24 Feb Choose a Patient Population and Problem of Interest

Step 1: Choose a Patient Population and Problem of Interest

Elderly patients with hypertension facing barriers to effective disease management.

Step 2: Understand Micro, Meso, and Macro Levels

· Micro: Individual or direct influences (e.g., personal behaviors, knowledge, family support).

· Meso: Community or organizational influences (e.g., healthcare facilities, clinics, work environments).

· Macro: Broader societal or systemic influences (e.g., healthcare policy, socioeconomic factors, cultural norms).

Step 3: Brainstorm Contributing Factors

Identify at least four contributing factors for each level. For each factor, think about how it might connect to others.

Example for Elderly with Hypertension:

· Micro:

· Poor medication adherence

· Limited knowledge of hypertension

· Lack of family support

· Sedentary lifestyle

· Meso:

· Limited access to primary care

· Lack of community health programs

· Inconsistent follow-up from healthcare providers

· Transportation issues to clinics

· Macro:

· High cost of medications

· Insurance coverage gaps

· Socioeconomic disparities

· Public health policies not prioritizing elderly care

Step 4: Draw Connections

Create 12 relationship arrows between the factors across levels. Use logic to explain the connections:

· Example: “Poor medication adherence (micro) connects to high medication costs (macro) because financial strain limits access to medications.”

Step 5: Build the Concept Map

Use MindMup to design your map or you can use words doc

1. Go to MindMup.

2. Create three main branches: Micro, Meso, Macro.

3. Add four factors under each branch.

4. Draw arrows to show relationships and label or color-code them.

5. Save your map as a JPEG image.

Step 6: Write Rationales for Relationships

For six of your arrows, briefly explain why the factors are connected.

Example:

· Rationale for Connection: Transportation issues (meso) and poor medication adherence (micro) are linked because patients unable to reach pharmacies or clinics may skip medications.

Step 7: Incorporate Resources

Add supporting references or key insights from articles, lesson readings, or your coursework. Example: “As discussed in Lesson 4.1, socioeconomic barriers at the macro level significantly impact patient behavior at the micro level.”