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 & Statistics • 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 post of 400–500 words.
• Person: Describe the population expressing the determinant o How many (percentage of population or rate) are described by this determinant? o How is the determinant expressed in the population (age, gender, education, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics)? o Compare segments of the population (who has the most/least, at greatest/least risk)?
• Place: Describe the location with regard to the determinant o Is the determinant seen more in urban or rural regions? o What other characteristics define the prevalence of the determinant in the region (housing, geography, topography, etc.)? o 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 o 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?) o 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.
