PUBH6001: Health Policy and Advocacy

Assessment Task 

In this assessment, you will select and research an appropriate Australian public health issue and  write two evidence-based blog posts (Part A: 500 words +/–10%; Part B: 600 words +/–10%) as well  as a 230-character Twitter summary for both. 

In Part A, you will outline the public health issue selected and then discuss the related health policy  environment, and in Part B, using the same public health issue, you will present a range of evidence based policy solutions and argue for the most appropriate policy response. 

Please refer to the Task Instructions (below) for details on how to complete this task.  Context 

Social media is becoming an increasingly important tool for communicating health promotion  information, policy positions and advocacy for many public health professionals and organisations.  In this context, social media is a way of connecting with a broader and more diverse professional and  public audience. In your role as a public health professional, you will be expected to keep up to date  with the latest evidence on a range of policy issues, and in many instances, you will need to  summarise and provide professional commentary on these issues. As such, the ability to write clear  and succinct content that is suitable for a diverse range of audiences is an essential skill. 

Task Instructions 

Part A: The Role of Public Health Policy 

To complete this assessment task, you will need to: 

Research an Australian public health issue that is of interest to you. What is the issue, and what part  of the population does it most affect?  

Explore the current health policy environment that surrounds this issue. Consider the following: 

• Has this issue reached the government’s agenda? Is the government doing anything to solve  this issue? 
• Has the government introduced any health policies to address this issue? 
• Are any such policies adequate? Are they equitable? 
• What are the policy gaps driving or contributing to this issue? 

Write a clear and succinct blog post (500 words) that discusses the above factors. 

You also need to write a 230-character Twitter post that links to this blog. You may use relevant  public health hashtags that will draw people to your post. Remember that you are writing this  content as a public health professional (this is not a personal opinion piece); thus, you must write in  a manner that is appropriate to this brief and suitable for all audiences. 

Ensure that you: 

• Show an understanding of policy definitions; 
• Highlight the most important statistics; 
• Link this issue to policy change—What would you suggest needs to be done; 
• Identify your target audience—How will you attract their attention; and 
• Write in a way that best represents you as a public health professional.

Part B: Role of Public Health Advocacy 

Now that you have gained an understanding of how to use social media to raise awareness about  your selected public health issue, it is time to use the same social media platforms (your blog and Twitter account) to present your preferred policy solution (based on evidence). This type of  advocacy requires you to create a heading that will attract attention and develop an argument as to  why you think this is the best way to improve the situation for those experiencing the public health  issue you have selected. 

To complete this assessment task, you will need to: 

• Build on Part A to advocate for your preferred evidence-based policy solution; 
• Write a short blog post on the topic (600 words); and 
• Write a Twitter post to link to the blog post. 

Ensure that you: 

• Demonstrate an understanding of public health advocacy definitions; 
• Highlight two or three evidence-based policy options; 
• Create a catchy headline; 
• Argue for your preferred policy solution; 
• Identify your target audience—How will you attract their attention; and 
• Write in a way that best represents you as a public health professional. 

Remember that you are writing this content as a public health professional (this is not a personal  opinion piece); thus, you must write in a manner that is appropriate to this brief. 

For more information on academic skills, visit the following website  

https://library.torrens.edu.au/academicskills_ap/blogs 

Referencing 

It is essential that you use appropriate APA style to cite and reference your research. For more  information on referencing, visit the Academic Skills webpage. 

Submission Instructions 

Submit your Assessment via the Assessment 1 link in the main navigation menu in the PUBH6001:  Health Policy and Advocacy Blackboard portal. 

Your learning facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal. Feedback can  be viewed in My Grades. 

Academic Integrity  

All students are responsible for ensuring that all work submitted is their own and is appropriately  referenced and academically written according to the Academic Writing Guide. Students also need  to have read and be aware of Torrens University Australia Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure  and subsequent penalties for academic misconduct. These are viewable online.