Step 1: Reflect on your community and review the Week 1 Practicum Project Health Promotion Topics and Resources document Links to an external site. to select a specific topic (i.e. firearm safety, rather than injury prevention).
Step 2: Select a topic that is a health concern in your community. This topic will be used for your Practicum Project throughout the course. See the Apply My Learning at the bottom of Week 1 Explore Page 2 for an example.
Step 3: Answer the discussion prompts below with explanation and detail.
Paragraph one: Describe your selected topic. Provide a rationale for your topic selection and explain how you determined that it is a significant concern within your community.
Paragraph two: Use the Week 1 Practicum Project Health Promotion Topics and Resources documentLinks to an external site. to review the resources associated with your topic. Explain why professional organizations view the selected issue as a community health concern. Cite at least one outside scholarly source in this paragraph as evidence.
Paragraph three: Describe how the social determinants of health impact your selected topic. Provide two examples.
References: Provide complete references for all citations.
Exploring Food Insecurity as a Community Health Concern in My Local Area
Paragraph One
The selected topic for my Practicum Project is food insecurity. I have chosen this topic as it is a prevalent issue in my community, impacting a significant number of individuals and families. Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. In my community, there are visible signs of food insecurity, such as long lines at local food banks, reports of children going to school hungry, and limited access to affordable, nutritious food options. Through conversations with community members and local organizations, I have gathered insights that underscore the severity of this issue and its far-reaching implications for the overall health and well-being of individuals.
Paragraph Two
According to the Week 1 Practicum Project Health Promotion Topics and Resources document, food insecurity is recognized as a critical community health concern by professional organizations such as the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These organizations highlight the detrimental effects of food insecurity on physical and mental health outcomes, including increased risk of chronic diseases, poor nutrition, and heightened stress levels. A study conducted by Seligman et al. (2010) emphasized the link between food insecurity and adverse health outcomes, further supporting the recognition of this issue as a priority in public health agendas.
Paragraph Three
The social determinants of health play a significant role in exacerbating food insecurity within communities. Economic factors, such as poverty and unemployment, can limit individuals’ ability to afford an adequate diet, leading to food insecurity. Additionally, limited access to grocery stores in underserved areas, known as food deserts, can restrict individuals’ options for obtaining nutritious food. These social determinants of health contribute to disparities in food access and perpetuate the cycle of food insecurity for vulnerable populations within the community.
References
– American Public Health Association. (n.d.). Food insecurity. https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/food-security
– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Social determinants of health: Know what affects health. https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm
– Seligman, H. K., Laraia, B. A., & Kushel, M. B. (2010). Food insecurity is associated with chronic disease among low-income NHANES participants. Journal of Nutrition, 140(2), 304-310.
