For this assessment you will complete an 8 to 10-page evidence-based analysis of your chosen global health issue within your chosen country of context.
For the DNP leader, assessing a community and empowering its members to lead and facilitate change are key components of promoting equitable health care across the globe. In this assessment, you will explore how rapid participatory appraisal (RPA) has been used successfully to address global health issues. You will also be reflecting on how global health issues are really human issues that transcend national boundaries.
Changing or improving a community’s health means engaging and involving community members and stakeholders in the business of change. It means organizing and empowering the vulnerable and disenfranchised as partners in change. It means entering the community with an appreciative and inquisitive attitude and building on existing capacities and paradigms.
Developed in the 1990s as a tool for qualitative action research, RPA is a type of investigation in which the change agent enters into the world of a community or social system to effect change through its people. RPA relies on respectful questioning and may use elements of appreciative inquiry (AI).
Cooperrider et al. (2008) described AI:
Fundamentally, AI is still about changing attitudes, behaviors, and practices through appreciative conversations and relationships—interactions designed to bring out the best in people so that they can imagine a preferred future together that is more hopeful, boundless, and inherently good. It is still about socially constructing a shared future and enacting human systems through the questions asked. And it is still about anticipatory learning—finding those positive, anticipatory images of the future that compel action toward them. (p. vi)
RPA can be a great place to start when seeking to intervene on a current health issue. Taking time to understand all aspects of the community—its people, culture, environment, policy, economics, and values—is imperative to making a lasting, sustainable difference in a health issue.
Reference
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative inquiry handbook: For leaders of change (2nd ed.). Berrett-Koehler.
Assessment Summary
This assignment is an opportunity for you to present a thoughtful analysis of your selected public health problem and the countries and people affected. This could be the health problem that you identified while exploring the Gapminder tool. The goal is to develop a brief project proposal or educational resource that you could present to a relevant public health officer or at a government or NGO chapter meeting. You may also wish to interview relevant stakeholders from the organization you plan to present. This could help provide you with additional ideas for how to pitch your project proposal or educational resource.
Remember to track the experiential hours you spend interviewing, preparing your proposal, and presenting it. This time can count toward your total practicum hours.
Assessment Instructions
For this assessment, you will submit an analysis paper of your selected health issue and its relevant Gapminder data, using current APA style and formatting. In an appendix of this paper, you will include either your project proposal or educational resource for potentially improving outcomes related to your chosen health issue. You should also include a second appendix in which you briefly summarize your experience related to the presentation or meeting related to your proposal or resource.
Make sure you address the following scoring guide criteria in your analysis of a health issue with global implications:
Analyze an international health issue in regard to its effect on individuals, communities, and populations.
As you address the following questions, be sure to use epidemiological data (this could be Gapminder).
How pervasive is the problem?
What nations or people are affected?
What inequities exist across countries?
How does socioeconomic status affect the health problem?
Evaluate strategies or research that has been used historically to address the global health issue.
Discuss how you felt conveying your proposal or resource.
This should only be two or three paragraphs.
Description of the Problem.
Remember to include an introduction to your paper, which is not a heading of its own, and a reference page.
1
Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues
2
Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues
Female genital mutilation [FGM] is a significant health issue linked with cultural norms
whose impacts are dire. The health complication of FGM ranges from bacterial infection to
psychological problems and obstetric complications. Further, the impacts on the quality of life
[QoL] also affect women and young girls across the lifespan. In response to these health issues,
the desert flower foundation [DFF] is a not-for-profit [NGO] that core mission is to end FGM
and increase awareness. Thus, this analysis seeks to explore the differences between the public
health NGOs and public programs and engage in an in-depth analysis of the DFF. Data will be
accrued from peer review articles and interviews with key personnel working at the NGOs. The
analysis will be complete with personal assumptions about public health organizations and
NGOs.
