For your final assessment, you will identify a critical or emerging public health issue that requires further research. You will write a research concept paper to
elicit buy-in and support from the funding organization to move forward with the project. Concept papers are a fundamental skill that should be mastered by all
students seeking careers in public health. There are several competing priorities in public health, and resources are limited, so a concept paper demonstrates
that the proposer has done due diligence, carefully researched the issue by reviewing the literature, and can demonstrate that the public health issue is worthy
of further research. It should be made clear that this is not a research proposal, but rather a paper that demonstrates the need for research.
In public health, there are many competing priorities because resources (both human and financial) are limited. Therefore, public health organizations, funding
agencies, and academic institutions frequently require the submission of research concept papers to determine if a particular public health issue warrants
further research. The purpose of the concept paper is to convince the stakeholders that the public health issue is worthy of further research and to gain
stakeholder support in terms of financial and human resources in carrying the project to fruition. The concept paper describes the project and its goals;
establishes measurable objectives and a research question, methodology, and timelines; and forecasts possible outcomes and benefits.
For your final project, imagine you are a public health specialist working for a large public health organization, such as the state health department, the Centers
for Disease Control, or the World Health Organization. You have identified a public health issue that is affecting a vulnerable population and that you feel
requires further research. Your next step is to compose a research concept paper explaining the purpose and significance of your research to a specific funding
organization.
Select a contemporary public health issue (such as obesity, tuberculosis, injuries, car accidents, suicide, or bullying) that is affecting a specific population (e.g.,
low-income, elderly, immunocompromised, homeless, migrant workers, without healthcare or underinsured, or unemployed), and compose a research concept
paper aiming to conduct research to address that topic. You will need to construct a research question in conjunction with the larger public health goals of the
organizations, and design a study that can measurably answer that question. Your proposed research should draw on scientific literature to show a unique
approach to an existing problem.
This assessment addresses the following course outcomes:
Analyze public health data, trends, and literature for identifying critical public health issues that require further research
Construct research questions based on relevant scientific literature that guide the stages of investigating public health issues
Select study designs and methodologies for their appropriateness for answering research questions in public health
Employ fundamental public health terminology and concepts in communicating how research informs strategies for improving population health
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules One, Three, and Five. The final Research Concept Paper will be submitted in Module Seven.
Prompt
Write a research concept paper defining a public health issue affecting a specific population. In presenting the components and scope of your proposed study,
be sure to cite published research and follow industry standards as you address the funding organization.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Background: In this section, you will professionally introduce your research question and explain how potential outcomes associated with your project
align with the mission of the funding organization.
A. Introduction
1. Introduce your selected public health issue to the funding organization, explaining the significance of the topic and why it requires
further research.
2. Explain how the research project aligns with the funding organization’s mission. Support your explanation with examples.
B. Purpose
1. Construct a research question that will appropriately guide research for your selected public health issue.
2. Defend the significance of this research project using epidemiological data and statistics. For example, what is the population size? What
are the relevant prevalence rates?
3. Analyze the existing scientific literature (e.g., public health journals) surrounding the public health issue for the progress of the research
and what more is needed. What has already been accomplished with regard to research on this issue, and where are the gaps?
II. Project Description: In this section, you will concisely describe your proposed research project, including its guiding goals and objectives.
A. Explain how your approach will uniquely contribute to improving population health, citing examples from the literature. In other words, how is
your approach unique to the existing literature, and who should benefit from your research?
B. Based on the research needs identified, state the broader goals of your research. Keep in mind that goal statements should be broad and
abstract, describing a state or condition you hope to achieve. Consider how these goals are aligned with your public health agency’s mission.
C. Develop target objectives for your project that clearly define the public health activities required to achieve the broader goals of your research.
III. Methodology
A. Select the study design you will use to answer your research question, and defend why it is most appropriate for your research question, goals,
and objectives. For example, if you chose an exclusively quantitative approach, why were qualitative methods omitted? Support your
explanation with relevant public health research.
B. Describe the approach you feel would be most appropriately employed for selection of your sample population, and explain your reasoning.
Examples of possible approaches include snowball, systematic, random, convenience, and so on.
C. Create a reasonable outline for implementing your study design, including a general timeline, location, and the tools and resources you will use
to collect data.
D. Explain how you will disseminate the results of the research to inform future public strategies concerning this topic.
IV. Conclusion: Summarize how this research as a whole will inform public health strategies for improving population health.