drugepi 5-2 needle exchange programs module 5 overview context content area: policy decisions about...

DrugEpi 5-2 Needle Exchange Programs

Module 5 OverviewContext

Content Area: Policy Decisions about Drug Use/Abuse Issues

Essential Question (Generic): What should be done when preventable causes of disease are found?

Essential Question (Drug Abuse Specific): What should be done when preventable causes of drug abuse are found?

Enduring Epidemiological Understanding: Policy decisions are based on more than the scientific evidence. Because of competing values - social, economic, ethical, environmental, cultural, and political factors may also be considered.

Synopsis:

In Module 5, students explore specific drug policy questions and become aware of the factors that influence their own and others' positions on those questions.

Lessons:

Lesson 5-1: Individual and Societal Decision Making

Lesson 5-2: Drug Policy Question - Should needle exchange programs be implemented?

Lesson 5-3: Drug Policy Question - Should high school students be drug tested?

Lesson 5-4: Drug Policy Question - Should D.A.R.E. be taught in all schools?

Lesson 5-5: Drug Policy Question - Should marijuana be legal for medical purposes?


Module 5 - Policy Decisions about Drug Use/Abuse

Lesson 5-2 Drug Policy Question Assignment

Content

• How scientific literacy is connected to individual and societal decision-making

• Definitions and discussion about policy, risk perception and the acceptability or unacceptability of risk

• Application of Drug Policy question Assignment to question, Should needle exchange programs be implemented?

Big Ideas

• In a democratic society, a scientifically literate population is better able to make informed decisions about issues of public health

• Societal decisions about acceptability versus unacceptability of risk often consider other factors besides the actual magnitude of that risk

• The issue of whether or not needle exchange programs should be implemented is controversial with powerful arguments on both sides


Essential Questions Enduring Understandings

1. How is this disease distributed?

Health-related conditions and behaviors are not distributed uniformly in a population. They have unique distributions that can be described by how they are distributed in terms of person, place, and time.

2. What hypotheses might explain the distribution of disease?

Clues for formulating hypotheses can be found by observing the way a health-related condition or behavior is distributed in a population.

3. Is there an association between the hypothesized cause and the disease?

Causal hypotheses can be tested by observing exposures and diseases of people as they go about their daily lives. Information from these observational studies can be used to make and compare rates and identify associations.

4. Is the association causal?

Causation is only one explanation for an association between an exposure and a disease. Because observational studies are complicated by factors not controlled by the observer, other explanations also must be considered.

5. What should be done when preventable causes of disease are found?

Policy decisions are based on more than the scientific evidence. Because of competing values - social, economic, ethical, environmental, cultural, and political factors may also be considered.

Where are we?


Enduring Understanding

Policy decisions are based on more than the scientific evidence.

Because of competing values – social, economic, ethical, environmental, cultural,

and political factors may also be considered.

Individual and Societal Decision Making


Drug Policy

A course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual

that affects drug use



Needle Exchange Programs




A system operated by public health authorities or voluntary agencies in many communities with the aim of reducing the risk of transmitting blood-borne infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, by providing clean sterile hypodermic needles to illicit intravenous drug users on a no-questions-asked basis. This approach acknowledges the existence of illicit drug use, is not judgmental or punitive, and can provide a way to gain the confidence of illicit drug users as a preliminary step toward their rehabilitation.



Drug Policy Question Position

Should needle exchange programs be implemented?



Chain of Infection




“… no funds appropriated under this Act shall be used to carry out any program of distributing sterile needles for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug unless the Surgeon General of the United States determines that such programs are effective in preventing the spread of HIV and do not encourage the use of illegal drugs, except that such funds may be used for such purposes in furtherance of demonstrations or studies authorized by the ADAMHA Reorganization Act (P.L. 102-321).”

Surgeon General of the United States




A system operated by public health authorities or voluntary agencies in many communities with the aim of reducing the risk of transmitting blood-borne infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, by providing clean sterile hypodermic needles to illicit intravenous drug users on a no-questions-asked basis. This approach acknowledges the existence of illicit drug use, is not judgmental or punitive, and can provide a way to gain the confidence of illicit drug users as a preliminary step toward their rehabilitation.




Drug Policy Question Assignment


Distribute:



Task 1

Individually, prior to doing any work on the assignment, describe your position on the drug policy and explain why you have taken the

position.


