Health Messaging

Introduction

Health disparities continue to create challenges in population health. Certain factors contribute to the likelihood of health disparities. It is important that as leaders within population health, you understand these factors and what can be done to help reverse health disparity trends. Eliminating disparities could reduce medical care cost by $230 billion and indirect cost of excess mortality and morbidity by $1 trillion over 4 years (Wilkinson, et.al., 2017).

You are the director of social services, and will be presenting to social services students at a local university. You are asked to explain key factors that contribute to health disparities. You should highlight how data driven approach impacts patients in the scope of population health messaging. You should also be able to explain to the students how health messaging can help to educate patients on health plan adherence. You are tasked with creating an information handout which highlights the key points you want to reiterate to the students. This is an optional lecture for students and you want to engage them with some of the startling statistics that currently influence population health and hopefully peak their interest in the field.

Directions

Carefully Read:

Pettit, M. L., & Nienhaus, A. R. (2010). The Current Scope of Health Disparities in the U.S.: A Review of Literature. Health Educator, 42(2), 47-55.

Wilkinson, G. W., Sager, A., Selig, S., Antonelli, R., Morton, S., Hirsch, G., & … Wachman, M. (2017). No Equity, No Triple Aim: Strategic Proposals to Advance Health Equity in a Volatile Policy Environment. American Journal Of Public Health, 107S223. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.304000

Schutte, D. L., Goris, E. D., Rivard, J. L., & Schutte, B. C. (2016). Community Health Needs Assessment in a Rural Setting: Foundation for a Community- Academic Partnership. Journal Of Higher Education Outreach & Engagement, 20(2), 85-108.

Visit the Healthy People webpage for an overview of issues that impact access to health services:

Access to Health Services. (2018, October 8). Retrieved from Healthy People 2020 Topics & Objectives: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/Access-to-Health-Services#

Initial Post: Based on their observations, in this scenario, and upon a careful review of the available literature, the student is to consider him or herself to be the director of social services for a local health system.
The student is to prepare a formal memo which will go out to local social services students. You should highlight how data driven approach impacts patients in the scope of population health messaging. You should also be able to explain to the students how health messaging can help to educate patients on health plan adherence.

You are tasked with creating an informational memorandum/handout which highlights the key points you want to reiterate to the students. This is an optional lecture for students and you want to engage them with some of the startling statistics that currently influence population health and hopefully peak their interest in the field.