This document summarizes the goals and research methods for a practical experience project aimed at improving disaster resiliency among at-risk community members. The goals are to reduce the impact of socioeconomic disparities and better prepare the community for disasters. Research methods will include literature reviews on socioeconomic disparities and community resiliency, and working with health and community services officials to identify concerns. Background research has already begun utilizing various databases to understand public health emergency management basics.

1. Response one
The goal of my practical experience project is to improve the
disaster resiliency among at-risk members of the community. I
know that this is a broad initiative, that is unable to be
evaluated without the occurrence of a disaster event, but I
believe the tools provided to the community because of this
project can help to reduce the impact of socioeconomic
disparities in the community. Doing so should not only improve
the overall health of the community but should result in a
community that is better prepared to deal with the effects of
disasters.
Most of the data that I will be using for this project will
be in the form of literature reviews concerning the impact of
socioeconomic disparities on health and community disaster
resiliency. I will also work with the health department officials
in the emergency planning and community health departments to
identify critical areas of concern. Additionally, I will work
with the community services board to discuss the mental health
impacts of disasters and how coping mechanisms can be used to
improve resiliency.
I have begun to collect background research on
resiliency and community health by utilizing SNHU’s Shapiro
Library, Google Scholar, the National Institutes of Health
PubMed website, and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention information database. These sources have provided
me with an understanding of the basics of public health
emergency management .
Response TWO
Identified Problem
Higher rates of tobacco use among active duty service members
compared to the general population that negatively impact
military readiness.
Project Goals

2. Goal 1: Identify appropriate evaluation methods to evaluate
healthcare professional smoking cessation interview methods
and existing smoking cessation program educational materials
and teaching methods by April 7.
Goal 2: Develop questionnaire to ask healthcare providers about
interview methods for smoking cessation by April 7 to use at a
later date.
Goal 3: Describe criteria for selecting data sources and methods
for carrying out data collection procedures to identify factors
affecting the health and needs of the Navy population on the
Naval base in San Diego by April 14.
Goal 4: Choose program for secondary data input and generate
descriptive statistics by April 14 to analyze at a later date.
Goal 5: Use the evaluation method identified in “Goal 1” to
evaluate existing smoking cessation program materials and
teaching methods by attending a smoking cessation class on
April 17 as well as inquiring about secondary data on class
attendance rate.
Goal 6: Analyze descriptive statistics generated in “Goal 4” to
identify depth of health issues and support provided for smokers
and how this population’s health and behavior is affected by
April 28.
Goal 7: Interview 5 healthcare providers about patient smoking
cessation interviews by April 28.
Goal 8: Use the interview data collected to evaluate the
healthcare professional methods used in a smoking cessation
interview by May 5.
Goal 9: Create audience-appropriate public health content that
can be used through motivational interviewing to be used by
healthcare professionals by May 19.
Goal 10: Design a poster board that communicates audience-
appropriate public health content for healthcare professionals by
June 2.
Goal 11: Apply systems thinking tools to analyze smoking
cessation program participation rate and identify ways to
improve by June 9.

3. Goal 12: Apply systems thinking tools to analyze acceptance
and effectiveness of the smoking cessation interview used by
healthcare professionals and identify ways to improve by June
16.
Goal 13: Design an updated smoking cessation interview that
would be used by healthcare professionals as part of the
intervention in “Goal 11” by July 7.
Goal 14: Design an updated population-based intervention
targeted on reducing smoking among Navy personnel by July
21.
The research methods that I am considering measuring
my project’s goals are through internet search, interviews with
healthcare providers, previously collected data from Navy West
Medicine through the Defense Health Agency Care Point
information portal and data collected from the smoking
cessation course. I am considering measuring these methods
because they are readily available at my organization,
convenient, saves time and surprisingly up to date. There were
about 6000 active duty military patients and we were able to
narrow our data down to just the ones that use tobacco products.
The most challenging method will be conducting mini
interviews with other healthcare providers because secondary
data was unavailable for that part of the program I wanted to
evaluate. Thus far, this internship has surely taught me to be
flexible and creative!
I have collected baseline research that describes the
effects of smoking, the differences in social determinants
between the general population and the military population,
general smoking statistics and military smoking statistics as
well as research on some of the more updated methods in
smoking cessation. This research was collected mostly through
online searches and through my supervisor. Lastly, my
supervisor will be sending me the most recent Navy health
assessment for further baseline research
the impact that socioeconomic disparities can have on a
community’s ability to rebound from disaster events.

