Class Project Guidelines Policy and Management of the Health Effects of Climate (40% of the course credit) For this class, you will complete a project addressing mitigation and/or management of a disease/disability or a health risk (that interest you the most) associated with climate, climate change, weather patterns and extreme weather (C2W2) and/or environmental exposures mediated or modified by C2W2. The project will have the following parts: 1. Select a disease/disability/health risk(s) and describe how this risk is directly or indirectly linked with and/or exacerbated by C2W2 2. Identify and describe all potential direct and indirect risk factors associated with the disease/disability/health outcome, including C2W2. Develop a conceptual framework showing the association between these risk factors and disease/disability/health outcome you selected for your project 3. Conduct a comprehensive literature review and document the existing policies, interventions and/or strategies that are being used and/or have been used to mitigate and manage the selected disease/disability/health risk. Identify gaps in the strategies. 4. Select target areas of interventions based on the gaps you identified in the risk mitigation and/or management strategies, and justify this selection, . explain why do you think that the selected target(s) are important to manage the disease/disability/health risk you selected. 5. Develop your intervention/management strategy 6. Develop a systematic plan to implement your strategy 7. Provide a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy NOTE: The focus of your intervention strategies should be on prevention of the disease risks due to C2W2, such risks can be addressed at multiple levels by engaging multiple stakeholders. You do not need to include all levels and/or all stakeholders for this project. An example: climate mediated risk of pollen allergies. We already know that there are many risk factors that are responsible for the onset, persistence and severity of allergies. We also know that changing climate and weather patterns are resulting in prolonged blooming seasons and hence increasing the duration and intensity of (outdoor) pollen exposure. Very high concentration of pollen exposure at an early stage can also sensitize children to pollens and prolonged pollen exposure can increase the severity of allergy (and associated co-morbidities). This is a complex health problem and can be addressed at multiple levels by multiple stakeholders keeping in mind the present and (anticipated) future health risks. All strategies fall under the following four categories: • Eliminate sources of exposure. This is a long-term strategy and requires higher level interventions, such as involvement of local, regional, national and international agencies that can aim to target factors which can reduce pollen levels and/or eliminate their sources. • Avoid or prevent exposure by taking actions to protect from exposure. This requires action by those at risk to completely avoid exposure, . staying indoor when exposure is high or migrating to a place with less pollens, such as Arizona. This can engage other stakeholders including primary healthcare providers who can provide the timely- and important information to those at risk, so that they can take actions to avoid exposure. • Mitigate exposure by taking actions. This requires engaging individuals at risks to take measures that reduce exposure duration and levels, and it may also engage local agencies that facilitate mitigation measures. • Counteract adverse effects of exposure. This requires interventions at an individual level by engaging individuals and healthcare providers in preparing those at risks to take actions, such immunotherapy or medicinal therapies so that exposure does not trigger adverse health effects, meaning does not worsen allergies Written project report (30 points) Report. The final report MUST NOT exceed 8 pages single space including figures/tables but excluding references and/or any instrument. The report must include the following: Introduction ( to 3 pages). This section must include1-3 parts of the project (as on the first page), including a problem statement, its importance and significance, a critique of the literature, gaps in the literature and project aim(s). This section should also include a concept map and its description embedded in the introduction. Material and methods (2-3 pages). This section must describe 4-7 parts of the project (as on the first page), including description of your intervention strategy, its justification supported by the literature, identification of the targeted areas and stakeholders, anticipated present and future impacts and your methodology for the evaluation of your strategies. Make sure to include supporting documents that you develop to implement and/or evaluate your strategy. Results (1-2 pages). This is a semester long-course. Thus, you should have enough time to develop, implement and evaluate a pilot of your strategy. Discussion (1-2 pages). A descriptive summary of your results (if any available). Novel contribution(s) if any, description of the relevant literature and policy and/or health implications of the proposed intervention strategy, limitations of your strategy and future directions. Report evaluation criteria. Report substance (25 points), including introduction, significance of the problem, (anticipated) effectiveness of the proposed strategy, its implementation and evaluation methods and discussion. Writing and presentation (5 points). Report organization, coherent writing and figure/graphic design etc. Oral presentation A power point with 5-8 slides (6 points). Oral communication (2 points) Slide graphic design (2 points) Both a written report and PPT must be uploaded on Blackboard by the due date
Last Completed Projects
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