531 Class Assignments

All individual assignments should be posted to the class drop box by 8:00 am on the day they are due. The dropbox ULR is:

Public Health Nutrition Programs & Organizations

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to use systematic frameworks to analyze public health nutrition initiatives
2. Students will be able to organize and synthesize information from several sources into a concise document (one-pager described below) and presentation.
3. Students will be able to utilize public health nutrition resources for individuals and populations in their work.

Process:

1. Students will sign up for a public health nutrition program or organization on the first day of class.
2. Students will gather the following information from legislation, published evaluations, materials provided by the program/organizations, peer reviewed literature, key informants, commentaries and critiques

• Why is there a need for the program/organization.  Describe the conditions that lead to the initiative.  For program/organizations that serve people, include information about numbers of people affected by problems the program addresses, potential adverse outcomes the program/organization is designed to prevent, etc.
• What are the mission, goals, and objectives of the program or organization?
• Identify the influences from the framework from the article by Story et al that this program/organization addresses. (circle on this slide)
• Identify at least one HP 2020 goal that is addressed by this program/organization.
• What might a logic model for this program/organization look like?
• If this is a program that provides services, who is served by the program/organization?  What are the criteria for receiving services?   How many are served by the program at the local, state, and national level?
• Who advocates for this program/organization?
• Who are the stakeholders?
• Describe any opposition to this program or criticism of this program/organization.
• What are the legislative/regulatory and/or non-profit structure and history of the program?  Are there proposed changes in regulations?
• How is the program/organization funded?  Is current funding adequate to meet needs?  Are there proposed changes in funding?
• If this program includes services other than nutrition, how is nutrition integrated into the larger program/organization?
• What role do nutrition professionals play in this program?
• How is the program/organization marketed to potential clients, the community, legislators?
• Has the program been evaluated?  What performance measures or outcome measures where used?  Was the program/organization found to be effective?
• How does one contact the program/organization to receive services, join the coalition, participate in advocacy efforts?
• What opportunities does this program/organization offer for UW students for concurrent fieldwork placements, practicum experiences, and thesis research?

3. Students will make a 10 minute presentation to the class that covers the points listed above and will prepare a one page hand-out to distribute to the class.

Evaluation

Science to Policy Paper

Objectives

• Students will be able to summarize complex basic scientific information so that it is easily understood by a well informed adult who is not a nutrition scientist.
• Students will be able to access clinical and population-based guidelines and recommendations for nutritional practices that are based on nutritional science.
• Students will be able to develop potential policies that are feasible within the context of current political and social environments.
• Students will be able to analyze the policy environment and determine who will oppose or support these policies.

Nutritional Sciences to Policy Framework

Template for Science to Policy Proposal

Science to Policy Paper Process

Process

1. Choose a nutrition topic that is the subject of active research and policy deliberations.
2. Prepare a proposal for this paper using the template from above and make 4 copies to share with your peers on January 31.  Also post a copy of the completed proposal to the course dropbox before class on January 31.
3. Describe the state of the science about this topic including recent peer-reviewed meta-analysis, well done reviews, any rigorous clinical trials with adequate power and designs, etc.  Describe the current state of this evidence and outline any limitations of current knowledge.  Provide a short summary that can be understood by a well informed adult who is not a nutrition scientist.
4. Discuss clinical or population-based applications of the basic science.  Support this discussion with research, guidelines or recommendations that have been based on evidence about this nutritional issue.
5. Discuss policy implications of the science about this topic.  Are there existing policies in the US?  In other countries?  What is the impact of existing policies?  What additional research is needed to support policy change? 
6. Recommend at least one policy change.  Who would support this change?  Who might oppose this change?  What steps could be taken to initiate this policy change?
7. Compile these elements into a 5 page double spaced document as a policy brief that is intended to inform someone who might be making decisions about policy development in this arena.  The 5 page limit does not include a cover page and references.  Revise to make the information accessible to a non-expert.  Edit for simplicity and clarity. Delete jargon, passive voice, complicated sentences, extra words, etc. Use appropriate headings, sections and bullets to make it easy to follow each set of information or arguments. Use WA State Plain Talk guidelines.  Indicate readability level at the top of the document's first page.
8. Post the final document to the class dropbox before March 15, 2011.

Timeline

Evaluation:  Criteria for each Component

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