4. Scenario: You are a new economic analyst recently hired by
White House Foreign Relations Committee to keep the President
updated as to the economic status of countries around the world.
To this end, you are to collect and compile data and information
on two countries: COLOMBIA or PERU plus one more country
of your choosing (except the United States).
In your report to the White House, you are to compare and
contrast the two countries while addressing each of the
following areas:
1. Report on the current rate of INFLATION of your research
countries. How does this compare to inflation in other areas of
the world? (Note: Saying “It’s higher than other areas,” or “it’s
lower than other areas” is NOT sufficient.) Will inflation be a
major concern for your research countries? If yes, please
explain how/why it will affect the economy. If no, explain why
it is not a current concern for the economy.
2. Report on current UNEMPLOYMENT for your research
countries. How does this compare to unemployment in other
areas of the world? (Again, saying “it is higher than other
areas” or “it is lower than other areas” is NOT sufficient.) Do
all people seem to be equally affected by unemployment – i.e.,
are some groups of people more affected by unemployment than
others? (for example, women and minorities often have higher
unemployment than other groups; in some countries,
unemployment differs by region; etc.)
3. Report on the current REAL GDP for your research countries.
How does this compare to other countries’ real GDP? Now
report on the GDP per capita. How does this compare to other
countries’ per capita GDP? Is your research country’s Real GDP
ranking consistent with its per capita GDP ranking? If so, why?
If not, why not?

5. 4. Report on the rate of ECONOMIC GROWTH that your
research countries are currently experiencing. How does this
compare to economic growth in other countries? (Again, “it is
higher/lower than other countries” is NOT sufficient.) Is this
rate of growth consistent with what your country has
experienced in the past (is it currently higher than it has been,
or lower than it has been?)? Why/why not?
5. Of the first four research areas (above), which area(s) do you
feel are the greatest cause for concern for your research
countries? Explain.
6. Include a bibliography of all your sources.
SOURCES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT (These are suggestions to
get you started, but you don’t need to limit yourself to this list;
feel free to locate additional sources. Please note Wikipedia
WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.)
To help you with
Recommended sources:
URL:
Basic data on inflation, unemployment, GDP, GDP per capita,
and growth
CIA Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Unemployment comparisons among groups within your research
country
NationMaster
http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php
For additional insight into the effects of inflation on the
country, the effects of unemployment, if/why
certain groups within the country are more affected by
unemployment than others, etc., it’s good to keep an eye on
current events…

6. The Economist Magazine
http://www.economist.com/
NPR
http://www.npr.org/
The Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/
The Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/home-page
Citing your online sources
Montgomery College Library (Montgomery County, MD)
http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/library/citinginternet.pdf
Creating a bibliography
EasyBib website
http://www.easybib.com/
Discussion five (2 pages)
As previously discussed throughout this course, your practical
experience project’s research will be based on secondary data.
Remember that primary data collection for your project is
outside the scope of this course.
In your initial post, outline how you have been thinking about
collecting data for your project:
· State your identified problem and the goals of your project.
· Describe the research methods that you are considering (e.g.,
interviews, internet search, previously collected data at the
organization) to measure your project’s goals.
· Why are you considering those methods? (In your response,
consider your target population and organization.)
· What research have you collected so far in your project?
· Where did you collect your research?

7. In your responses to your peers, select peers who are working at
a similar organization or with a population similar to the one in
your practical experience (or with a project or initiative in
public health that you might be familiar with from previous
experience or coursework). In your response, explain the
connection you have to your peer’s project. Explain how the
research methods that your peer selected are different from or
similar to yours. What advice would you offer to your peer to
enhance their data collection plan?