The purpose of this discussion is to collaborate with your peers in an interdisciplinary way to analyze and discuss public health issues. In each of your professional roles, you will be asked questions related to health concepts and controversies. Being able to dialog about them and discuss them openly is a skill that needs to be developed.
In this discussion assignment, take the information you read and heard in the learning activities and class, and transform the concept to tangible real-life thoughts and ideas. In these, you become the expert and teacher!
You have several options to complete this assignment. You can complete it in a:
Written format on your own – you will write out your discussion response to the topic just as you would any other discussion response.
Podcast style discussion (video or not; with or without others). For this option, you have options, as well –
Recorded on your own – this will be more like sharing research and information about your topic instead of a written discussion.
Recorded with a group of classmates – Connect with 2-3 others in your class {3-4 is ideal}. To find your classmates, check out the “people” tab on the left navigation. Record whenever it is convenient for your group. Many have found zoom to work in this and only upload the recording content. Only one of you will post the recording, but should include in the submission who contributed to the podcast (first and last name). You could use the same groups as your online activity groups.
Recorded with others you know – Connect with someone you know to discuss the issue. This could be a classmate in another course, a family member, or friend.
This week we are talking about the perception of risk and it how that perception can or does contribute to people seeking care or taking public health issues seriously. This will tie in to next week where we will talk about mis- and disinformation. Consider, for example, COVID-19 and it first being declared a public health threat under surveillance and then a worldwide concern. This led to the official declaration of it being a global pandemic and the world needing to respond; ideally responding in a unified way. We didn’t see that, though, did we? Some of that is due to perception of risk to a disease.
How does the World Health Organization handle declaration of an outbreak or disease of concern? Listen here to find out a bit more:
WHO’s Science in 5: Public Health Emergency of International Concern
World Health Organization. (2022, October 7). WHO’s science in 5 : Public health emergency of international concern [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbgG4H8mDWg
Task
In order to successfully complete this podcast, you will need to complete the following tasks using the criteria outlined below. Take a bit of time and consider how people perceive public health, public health issues, and any risk to their own health associated with them. Think about why this is a public health problem or concern. Note my somewhat silly scenario below:
Consider this – You have a craving for chocolate chip cookies or some type of doughy goodness. Do you lick the spoon or flat out eat raw cookie dough as you are making them? What is your perception of risk of getting salmonella? We know it’s a risk, but don’t take my cookie dough away! Kidding aside, why did we see people wear or not wear masks, stay home or not, lick the cookie dough spoon or steer clear, go outside and gaze at the sky when we have a bona-fide funnel cloud sighting? Is that just a Midwest thing?
Consider the difference between hazard and risk:
Some specifics if you choose to create a podcast style discussion:
One of you will be the host and guide the questions and discussion, but will also interject thoughts, ideas, etc. The host will introduce themselves, the topic, and the speakers/guests by first name only. The speakers, then, will take turns and introduce themselves and their background. For example, “Hi, my name is Kristyn and I am studying to be a Certified Health Education Specialist” or “Hi, I’m Jen and I am a student Speech Language Pathologist”.
The host will introduce your measure (health issue) as your topic. For example, “On today’s Public Health For Real podcast, our listeners will hear from Kristyn, a student health educator, Jen, a student speech pathologist and our host, Manuel, a student exercise physiologist. We are tackling the tough topic of mandatory COVID vaccines for students entering school.”
No matter if you complete this alone (written or recorded) or with a group (recorded podcast only), be sure to do the following:
After reading, learning in class, and watching the course materials, address the following prompt:
Your discussion will be about infectious disease and how the public perceives their own risk associated with the various diseases. Choose ONE of the following topics:
Legionnaire’s Disease
helpful info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Fast Stats
Hepatitis A
helpful info from the CDC: Viral HepLinks to an external site.
Hep A outbreak response
Listeria
helpful info from the CDC: Listeria outbreaks
Lyme Disease
helpful info from the CDC: Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease data modernization
You want to be sure to include or cover:
Why the issue is important and listeners should care
Details and facts surrounding the issue:
What are the infections or diseases?
How do they occur or how are they transmitted (i.e. water, food, ticks, fecal matter or virus)?
Where do these infections occur most commonly? (i.e. daycares, restaurants, cities, etc.)
Who is most at risk? and why?
When was the last reported concern or outbreak?
What are statistics of the disease (how many affected, where are the outbreaks located)
How are these diseases or outbreaks monitored? (CDC and what platform – is there a surveillance system?)
What has been done most recently and by whom (i.e. state health departments, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and what division)
In your opinion and perhaps via your own experience, what do you believe the public’s perception of these diseases or outbreaks are? (i.e. “that doesn’t pertain to me” to “I better take this very seriously”
Wrap up the discussion or episode by providing a key take away – what is the bottom line people should know or do as result of this information?
Criteria For Success
Initial Post
Your initial discussion or podcast will be evaluated using the following criteria. In the initial post you will:
Uses the weekly materials to construct an academic, thoughtful discussion that addresses the topic in a thorough and logical manner.
Be sure to share where you got the material (i.e. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention….)
Correctly uses key terms and concepts. Thoroughly addresses all components of the prompt. Ideas are clear and on-topic.
Uses language everyone can understand (general audience)
NOTE: If you choose to do a podcast, keep the podcast relatively brief! No more than 15 minutes. Aim for 10-15.