The Rational Practice of Medicine Custom Essay

Project Description:

The project consists of a critical review of products, publications and websites of your choice to ascertain the strategies used and if the information provided fully informs the prospective consumer in a forthright manner. This will be accomplished through the development and application of an assessment tool. An assessment tool is defined as an instrument designed to collect objective data. It could be a chart, a survey, a checklist, a kit, etc.

Project Activity #1:

Choose one of the following topics for the session long project. Throughout the session you will explore unproven remedies, fraud, and quackery related to the topic. In doing so, you will review the existing research to ascertain safety and efficacy of products being promoted.

Flu products
Erectile Dysfunction
For Module 1, your tasks are:

1) write a 1 page paper that explains the general concept of health fraud and how companies attempt to promote fraudulent products.

2) Write a 1 page outline of the factors that will help consumers evaluate products related to the topic you chose. Over the entire course, you will create an assessment tool to use in the evaluation of health products related to the topic you chose, using product ornformation from inserts, pamphlets, maker of the product, publications and websites. With each module you will be adding to the elements included in your tool. This outline will provide a foundation for your other modules. It will be helpful to read ahead so you know what the rest of the SLP assignments are.

Refer to the background materials and do your own research.

Assessment Tool

The intent of the assessment tool in the SLP’s of this course is to develop a tool using scientific method and critical evaluation to determine the authenticity and safety of a treatment and/or product as it pertains to health and disease. Once developed, this tool can be used to evaluate all treatments: western medical treatments, alternative methods and those that have not been determined to meet medically accepted treatment.

Each SLP starts with a project description, then each module requires different variables for evaluation to be included in your assessment tool:

You will develop the assessment tool in modules 1-4 and then in module 5 you will formulate a marketing method for the assessment tool you have developed.

At the end of each module are learning objectives that you will use to guide and develop your assessment tool.

ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS: Please read before completing assignments.

You will be assessed on your ability to explain your understanding of the module materials from the perspective of a health educator.

Please write your paper in your own words. That is the only way I can evaluate your level of understanding.

In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read the module homepage and ALL required background materials.

You are welcome to do research in addition to — but not instead of — the required readings.

Your papers will be evaluated on the following factors:

References – citations are used within the body of the paper any time you state a fact or idea that is not common knowledge and a reference list is included at the end of the paper.
Precision – you follow all instructions and you answer each part of the assignment.
Breadth – you show broad knowledge of the module’s topic.
Depth – you go into detail to show more critical thought about the specific assignment.
Clarity – the extent to which you elaborate and include discussion or examples as asked.
Application – the extent to which you apply the information to a real-life situation related to the assignment, if asked.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information. Use credible, professional, and scholarly sources.

"A" papers are truly exceptional works that go beyond simply answering the questions.
Module 1 Resources
FDA (2013). Health Fraud Scams. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/default.htm

Harvard School of Public Health (2010). Assessing and Developing Health Materials. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/practice/innovative-actions/index.html

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (2011). Retrieved May 1, 2012 from http://nccam.nih.gov/

National Library of Medicine (2011). How to write easy-to-read health materials. Retrived July 1, 2012 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/etr.html

USDHHS Food and Drug Administration (2011). Health Fraud Scams. Retrieved July 1, 2012 from http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/default.htm

Quackwatch (2011). Retrieved July 1, 2012 from http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/new.htmlIdentify and describe health fraud protection resources for consumers.