 Knowledge deficit among Canton City community residents related to lacking awareness of health effects as evidenced by incidence of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; lack of resource utilization regarding sexual health as evidenced by high prevalence of teen pregnancy and STD prevalence; and ineffective emphasis on the importance of education as evidenced by a lower percentage of Canton high school graduates as compared to the county and state.

 According to the Canton City Health Department website, there were 140 Canton residents who were newly diagnosed with diabetes in  Cardiovascular disease has been diagnosed in 982 people per 100,000 people in the city of Canton.  Ohio ranks 11th in the Nation in breast cancer deaths and 9th in total cancer deaths among women (C-SPAN, 2009).

 Timken High School has a 13% pregnancy rate among its female student body, as compared to the national teen pregnancy rate of 8% (Garvey, 2005).  Lower reports of new cases may indicate effective health teaching  The need for improvement and continued attention in this area is necessary due to both the significant number of existing cases and number of at-risk teens.

 Canton has an 80.3% graduation rate leaving the remainder to be the percentage of drop-outs at 19.7% (Carr, 2009).  The costs to the community for high drop-out rates include: incarceration, Medicaid, costs of charter schools, income loss to the city, and criminal justice system costs.  Ohio pays an estimated $2,728,031 to provide education to the students that drop out (

Intervention: Assess readiness to change. Activities of CHN: Complete Community Assessment Tool; Distribute anonymous surveys at local clinics; Hold health fundraisers/rallies at high schools in urban areas; Sponsor a support group where individuals can voice concerns; Determine appropriate healthcare settings for treatment and intervention. Rationale: A client’s health education influences client and family behavior by changing knowledge, attitude, and beliefs (Carpenito, 1989). As prevention efforts multiply, there is need for research that examines not just program outcomes but also the processes by which programs create change in participants (Hoyt & Broom, 2002). Outcomes: Measureable- The community will express the need to change at least 3 community problems. Non-measureable- The people in the community will make a contribution to changing the problems in the community.

Intervention: Identify strategies to improve access to health education. Activities of CHN: Distribute flyers at schools, clinics, and grocery stores; Health fairs; Create informational websites; Create brochures with health promoting information regarding STDs/how to avoid diabetes or obesity/importance of staying in school. Rationale: High-risk persons can learn how to work alongside community organizations involved in public health and health care in order to accomplish the goals of health promotion and disease prevention for diverse populations (Maltby, 2006). Outcomes: Measurable- At least 20 people will attend health fairs within one week, and website will get at least 200 hits within a week. Non-measureable- The people in the community will have an increased awareness of health promotion through the efforts of health education from CHNs.

Intervention: Assist high-risk populations to identify health promoting behaviors compatible with their lifestyles. Activities of CHN: Identify the high-risk population; Develop free after-school activities/programs; Provide a safe environment where members of the community can go for recreational/social activities. Rationale: Participating in activities enhances learning and retention of valuable health information and a combination of education-aimed activities results in a lasting effect of increased awareness (Carpenito, 1989). Outcomes: Measureable- At least 30 people, within 1 week, will participate in free activities offered at public facilities. Non-measureable- High-risk groups in the community will become more aware of health promoting behaviors through utilization of free activities.

Intervention: Provide information and support for a patient who is making health-related decisions. Activities of CHN: Offer suggestions regarding behavior modification; Referrals to specific agencies that specialize in addressing patient’s particular problem; Respect patient’s autonomy; Help to identify problems and potential solutions. Rationale: Providing information and resources can help foster a sense that change is possible (Carpentio-Moyet, 2008). Outcomes: Measureable- Patient verbalizes locations of available resources and services offered. Non-measureable- Patient will utilize available resources and services appropriately in order to facilitate positive health outcomes.