Public Health NGOs from Governmental Public Health Organizations
NGOs and government agencies play an important role in the public health domain but
differ in three ways. First, the structure and the governance of the NGO differ from those of
public health organizations. NGOs operate independently from the government sector
(Piotrowicz & Cianciara, 2013). Unlike NGOs, public health agencies are attached to the
government and have several roles, including but not limited to research, awareness, and training
to address public health issues. Secondly, public health organizations operate at different levels
ranging from the local and state to the federal level, which differs from the level of operation of
NGOs (Gebbie et al., 2010). Lastly, NGOs and public health agencies’ main functions and
funding models differ. NGOs are designed to provide health services and engage in advocacy,
while public health organizations are designed to train and improve public health. Thus, based on
3
the core task, NGOs are funded through grants, donations, and partnerships with other
organizations, while the government primarily funds public health agencies.
Desert Flower Foundation [DDF]
History of the Organization
DFF is an NGO focused on addressing female genital mutilation [FGM] that operates
globally and does not have a physical location. The DFF was founded in 2001 and was directly
attached to supermodel Waris Dirie, a Somali-born native, author, and human rights activist. The
foundation’s core mission is to end FGM and support the overall well-being and health of women
across the globe. Based on personal experience and scars attributed to FGM, DFF’s core mission
is to end the practice of FGM, support survivors and advocate for the need of women. Further,
the organization also provides medical support, counseling, and opportunities for empowerment
among the at-risk population. The NGO operates in different parts of the world, and its core
operation is focused on Africa and Islamic nations. Currently, the NGO works in collaboration
with other organizations and enhance awareness of the need to combat FGM.
Financial Health
DFF’s funding model is diverse, and the organization’s financial status is healthy per the
current financial reports. The organization’s financial status analysis focused on the annual
financial report from 2015-2021. The financial reports as of 2015 revealed that the organization
generated revenues to a sum of EUR 281.735,54 in 2015, 630.361.30 in 2019, and EUR
521.041,82 in 2020 and later EUR 667.600,49 in 2021 see Table 1 with a considerable portion of
this funds accrued from a donation. Besides, based on the budgetary allocation, a vast portion of
4
these funds have been diverted to the service of statuary-determined purposes, mainly
sponsorship and project awareness, administrative costs, and fundraising costs. Table 1
Table 1 Money raised and distributed from 2015-2021
2015
2020
2019
2021
281.735,54
521.041,82 630.358,48 667.600,49
Source of funds
Donations
Public subsidies and grants
223.273,26
1.550,19
Use of Funds
Services of statuary determined
246.080,78
484.646,89 538.417,46 601.285,82
Administrative expenses
9.844,95
59.086,06
44.450,03
30.682,42
Fundraising cost
3.210,63
74.555,30
62.115,88
88.035,36
Other expenses
15.445,61
purposes (Sponsorships and project
awareness)
Source: Desert Flower Foundation (2023)
Selection of Stakeholders
Stakeholders and members interested in joining the organization are not restricted or
excluded by stringent criteria. In my online interview with Mary (pseudonym), one of the DFF
project coordinators in Africa, she stated, “My passion for advocacy was the only criteria
required to join DFF.” She added that “DFF has four categories: campaign, education initiative,
save a little Desert flower, and the desert flower center. Thus, based on my professional
background in social work, I preferred joining the organization and engaging in a campaign to
5
create awareness”. Thus, members’ passion and dedication to eradicating FGM is the only
requirement. At the same time, the criterion for other stakeholders, such as healthcare
organizations and other private entities, was not availed during the interview. However, based on
the information from one of the stakeholders, joining DFF is open to all people with a passion for
advocacy and respect for human rights.
Advantages Public Health NGOs
NGOs have an added advantage over government-led agencies. In the context of health
promotion, NGOs have broad access and freedom of innovation to address health issues.
Besides, NGOs are flexible in adapting to the local situation and thus able to develop integrated
and sectoral projects (The Global Development Research Center, n.d.). In addition, NGOs can
recruit diverse professionals without the government’s restrictions. In an interview by Mary, she
opined that “while working in Africa, we develop the “DDF education box” as a unique tailored
made solution to address illiteracy in Africa.” Based on this approach, NGOs have free
innovation and the ability to take risks while developing solutions. This key feature of NGOs
places them at a higher advantage when compared to the public health agencies that are also
limited to a given jurisdiction.
