Describes the State of Health of local People 
: Diabetic Patient with Foot Ulcer Essay, SMU, Singapore

Guide to assignment

A health needs assessment is a process that:

• describes the state of health of local people,
• enables the identification of unmet needs and
• enables the identification of the actions needed to address these.
• The assignment could be structured as follows:

Introduction

Begin with presenting the defined population with a specific problem/diagnosis. Provide information on the epidemiology and prevalence both in Singapore and globally.

• I will require the prevalence of diabetes in Singapore and globally.
• I will also require the prevalence of diabetes patients with foot ulcers in Singapore and globally.

Body of discussion (use sub-headings as appropriate)


Proceed to discuss key characteristics of the identified population and their health status. A collection of relevant information would inform the state of health and health needs of the population. Do reference accordingly. At this point, you would have to include the information gathered on the unmet needs of the patient population identified.

By now you will have identified several health needs in the identified population. But resources are always limited, and it will be necessary to determine which needs should be a priority. There are a few considerations that will help you decide which needs should be a priority. Try to answer the following questions in relation to each health need or issue you have identified.

1. How many people are affected?
2. What is the impact on people’s lives?
3. Are there appropriate and effective interventions?
4. Are the services adequate?
5. Does the health need identified coincide with national priorities and strategies? 
On identification of an area of priority, propose an action plan to meet the unmet need. Include anticipated challenges and how you plan to evaluate the health outcomes.