviours for your assessment; be realistic about what
you can cover in this brief “needs assessment” exercise.
Citation style: APA or AMA citation styles are recommended. If you choose to use another style, please be consistent throughout
your paper (marks might be deducted for inconsistent references and citations). Appendices should be clearly labelled and
referenced and do not count towards the page limit.
Note: The file you submit on Canvas should be named in the following format:
“HSCI312 Needs Assessment Your Name” (marks will be deducted for not following this format)
Please submit Word document files only, NO PDFs or other formats. Assignments will be marked and returned electronically through
Canvas.
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