**15. Developing an initial statement of the issue**

Professionals must start with developing a brief description of the problem or issue being considered. In order to receive support on any issue (by the organization, a funding agency or decision makers), the issue should remain evidently articulated. This part of the problem definition corresponds to the initial stages of the strategic program planning process, which typically includes a description of the internal strengths as well as weaknesses, mission, threats and external opportunities as well as future vision. This typically helps define the gaps amongst the program current status or organization as well as the goals desired. The main mechanisms in statement issue comprise the condition of health or perceived risk factor, number of affected population(s), the size and the problem scope, potential stakeholders as well as prevention opportunities.

### **16. Quantifying the issue**

Once important information about a public health problem has been established, it is often helpful to identify the root sources of the prevailing data. Just as such data might depend on recent vital statistical data (records of death/birth), special surveys, surveillance systems or other national studies. In public/environmental health, qualitative studies could take many forms. The utmost popular descriptive type of study consists of scientifically effective sample survey of the people of interest (a representative cross section). This type of cross-sectional studies was not designed toward changing health status (like an intervention) but then to help determine the prevalence of quantifying behaviors, exposures, characteristics as well as diseases at a period (or point) of time, especially in a population that is defined. This information can help to understand the magnitude toward public/ environmental health challenge at hand. Qualitative studies usually offer information about the designs of occurrence according to such individual attributes place (e.g., county of residence), (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity), as well as time (e.g., seasonal changes in the patterns of disease). In addition, cross-sectional data may in certain circumstances, offer used information in the design of analytic studies (e.g., baseline information/data toward evaluating the advantages of public/environmental health intervention).

*'Silent Pandemic': Evidence-Based Environmental and Public Health Practices to Respond… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.100204*
