Evaluate how the leader of your organization defines “evidence” and compare it to your
definition of evidence and its involvement in public health practice.
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At my current organization, the leader’s definition of evidence and its involvement in public
health practices entails scientific data that describes the severity and preventability levels of
diseases and their risk factors, which further suggests the need for action to be taken.
Additionally, he points out that evidence in public health entails the information on the effects of
specific interventions on the improvement of health outcomes, highlighting the specificity of the
actions that should be taken (Vanagas, Bala, & Lhachimi, 2017). These definitions are followed
closely by the description of evidence as data that informs the various ways in which specific
action should be taken. Additionally, he refers to confirmation as to the processes through which
particular activities ought to be carried out by adhering to a series of steps that highlight the
conditions under which and how interventions were implemented and their reception.
Conversely, my definition of evidence follows a simplistic approach that entails data
concerning the community’s health needs and preferences. This data is thus obtained through
various tools such as community health assessments that allow public health officials, alongside
policymakers, to make informed decisions concerning the areas to focus the resources and
interventions available in ways that guarantee maximum benefits. This definition exemplifies the
involvement of evidence in public and population health practices as it points out areas in which
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effective programs have been developed, implemented, and evaluated based on the application of
scientific reasoning principles. However, Vanagas, Bala, & Lhachimi (2017) indicate that this
definition plays an integral role in helping policy and decision-makers determine the appropriate
intervention that should be used in addressing the issues at hand specific population.
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References
Vanagas, G., Bala, M. B., & Lhachimi, S. K. (2017). Evidence-Based Public Health, 2017.
BioMed Research International.