Program Planning Foundations Vocabulary

A collection of vocabulary flashcards defining core concepts, determinants of health, health behavior theories, and program planning principles.

Program

A set of related, organized public health actions and activities carried out to achieve an intended outcome.

Interventions

Any combination of elements or strategies designed to assess, improve, maintain, promote, or modify health or health conditions, or produce behavior change among individuals or entire populations.

Planning

A process, a series of actions or steps, a systematic approach used to reach a goal or predetermined endpoint.

Determinants of Health

Factors that contribute to the state of a person's health, including individual behaviors, social and physical factors, biology and genetics, health services, and policies.

Behavioral Determinants of Health

The actions people take, the way they live their lives, and the choices they make every day.

Social and Physical Determinants of Health

The social and physical environments in which the behaviors people engage, take place.

Biologic and Genetic Determinants of Health

In-born (hereditary) factors and those that result from the process of living.

Health Service Determinants of Health

Factors related to accessing care, including availability of services, barriers to services, health insurance, and timely care.

Policy, Law, and Regulatory Determinants of Health

Factors governing health-related behavior and services.

Theory

A way to explain why people do what they do.

Concept

The idea from which a theory was developed that explains why people do or don't engage in a particular health behavior.

Constructs

The ways the concept is used to explain behavior, derived directly from the concept.

Variables

How the concept is measured.

Intrapersonal Theories

Theories that explain behavior by focusing on factors within people that influence what they do.

Interpersonal Theories

Theories that explain behavior by focusing on factors that occur within relationships that influence what people do.

Community-level Theories

Theories that explain behavior by focusing on factors within social systems that influence what people do.

Health Belief Model Concept

Behavior is influenced by personal beliefs or perceptions about an illness and its prevention strategies.

Transtheoretical Model Concept

People change behavior in stages using processes to move from one stage to the next.

Social Cognitive Theory Concept

Behavior results from reciprocal determinism, the interplay of personal factors, the environment, and the behavior.

Diffusion of Innovation Concept

The process by which new ideas spread impact adoption of behaviors associated with them.

Social Capital Theory Concept

Trust and reciprocal interactions between people influence behavior.

Social Ecological Model Concept

Behavior results from a dynamic interplay of factors at varying levels of influence.

Planning Committee

A group of people with knowledge, expertise, and interest in a specific health issue and or population that can contribute in a meaningful way to assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating programs to address needs and improve health.