Using the CHANGE Method to Address STIs in Teen Girls
This paper examines the application of the CHANGE (Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation) method to address the rising rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among females aged 15 to 19. It outlines the five core steps of the CHANGE process and proposes an interdisciplinary team—including public health educators, school health coordinators, healthcare providers, community leaders, youth representatives, and policymakers—to assess root causes, identify prevention gaps, and design targeted interventions. The paper argues that this community-based participatory approach can foster lasting change by strengthening bonds between community members and healthcare workers.
- Introduction: Identifies the STI problem and proposed solution
- The CHANGE Method Overview: Describes the five steps of the CHANGE method
- Building the Community Team: Outlines each team member's role and expertise
- Applying CHANGE to STI Prevention: Links CHANGE steps to targeted STI interventions
- Conclusion: Argues for community bonds and sustainable change
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- It clearly connects a specific public health problem—rising STI rates among adolescent females—to a named, structured intervention framework, giving the argument a concrete anchor.
- The team composition is well-reasoned: each role is paired with a distinct functional contribution, demonstrating systems thinking rather than a generic list of stakeholders.
- Citations are distributed across the argument rather than clustered, signaling engagement with the literature throughout.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied framework analysis: it introduces a recognized public health tool (the CHANGE method), breaks it into its component steps, and then maps those steps onto a real-world problem. This technique shows readers not just what a framework is, but how it functions when deployed in a specific context.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by identifying the health problem and proposing the CHANGE method as a solution. It then describes the method's five steps before detailing the recommended interdisciplinary team and each member's role. The paper closes by linking team collaboration and the CHANGE process to the goal of sustainable STI prevention. This problem–framework–team–outcome structure is well-suited to public health planning papers at the undergraduate level.
Introduction
Rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among females aged 15 to 19 represent a pressing public health concern. Addressing this issue requires a structured, community-centered strategy. The CHANGE (Community Health Assessment aNd Group Evaluation) method offers exactly that: a systematic approach that helps communities identify and prioritize health issues and develop actionable strategies to improve outcomes.
The CHANGE Method Overview
The CHANGE method is a community-based participatory tool that involves five main steps: assembling the community team, developing a team strategy, reviewing all five CHANGE sectors, gathering data, and reviewing and prioritizing the data collected. This process encourages community involvement and empowers stakeholders to take an active role in public health initiatives (Parker et al., 2020).
References
Jourdan, D., Gray, N. J., Barry, M. M., Caffe, S., Cornu, C., Diagne, F., ... & Sawyer, S. M. (2021). Supporting every school to become a foundation for healthy lives. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 5(4), 295–303.
Marchand, K., Foreman, J., MacDonald, S., Harrison, S., Schechter, M. T., & Oviedo-Joekes, E. (2020). Building healthcare provider relationships for patient-centered care: A qualitative study of the experiences of people receiving injectable opioid agonist treatment. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 15, 1–9.
Parker, M., Wallerstein, N., Duran, B., Magarati, M., Burgess, E., Sanchez-Youngman, S., ... & Koegel, P. (2020). Engage for equity: Development of community-based participatory research tools. Health Education & Behavior, 47(3), 359–371.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.