Comparison of NGOs to Government-Sponsored Programs
Donation, funding, and assistance-seeking differ from NGOs when compared to
government-sponsored programs. NGOs wholly depend on donations as the primary funding
model to sustain critical operations (Piotrowicz & Cianciara, 2013). Assistance seeking is also
open to the at-risk population with tailored solutions to meet the specific context and population
needs. In contrast, government-sponsored programs are funded by the government through
6
budgetary allocation and have restrictions on eligibility. Thus, in terms of sustainability,
government-sponsored programs are more sustainable due to the funding model and the
governance structure.
Challenges Public Health NGOs
NGOs face three main challenges due to the funding model and the structure of this
organization. Concerning funding, NGOs depend on donations, which creates an unstable
financial base when compared to government agencies. The funding model also translates into
limited resources, which inhibits the ability to implement long-term intervention at a more
extensive scope (The Global Development Research Center, n.d.). Lastly, NGOs operate
independently, which creates coordination problems, fragmentation, and duplication of services.
Meanwhile, government-sponsored programs are equally faced with problems including but not
limited to bureaucracy and limited freedom to innovate and take risks.
Criteria for Getting Involved in Health Issues
NGOs often consider several criteria based on data analysis before engaging in a
particular health issue. Some factors considered include the magnitude of the health problems,
the importance of public health, and the feasibility of the potential intervention. In the context of
DFF, FGM is a significant health issue impacting the quality of life (Klein et al., 2018). In
addition, existing data shows that for every 11 seconds, a girl in the world undergoes FGM, and
most suffer from both psychological and physical states (Desert Flower Foundation, 2023). This
data is sufficient and support the magnitude and the impacts of FGM on health. Thus, an FDD
criterion is based on sufficient data that warrants the response to improve health outcomes. The
organization has an email website I would use to contact in the event of need.
7
Assumptions about Public Health Organizations and Delivery
The research and interviewing experiences affected my assumption about NGOs and
service delivery. Some of the factors that aligned with my expectation included the view that
NGOs are focused on population health, advocacy, and emphasis on collaboration to address the
presenting health problems. However, what was more surprising about NGOs is that despite the
resource limitation, NGOs have the ability to take risks and develop novel solutions to address
specific health needs. The research experience positively affected me. My understanding of the
role of NGOs was enhanced, and so was my attitude toward the NGOs.
Conclusion
The Desert Flower Foundation is an NGO that strives to improve women’s reproductive
health through advocacy to end FGM. The NGO offers a suitable reference point concerning the
difference between NGOs and government programs. Some key features include the risk-taking
approach, hands on approach to problem-solving, and dependency on donation as a funding
model. In contrast, government-led programs have a stable financial base, restrictive eligibility
criteria, and limited scope. Despite the existing differences, collaboration between NGOs and
government-led programs would yield positive outcomes in the context of public health.
8
References
Desert Flower Foundation . (2023). About DFF – Desert Flower Foundation.
Www.desertflowerfoundation.org. https://www.desertflowerfoundation.org/en/aboutdff.html
Gebbie, K., Rosenstock, L., & Hernandez, L. M. (2010). Public Health Agencies: Their Roles in
Educating Public Health Professionals. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221185/
Klein, E., Helzner, E., Shayowitz, M., Kohlhoff, S., & Smith-Norowitz, T. A. (2018). Female
Genital Mutilation: Health Consequences and Complications—A Short Literature
Review. Obstetrics and Gynecology International, 2018(7365715), 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7365715
Piotrowicz, M., & Cianciara, D. (2013). The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in the
Social and the Health System. Przeglad Epidemiologiczny.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23745379/
The Global Development Research Center. (n.d.). NGOs: Advantages and disadvantages.
https://www.gdrc.org/ngo/advan-disadvan.html
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
