Assignment:
Short Paper: Supporting Health Behavior Change
Many factors combine to influence individual and population health. Individual health behaviors significantly impact overall health. Health behaviors contribute significantly to population health (Booske, Athens, Kindig, Park, & Remington, 2010). Despite knowledge of the compelling evidence of the benefits, actually changing one's health behaviors can be a more complex and challenging process than imagined.
Poly Ryan proposed the Integrated Theory of Health Behavior Change (ITHBC) that purports "health behavior change can be enhanced by fostering knowledge and beliefs, increasing self-regulation skills and abilities, and enhancing social facilitation" (Ryan, 2009, p. 165). Read this article to gain a better understanding of the factors that facilitate health behavior change.
For this assignment, you will select ONE health behavior change that can positively impact population health in general. The health behavior does not necessarily relate to your CHA or CHIP health concern or population. You may want to select a health behavior change that you have considered making yourself.
Submit a brief paper (2 pages, in APA format) that addresses the following:
• Describe the targeted health behavior, and summarize the impact of that health behavior on chronic conditions.
• Summarize the ITHBC and describe how it can be used to facilitate health behavior change.
• Design at least two specific interventions to support health behavior change that reflect the ITHBC (or critique two existing programs or interventions using the standards of the ITHBC).