HED 501 Assignment: Conduct a Literature Review on a Public Health Topic
Purpose:
This assignment is designed to develop your ability to locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize public health information. You will conduct a comprehensive literature review on a public health topic of your choice, applying these skills to produce a clear, organized, and evidence-based analysis of the topic.
Instructions:
- Select a Public Health Topic
Choose a topic relevant to public health that interests you and aligns with the course objectives. Examples include:- Obesity prevention in school-aged children
- Vaccine hesitancy in underserved populations
- Access to mental health services for veterans
- Health disparities in rural areas
- Breast cancer screening among migrant farmworkers
- Organize Your Literature Review
Your review must include the following sections (headings):
1. Locate Information
- Describe the process you used to search for public health information on your topic.
- Identify the library databases, search engines, or sources you consulted (e.g., PubMed, Google Scholar, CDC website).
- List the search terms, keywords, and any filters (e.g., date, peer-reviewed) you applied.
2. Use Information
- Summarize the key findings from the sources you identified.
- Clearly outline the public health issue, affected populations, and any interventions or solutions discussed in the literature.
- Include evidence-based data, such as statistics, study outcomes, or recommendations.
3. Evaluate Information
- Critically assess the quality, reliability, and validity of the information you found.
- Discuss the credibility of the sources, including the authors, institutions, and publications.
- Identify any gaps, limitations, or potential biases in the research.
4. Synthesize Information
- Combine the findings from multiple sources to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
- Highlight patterns, trends, or contrasting perspectives within the literature.
- Draw conclusions about the implications for public health practice or policy and suggest areas for future research.
- Format and Cite Sources
- Your literature review should be 3-4 pages in length (excluding references), double-spaced, in APA format.
- Include a reference list citing at least 10 peer-reviewed articles or credible public health sources. Reference list does not count towards the page count of the literature review.
- Submit Your Work
Upload your completed assignment to the designated platform by the due date. Ensure your submission is well-organized, free of grammatical errors, and adheres to APA guidelines.