Teenage pregnancy

Writing the assignment

Learning Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate depth and breadth of knowledge as applied to sexual health from an international perspective
2. Critically analyse current issues in sexual health in relation to health promotion and public health
3. Explore and critically analyse the impact of culture on sexual health
4. Analyse legal and ethical frameworks and discuss their impact on sexual health

Assessment task: A 3000 word essay that critically analyses an international sexual health issue.

1. Introduce the sexual issue and provide a rationale for the choice. State the aim of the essay and state the issues to be

explored.
You need to introduce what you are going to do. Set the scene for the reader. Does your introduction entice the reader to want to read

on further or are they going to want to read something else?

2. Critically analyse the identified sexual health issue in relation to public health and health promotion.
Here you need to apply your chosen topic to Public Health. Why is it a PH issue? Give your issue some context, so include

epidemiological data, incl prevalence, health and social outcomes, who is most at risk and why? You are giving an overview of the

topic.

So if we use HIV as an example here:

Provide data about HIV- prevalence ratesetc; remember to think globally as the module is about international perspectives… so you could

explore which regions are most at risk and why? Then consider a region that you wish to explore in more depth ie Africa, and make sure

that this data relates to the region you are exploring. You can include risk factors, health outcomes, social outcomes, costs (of

treatment, to society, ie burden of disease), etc
3. Incorporate into the discussion an exploration of the impact of cultural beliefs and practises on sexual health.
Consider how cultural beliefs and practices impact on this issue. For example- FGC/FGM- how does culture play a role in this practice?

So in this example of HIV you could explore cultural practices around widow inheritance, cleansing etc… how do these practices impact

on the spread of HIV? How difficult is it to challenges cultural practices and beliefs?

If you were looking at young people and sexual behaviour … or …STIs/ alcohol- perhaps you could explore what influences young people

behaviours? Motivations, peer influence and pressure, risk taking as a rite of passages in young people…
4. Consider the legal, ethical, clinical and political implications of this sexual health issue from an international perspective.
Consider the legal ethical clinical and political implications. For example, What legislation has been developed to support or inhibit

the issue? ie LGBT rights, or safeguarding and confidentiality in teenage pregnancy

So in the example of HIV-there are a number of issues you could explore here- such as accessibility to early screening, or what is

being done or been done to reduce mother to child transmission rates, you think to think about this critically – you could explore the

wider issues around your chosen topic- such as the impact of gender. For example, you could explore the populations that are most at

risk of HIV and what is being done to target and meet their needs or not being done.

5. Critically analyse any National or International interventions or strategies that have been, will be or, from your own

perspective, should be implemented to address this international sexual health issue
So consider what has been done- what Policies and Interventions have been developed? For example, Development of MDGs in Maternal

Mortality, what are the successes, what are the failures?

So in HIV for example- what progress has been made in your chosen region on HIV in relation to MDGs? Remember, there will be a few MDGs

that are relevant not just the one around HIV/ AIDS- consider the wider issues such as access to education, maternal health etc… What

other HP strategies are working, what hasn’t worked and why? For example- sex education, risk reduction interventions etc…
Remember to critically analyse your issue.
Critical Analysis:

At level 6 we expect you to be able to write with a critical eye……
This table below defines the differences between descriptive and critical writing. Descriptive writing is shown on the left, this is a

writing style to try and avoid when writing academically as it does not show advanced understanding of the complexity of a subject.

Instead, focus upon developing your critical writing skills that will enable you to identify how important a factor is within a topic

and how various information and theoretical aspects both relate and contradict one another.
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING CRITICAL WRITING
States what happened… Identifies the significant points of what happened.
States what something is like… Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses attributed to something.
Explains the story… Evaluates certain information against other research and theories that are prevalent within the topic area.
Explains what the theory is about and the key academics that have developed the theory. Discusses the relevance of a theory in relation

to the topic. Examines how different academics have interpreted and developed the theory in various ways.
States the methods that are used within the research. Identifies exactly why the methods are useful for the certain type of research

and aims/questions.
Describes the time at which research/events occurred. Why is this time significant? Clearly identify outside effects!
Lists the different interpretations of a theory. Critically compares/contrasts each theory – which one is the most relevant to

your research/essay question?
Offers broad and sweeping conclusions. Draws well-defined and concise conclusions that reflect and summarise the content of the essay

and argument.
Lists the various links between theories. Clearly develops the links between each theory, considering the effect that this

understanding has upon the topic area.

Adapted from: Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook, p.232.2nd ed. London: Palgrave