Hca 415 Entire Course (Community & Public Health)

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HCA 415 Week 1 DQ 1 Historical Contributions of Public Health

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Historical Contribution of Public Health. Look over the definitions of public health in this week’s reading and describe its main features. In your opinion, what two features have had the greatest impact on improving health status and quality of life throughout history? Explain why you selected these features and provide examples to support your opinion.

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HCA 415 Week 1 DQ 2 Poverty and Health

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Poverty and Health. The health status of populations is influenced by many factors. When considering poverty, answer the following questions:
a. Is poverty a cause of poor health in a community, or is poor health a cause of poverty?
b. How would different views of this question influence public health policy?
Explain your opinion using specific examples. Compare and contrast at least two types of measurements used to assess and /or report health-related findings. Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format.

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HCA 415 Week 2 DQ 1 U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues

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U.S. Health Care System Critical Issues. The size, scope, and complexity of the U.S. health system makes it difficult to deliver quality care to all of its citizens. What do you believe are the three most critical issues facing the health care system in the United States today? Explain and justify your response.
What major forces are most likely to fuel further movement toward major health care reform in the Unites States?
In order to help you gain insight and formulate your response you may want to visit these websites of major health organizations:
a. American Medical Association. (http://www.ama-assn.org)
b. American Hospital Association. (http://www.aha.org)
c. American Nurses Association. (http://www.ana.org)
d. American Association of Medical Colleges. (http://www.aamc.org)
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format.

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HCA 415 Week 2 DQ 2 Role of Prevention in Health Status

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Role of Prevention in Health Status. This week we read about the role that prevention plays in the health of a population. Reflecting on the reading, discuss the following questions about preventative services:
a. Is an ounce of prevention still worth a pound of cure in the United States? If not, what is the relative value of prevention, in comparison to treatment?
b. What role, if any, has the recent growth of managed care strategies played within the health sector?
c. Discuss the relationship between preventative intervention strategies and intervention strategies aimed at health or illness.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format

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HCA 415 Week 2 Public Health and the Law

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Public Health and the Law. In the United States, prior to the 1930s, public health efforts were primarily undertaken at local and state levels. After the Great Depression, the federal government was called upon to intervene on behalf of its vulnerable populations. Since that time, debates over federal versus state roles in public health efforts have taken center stage in government and politics (Turncock, 2012, 79).
For this assignment, you will examine the role of state and federal government as it relates to motor vehicle safety. Review the case study Motor Vehicle Safety in your course text. Provide a brief description of laws associated with motor vehicle safety at the federal level and for your own state. Identify what type of law it is (e.g., constitutional, legislative, administrative, or judicial). How do these laws relate to public health services (e.g., health promotion, wellness and prevention, early detection and prompt treatment, disability limitation, and rehabilitation)?

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HCA 415 Week 3 DQ 1 Tools for Assessing Community Health

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Tools for Assessing Community Health. The Institute of Medicine report released in 1998 described three public health core functions: assessment, policy development, and assurance. (Turnock, 2012, p. 107) For this discussion, you will examine tools used to assess the health of a community.
Please choose one of the tools below that is used for community health assessment:
a. Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (M.A.P.P.)
b. Planned Approach to Community Health (P.A.T.C.H.)
c. Community Health Improvement Process (C.H.I.P.)
Describe the tool and explain what role this tool plays in carrying out public health’s core functions and services at the local level.

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HCA 415 Week 3 DQ 2 Essential Services

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Essential Services. Maternal and Child Health (M.C.H.) services are one of the basic services of local public health efforts. M.C.H. core services include: pre-natal care, post-natal care, neonatal care, and supervision of the health of school children. Select one of these core services and answer the following questions about the assurance of these public services:
a. How does a public health system ensure that services are provided?
b. What barriers exist to the provision of services? How are they being addressed?
c. What are the ethical considerations for providing these services?
Provide concrete examples to support your discussion. Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format.

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HCA 415 Week 3 Emergency Preparedness and Response

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Emergency Preparedness and Response. Your course text defines bioterrorism as “the threatened or intentional release of biologic agents for the purpose of influencing the conduct of government or intimidating or coercing a civilian population to further political or social objectives” (Turncock, 2012, p. 122). In this paper, you will evaluate the roles and responsibilities of local, state, and federal public health organizations in emergency preparedness and response during a bioterrorism event.
First, select one of the following bioterrorism threats:
a. Anthrax
b. Small pox
c. Food safety
d. Water safety
Next, answer the following questions:
a. What are the basic functions of the federal, state, and local level during this bioterrorism event?
b. What public health resources are available to address this bioterrorism threat at the federal, state, and/or local level?
c. What role does communication play during an emergency response? Identify at least two strategies that can be used to i

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HCA 415 Week 4 DQ 1 Individual Rights versus Societal Rights

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Individual Rights versus Societal Rights. Prevention is a hallmark of public health. Primary prevention uses interventions such as vaccinations, anti-smoking campaigns, and motor vehicle safety laws (e.g., wearing seatbelts, wearing helmets) to prevent disease and injury. Primary prevention has a direct impact on an individual’s right to choose.
How can public health implement prevention strategies to improve community health while respecting the rights of individuals in the community? Provide specific examples to support your position.

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HCA 415 Week 4 DQ 2 Affordable Care Act

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Affordable Care Act. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed comprehensive health reform, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, into law. The primary purpose of the health reform is to improve the nation’s health. As we have read, access to preventative care is shown to improve the overall morbidity and mortality of a population. One of the provisions of the act is to require all U.S. citizens to purchase health care insurance by the year 2014.
In your opinion, is it ethical to require medical insurance coverage for all citizens? Explain your answer and provide examples to support your position.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format

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HCA 415 Week 5 DQ 1 Science versus Social Policy

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Science versus Social Policy. According to Turnock (2012), “further gains in health status may be less related to science than to social policies” (p. 266). Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why or why not? Provide at least three specific reasons to support your position.
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format

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HCA 415 Week 5 DQ 2 Public Health Achievements

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Public Health Achievements. After competing this week’s reading, answer the following questions:
a. What was the most important achievement of public health in the twentieth century? Why?
b. What will be the most important achievement of public health in the twenty-first century? Why?
c. Which of the following barriers will have the greatest negative impact on the effectiveness of public health?
External: public values, economic and resource availability
Internal: fragmented programs, inability to prioritize and focus public health efforts
Your initial post should be a minimum of 250-300 words and utilize at least two scholarly sources, cited in APA format.

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HCA 415 Week 5 Final Project

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Focus of the Final Project
For your Final Project, you will complete an analysis of a public or community health problem that is formatted in either an eight to ten page paper or a ten to twelve slide PowerPoint presentation (not including title and references pages/slides). Your Final Project should demonstrate an understanding of the reading assignments, and class discussions, as well as your own research and application of new knowledge. It must contain the following:
1. Identify a population-based public/community health problem in your county and/or state. Your selection could be based on one of the following:
a. A cultural/ethnic group (e.g. Native Americans, Russians, Latinos, Black Americans, etc.)
b. A disease/disability group (e.g. diabetics, persons with A.I.D.S. [P.W.A.], people with Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.)
c. A health coverage category (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, state run health care programs, Women, Infants, Children [W.I.C.] etc.)
2. Provide a descr