bhe226 health communications advocacy mod 3 slp influencing policymakers

The Session Long Project entails going through the process of influencing policymakers. In prior SLP assignments you wrote a letter to “raise a concern” and “oppose a position” or “support a position.” While these are direct ways of influencing policymakers by letter writing, there are additional indirect ways that can also achieve your objectives. Some ways are writing a letter to the editor or “Op-Eds.”

Make sure to review the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council “Writing Op-Eds and letters to the editor” page to help you complete this assignment.

Part 1:

  1. Choose any topic that is related to the category stated in SLP 1 Prescription Drug Misuse/Abuse.
  2. Pick a local newspaper to write to (you can use your hometown paper if you desire). I live in TAMPA, FL. Provide the name of the newspaper and the city.
  3. Write a one-page letter to the editor.

Part 2:

  1. Write one page of text on tips for writing a letter to the editor.
  2. What are some advantages of writing a letter to the editor compared to the letters from prior SLP assignments?

Recap: Your assignment should consist of: A one-page letter to the editor and one page on tips/advantages for writing a letter to the editor.

Length: 2 pages (excluding the cover page and the reference list)

.File format: Your work should be prepared using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel depending upon the assignment instructions. For assignments requiring video or voice recordings, use media formats that are supported by MyTLC Courses as noted in our Trident Support page.

In-text citations and references: Be sure that all information and ideas in your papers are supported by in-text citations and corresponding references at the end of the paper.

Scholarly sources: Online sources must be limited to credible professional and scholarly publications such as peer-reviewed journal articles, e-books, or specific webpages on websites from a university, government, or nonprofit organization (these have extensions .edu, .gov, or .org). Presenting consumer sources such as e-magazines, newspapers, Wikipedia, WebMD, or other commercial websites (these have extensions .com) as references is not appropriate.

Scholarly writing: Use an academic paper format, not an essay based on your opinions or experience. Avoid using the first person in writing. Synthesize what you learned from the sources you read; write papers in your own words; and cite sources within the text, as well as include a properly formatted reference list.

Use of your own words: Your paper should be written in your own words to enable faculty to assess your level of understanding. Avoid the use of direct quotes. Only use direct quotes when preserving the exact words of an author is necessary. In the rare instance that directly quoted material is used, it must be properly cited (with quotation marks and page numbers in the in-text citation); quotes should not exceed 5-10% of the total paper content.

The Writing Style Guide that is linked on the TLC Portal homepage under My Resources will help clarify expectations.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2011). Gateway to health communication & social marketing. Risk communication. Retrieved on August 1, 2016 from http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/risks/index.html

Melanson, M. A., Geckle, L. S., & Davidson, B. A. (2012). Risky business: Challenges and successes in military radiation risk communication. U. S. Army Medical Department Journal, July-September, 82-87. (Use “Academic Search Complete” search engine in the Library Portal)

National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC). (2017). Areas of responsibility for health education specialist 2015. Retrieved from https://www.nchec.org/assets/2251/hespa_competencies.pdf

Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council. (2016). Advocacy toolbox. Retrieved from https://orc.okstate.edu/content/advocacy-toolbox

Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council. (2016). Writing Op-Eds and letters to the editor. Retrieved from https://orc.okstate.edu/content/writing-op-eds-and-letters-editor

Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). (2017). Health education specialist. Retrieved from http://www.sophe.org/careers/health-education-profession

Optional Reading

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2015). Prescription drugs. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/prescription.html

Osimani, B. (2010). Pharmaceutical risk communication: Sources of uncertainty and legal tools of uncertainty management. Health, Risk & Society, 12(5), 453-469. (Use “Academic Search Complete” search engine in the Library Portal)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA]. (2015). Prescription drug misuse and abuse. Accessed at https://www.samhsa.gov/prescription-drug-misuse-abuse

 
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