Module 3: Health Policy Problem Statement 

At the conclusion of this module, participants will be able to:

• identify a health issue.  
• synthesize a health policy problem statement.
• distinguish between the health issue and health policy.

1. Why is the health care/public health an issue in the community?
2. Why is this policy of concern?
3. Who is this important to and why?
   1. Stakeholders
   2. Community members
   3. Policymakers

Review research by conducting a literature review on the issue or problem, review best practices in this area as well as an environmental scan to comprehend what is occurring with the health issue or problem to learn about the policy or policies in place. Focus on describing the policy, what is the policy, the target population, as well as how the policy has multidisciplinary impacts. The different multidisciplinary impacts are epidemiological, medical, ethical, economic, and political. This section should show a good understanding of the policy. Think about the impacts and answer the following questions when assessing why the policy is a concern: think about the policy lever (legislative, administrative, regulatory), who is implementing this policy (government or institution)? How does the policy function? Is this a mandatory policy, and how is it enforced, is there specific funding, and who is responsible for the administration of the policy? And finally, what are the objectives of the policy? Why does this policy exist in the first place? When you can answer these questions, you will develop the problem statement. A clear and concise statement (short paragraph) that includes duration, comparability, and specificity. It depends on how broad or narrow you would like to be.