Rubric

Description of initial position is candid, clearly articulated, and provides an accurate account of the student’s

initial understanding of the drug policy question.



Task 2

As a member of a Policy Group, read and submit, either in hard copy or electronically, 10 articles, from both popular (5) and scientific (5) sources, that address the drug policy question

from different perspectives.

Rubric

Ten articles are submitted, from both popular (5) and scientific (5) sources,

that address the drug policy question from different perspectives.




Task 3

As a member of a Policy Group, write a summary of the drug policy issue and the most important factors influencing its possible adoption for someone who is unfamiliar with it.

Rubric

Summary gives an unfamiliar reader a quick, thorough, and unbiased overview of the major factors that may

influence an individual’s position on the drug policy question.




Task 4

As a member of a Policy Group, identify and describe the five most powerful arguments in favor of the drug policy and the five

most powerful arguments against the drug policy.

Rubric

Descriptions of the five most powerful arguments in favor of and against the drug policy are

logical, thoughtful, unbiased, and justifiable.




Task 5

As a member of a Policy Group, identify five important gaps in our knowledge related to the drug policy question

that you and others need to have addressed in order to take a more informed position on the drug policy?

Explain why each gap is important.

Rubric

Selected gaps and the explanations for why the gaps that were selected demonstrate an understanding

of what is and is not known about the drug policy question.




Task 6

As a member of a Policy Group, prepare a plan to lead a 30 minute class discussion with the other members of the class about the drug policy question. Base the plan on the completed tasks (1-

5) as well as those that follow (7-10).

Rubric

Plan is well crafted, leaves nothing to chance, and creates opportunities for interaction

with and among the other students.




Extension 1

Read Maria Angell’s article, "Physician-Assisted Suicide - The Ultimate Right" and become aware of how an advocate for a particular drug-related policy recognizes and addresses the arguments of those who oppose the

policy.



Extension 2

Watch a broadcast of The News Hour with Jim Lehrer and become aware of how advocates for particular points of view recognize and address the arguments

of those who have a different perspective.



Task 7

As a member of a Policy Group, lead a 30 minute class discussion

about the drug policy.

Rubric

Discussion is a valuable, informative, engaging, and thought-provoking experience for other students.




Task 8

As a member of a Policy Group, categorize the arguments for and against the drug policy

(social, economic, ethical, environmental, cultural, political factors, and other categories).

Rubric

Categorizations are accurate, thorough, and creative when necessary.




Task 9

As a member of a Policy Group, describe the degree to which the above tasks (1-8)

apply to the statement:

Policy decisions are based on more than the scientific evidence. Because of competing values; social, economic, ethical, environmental,

cultural, and political factors may also be considered.

Rubric

Description of how tasks 1-8 apply to the above statement is thoughtful, accurate, nuanced, and insightful.




Task 10

Individually, after completing the above tasks, describe and justify your position on the drug policy

and compare your current position with your initial position (Task 1). Describe the degree to which scientific evidence or the lack of scientific evidence was a factor that influenced your position on the drug policy.

Attach a copy of Task 1.

Rubric

Description and justification of drug policy position are clearly articulated and logical. Comparison is accurate and nuanced. Description of

degree to which scientific evidence or lack of scientific evidence was an influential factor is candid.

A copy of Task 1 is attached.




Distribute:


Tasks, Rubric, and Points



Distribute:

Drug Policy Question Assignment Cards




Trade:

Drug Policy Question Assignment Cards




Task 1

Individually, prior to doing any work on the assignment, describe your position on the drug policy and explain why you have taken the

position. Rubric

Description of initial position is candid, clearly articulated, and provides an accurate account of the student’s

initial understanding of the drug policy question.




Distribute:

Drug Policy Question Assignment Task 1




Policy Group Meeting




Enduring Understanding

Policy decisions are based on more than the scientific evidence.

Because of competing values; social, economic, ethical, environmental, cultural,

and political factors may also be considered.



Big Ideas in this Lesson (5-2)

• In a democratic society, a scientifically literate population is better able to make informed decisions about issues of public health

• Societal decisions about acceptability versus unacceptability of risk often consider other factors besides the actual magnitude of that risk

• The issue of whether or not needle exchange programs should be implemented is controversial with powerful

arguments on both sides This project is supported by a Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award, Grant Number 1R24DA016357-01,

from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health.

Re-Cap


Next Lesson

drugepi 5-2 needle exchange programs module 5 overview context content area: policy decisions about...

Documents