Health Science

Topic: Health of Virginians

In this learning activity, you will review secondary data sources for details about the health of Virginians. Target 1 Virginia county or community of interest in the following data sources; briefly scan the health assessment information to get a more detailed picture about the health status of Virginians in that specific locale or region. Then, look more closely at the health data concerning 1 of the 5 health ranking determinants you wrote about in Learning Activity 1.

Virginia Department of health data &statistics1

Community Health status Indicators

County Health Rankings

Smart: Brfss Data

Following the principles of epidemiologic inquiry, answer the following questions regarding the information you uncovered about 1 health determinant in your selected county or community. Give your response in a MLA Format

· Person: Describe the population expressing the determinant

· How many (percentage of population or rate) are described by this determinant?

· How is the determinant expressed in the population (age, gender, education, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics)?

· Compare segments of the population (who has the most/least, at greatest/least risk)?

· Place: Describe the location with regard to the determinant

· Is the determinant seen more in urban or rural regions?

· What other characteristics define the prevalence of the determinant in the region (housing, geography, topography, etc.)?

· Compare other locations with the one you selected (how does prevalence compare in neighboring counties, the state, or the nation)?

· Period: Describe the time trends of the determinant

· Over the past few years, has the prevalence rate decreased or increased or stayed about the same? (i.e., is it getting better or worse?)

· Compare the time trends of the state and the nation with those of your location. Are they better, worse, or similar?

· Conclusion: From the information you gathered about the health determinant, describe a priority population in a particular place with a precise problem to address. This will be the focus of a public health intervention you will develop across the remaining learning activities.