Unit of competency details

Descriptor 

This unit develops the skills necessary to assist particular populations/subgroups of interest/ communities to define and assess their health needs

It develops the ability to carefully work with them to examine the problem being targeted and to understand how and why it occurs

The results from the needs assessment guides the design, planning and evaluation of population health projects or interventions

This unit specifically addresses the second stage of health needs assessment as outlined in Application

Application 

There are two stages in health needs assessment:

• The first relates to the task of identifying and prioritising health problems
• The second relates to translating these national goals into concrete action within local communities

The first stage of needs assessment often lies in the hands of health policy makers and population health professionals

Results of this stage are documented in policy papers or legislation detailing national, state or local health goals and the mobilisation of allocated funds

Recognising that community is the centre of gravity for the promotion of health, the second stage ensures the relevance and appropriateness of programs and offers members of the community a chance to engage in the planning process

Employability Skills 

This unit contains Employability Skills

Elements define the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

The Performance Criteria specify the level of performance required to demonstrate achievement of the Element. Terms in italics are elaborated in the Range Statement.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Conduct a literature review

1.1 Clearly identify health problem and target group being addressed

1.2 Identify and access relevant sources  of data

1.3 Use the literature review to reveal the established causes of the health problem, other intervention programs that have been conducted to address the health problem and general information about the target group

1.4 Critically appraise information accessed through literature review  in terms of reliability and applicability

2. Collect other relevant data  to further define target group

2.1 Identify relevant types of data required to further define target group

2.2 Collect required data that cannot be obtained through a literature search, according to organisation procedures and ethical considerations

2.3 Document description of target group in a manner that would provide sufficient information for purposes of evaluation and for examination of those considering duplicating interventions

3. Investigate the health problem as it occurs and is perceived within the community

3.1 Identify appropriate means of consulting the target group regarding the health problem, its causes and appropriate interventions/solutions

3.2 Implement means of consultation with target group and experts using allocated resources and according to organisation procedures and ethical considerations

3.3 Document results of consultation in a manner useful to planning, evaluating and duplicating interventions and according to organisation procedures and ethical considerations

4. Work with the community to identify and define their health needs 

4.1 Clearly identify factors contributing to the health problem on the basis of findings from the literature review and other data collected and discuss with the community

4.2 Sort out, in a logical manner, factors that identify causal pathways  defining health needs and discuss with the community

4.3 Recommend activities that would build the capacity of the community to identify their health needs to relevant stakeholders

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential knowledge :

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes knowledge of:

• Equity issues in population health
• Evidence-based practice
• National, State and local health policies, goals, targets and priorities
• Overview of the stages in population health project planning
• Quality assurance
• Relevant international charters/declarations and documents (e.g. Alma Ata, Ottawa Charter, Jakarta Declaration, The Solid Facts by WHO)
• Social change and advocacy processes
• Theory and practice of population health including health promotion, health protection and prevention of communicable and non communicable diseases

Essential skills :

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role

This includes the ability to:

• Apply analytical thinking, problem solving and critical appraisal
• Apply effective communication and interpersonal skills including:

• high level written or verbal
• negotiation and liaison
• consultation
• conflict resolution and mediation

• Engage and work collaboratively and/or in partnership
• Facilitate and contribute effectively to meetings, forums and other networks
• Undertake work planning and management
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and/or autonomously

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this competency unit :

• The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills
• Consistent satisfactory performance of all elements of this unit must be demonstrated

Access and equity considerations :

• All workers in the health industry should be aware of access and equity issues in relation to their own area of work
• All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• In recognition of particular health issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment :

• This unit may be assessed in the workplace or in a simulated workplace under normal conditions
• The unit may be assessed in the classroom and may contain a strong theoretical emphasis
• Access to:

• A range of government and non-government policy documents and reports and statistics
• Journals, books and external expertise
• Documents and other materials (charters, declarations, discussion papers, etc.) from International Conferences on Population Health
• A range of Government and non government policy documents and reports and statistics
• Organisation policies and procedures

Method of assessment may include :

• Observation of performance
• Written tasks
• Interviewing and questioning
• Formal appraisal systems
• Staff client feedback
• Portfolio/CV
• Supporting statement of supervisors
• Evidence of relevant work experience/formal or informal learning
• Case studies and scenarios as a basis for the discussion of issues in population health project planning
• Project, exercise or investigation with relaxed time restraints requiring a significant part of the work to be carried out without close supervision and requiring the completion of a project report

Related units :

This unit should be undertaken and assessed in conjunction with the following units:

• HLTPOP503C Plan a population health project
• HLTPOP504C Evaluate a population health project

Other relevant units include:

• PSPPM402B Manage simple projects
• CHCCOM403A Use targeted communication skills to build relationships
• LGACOM502B Devise and conduct community consultations

RANGE STATEMENT 

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Health need is defined as :

• State, conditions or factors in the community which, if absent, prevent people from achieving the optimum of physical, mental and social well-being

Types of need 

• Normative need (based on expert opinion)
• Expressed need (based on inferences made from observation of use of health services)
• Comparative need (derived from examining the services provided in a similar population)
• Felt need (based on what members of the community say they need)

Health problem and group being targeted may be initially identified through one of the following ways :

• Consultation with supervising Population Health professional
• Position/job description
• Policy documents/legislation detailing national, state or local health goals

Means of finding relevant literature may include :

• Using the subject catalogue
• Using abstracts or indexes (e.g. Index Medicus, Psychological Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC, Social Sciences Citation Index, Current Contents, FAMILY, APAIS)
• Computer searches

Critical appraisal of literature refers to :

• Process of review that enables one to decide how useful pieces of research work are

Reliability of literature  (particularly relating to interventions ) refers to :

• The logical soundness of method, results and conclusions drawn by authors

Applicability of literature  (particularly relating to interventions ) refers to :

• The extent to which the finding could extend to, or be replicated, in other groups - particularly the group being targeted

Relevant sources of information include :

• Books
• Journals
• Hospital records
• Notification systems
• Registers
• Sentinel recording systems
• Surveys
• Annual public health reports
• Existing epidemiological/socio-demographic data
• National Population Health and Health Promotion agencies and organisations
• General practitioners/primary care service
• Local health authorities
• Councils
• Voluntary agencies
• Relevant databases such as HEAPS
• Publications of Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
• Experts in the field (practice and academia)
• Target group representatives

Data may be :

• Qualitative
• Quantitative

Types of data required about the target group may include :

• Demographic characteristics (e.g. age, sex, ethnic composition, residence, education level achieved)
• Patterns of behaviour
• Lifestyle

Ethical considerations that guide data collection and consultation processes may include :

• Privacy and Confidentiality
• Responsibility to help a community respond to needs they identify which might not necessarily coincide with stated priority health needs

Consultation may take the form of one of the following :

• Interviews (personal, phone, formal or informal, etc.)
• Nominal group process
• Questionnaires
• Delphi method
• Focus groups
• Forums

The term  "causal pathways " refers to :

• Series of factors and events that seem to lead up to the problem

Causal pathways may include the following components :

• Risk markers: identify the target group, outlines the characteristics associated with occurrence of problem but do not necessarily directly contribute to it)
• Risk factors: directly account for why the problem is occurring
• Contributing factors: contribute to or account for the risk factors and could be sorted out into predisposing factors, enabling factors and reinforcing factors

Stakeholders may include :

• Representatives of relevant health agencies operating in the local community
• Community advocates or change agents
• Representatives/leaders of the target population
• Population health professionals/Supervisors
• Federal, State or local health service and population health planners
• Federal, State or local health service providers
• Other health and/or non-government organisations