Task:

Assignment Brief – Short Answer Questions

This assignment consists of short answer questions and makes up 40% of the overall mark.

This assignment is intended to assess the following learning outcomes:

1. Critically appraise epidemiological approaches to understanding health and social care needs

2. Systematically summarize and interpret relevant data to inform strategic planning for the health care needs of local groups and communities.

Below are two questions and each has two parts. Please answer all parts in each question. 

Assignment task

There are two questions each with two parts. You need to answer both questions and all parts of the question. The first question is below on page 2 and the second question is on page 3.

Question 1.

A local councillor in Preston has contacted the public health department because they have read in the papers that malignant melanoma is increasing. They want to know if this is correct. Please answer both the sections below.

a) Write a short report for your local councillor describing and critically analysing the trends in incidence of malignant melanoma that you observe in tables 1 and 2 on page 2 in language suitable for a lay person. 

b) Discuss the possible reasons for these trends and outline two recommendations about what could be done to reduce the incidence of malignant melanoma in the local community (Preston)? Support your recommendations with evidence from the literature. 

Question 2.

Please refer to the following paper:

Cherisich MF et al. Maternal morbidity in the first year after childbirth in Mombasa Kenya: a needs assessment. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 

This is an open access paper. You will also find a copy in the assignment folder.

Please answer both sections below, which relate to the methods and findings of this paper.

a) Describe the methods used to collect information on the needs of the women in this study and discuss their strengths and limitations.

b) Propose and justify another research approach which could have been used to assess the needs of women in the first year after childbirth in this setting to inform the development of services for this population

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