Overview
The Course Capstone Project is a research and analysis project sustained throughout the course. You are expected to complete work on your Course Capstone each week and meet regularly with your learning team for peer feedback. The product of your research and analysis will be a policy statement that meets the guidelines set forth by the APHA Policy Statement Development Process Guidelines. You will choose the focus of your policy statement, conduct research to understand the issue, and support your policy statement with evidence.
Your tasks this week:
Write the following sections of your policy statement:
Rationale for consideration You must address the following:
Explicitly state whether the proposed policy statement intends to update and replace an existing policy statement. List the policy statement numbers of the existing APHA policy statement.
- Does the proposed policy statement address a policy statement gap identified by the Joint Policy Committee (JPC) for the current year? List the policy statement gap indicated for the current year and discuss how the proposed policy statement addresses the policy statement gap.
- Does the proposed policy statement address a public health issue NOT identified by the JPC as a policy statement gap for the current year? Explain why APHA should adopt the proposed policy statement on the public health issue.
- Problem statement. This should succinctly describe the public health problem(s). In developing the problem statement, you should address the following:
- Scientific issues: Proposed policy statements must:
- Describe the extent of the problem, including the health and economic burden to the society, using the best available science and evidence.
State the scientific issue clearly. Use plain English and avoid jargon.
Document the issue as a public health problem using a balanced approach.
Describe any disproportionate impact on underserved populations, as well as ethical, equitable, economic, and political issues if any.
- Provide evidence that indicates that the problem is consistent with or advances the state of the science.
Describe any ethical, equitable, economic, and political issues (when appropriate).