Epidemiological surveillance data can be used to guide public health interventions, support funding, develop policy, and educate the community and specific populations in order to decrease burden. The purpose of this assignment it to analyze, interpret, and disseminate Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) surveillance data to both technical and nontechnical audiences, and provide recommendations for public health action for a selected disease or heath issue using audience-appropriate language and information.
Select a MMWR health issue published within the past 5-10 years to disseminate data to a technical and nontechnical audience. Select a technical audience, such as public health practitioners, clinicians and other health care providers, policymakers and other decision makers, and a nontechnical community group or target population. Provide the reason for the dissemination from the following, be specific, and provide details tailored to your data and health issue:
- Educate about recent findings or accomplishments.
- Elicit immediate action.
- Solicit support or participation.
- Justify program/prevention activities.
- Prepare for an upcoming intervention or program.
- Provide rationale to develop new policy or support current policy.
For the technical audience, create a PowerPoint presentation (10-13 slides) to disseminate surveillance data from the MMWR report for a selected purpose using the slide headings outlined below. Include speaker notes for each slide. For your final slide, develop an educational “fact sheet” about the issue that is appropriate for a nontechnical community group or target population.
Add two additional slides for the Title and References slides.
Refer to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), “Introduction to Public Health Surveillance,” and “Data Dissemination” to assist you in completing this assignment.
PowerPoint Headings
- Title Page: Include your health issue topic which identifies a specific technical and nontechnical audience and group member names.
- Audience Appropriate Data Dissemination (1-2 slides): Explain the importance audience appropriate messages for data dissemination. Identify your health issue, technical and nontechnical audiences, and the reason for the dissemination
- Data Collection (1-2 slides): Identify and describe a MMWR for a health issue and the data collection timeframe and methods.
- Data Analysis (1-2 slides): Summarize the data and document the magnitude of the health issue using descriptive statistics (person, place, time), rates, include tables, graphs, maps, or charts.
- Data Interpretation (1-2 slides): Summarize the report results and provide the implications for public health practice.
- Recommendations for Action (1-2 slides): Provide recommendations or support for policy, policy development, funding for screening or implementation of an intervention or program to address the health issue. Include the factors (e.g., unique behaviors, exposures, or environmental factors) that contribute to the health issue that will be addressed.
- Fact Sheet: Data Dissemination to a Nontechnical Audience (1 slide): On the last slide of your presentation, create an audience appropriate fact sheet that explains and brings awareness to the health issue and the steps in addressing/mitigating the health issue for a community group or population. Include both text and photos, images, or illustrations to make it eye catching and compelling.
- Conclusion (1 slide)
- References page
You are required to cite to a minimum of three sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and public health content.
Benchmark Information
This benchmark assignment assesses the following programmatic competencies:
MPH 2.1; MSN Public Health Nursing 6.2
Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
