CHES Advocacy for Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CHES professional wants to influence a city council vote on a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. Which advocacy strategy is MOST appropriate?
- Submit anonymous comments to avoid controversy
- Present peer-reviewed evidence and personal stories from affected community members (Correct answer)
- Lobby council members only through social media posts
- Wait until after the vote to share health data
Correct answer: Present peer-reviewed evidence and personal stories from affected community members
Combining evidence-based data with personal narratives is a proven strategy for persuading policymakers.
Question 2: Which term describes the process by which a health educator helps community members recognize their own strengths and capacity to create change?
- Compliance
- Empowerment (Correct answer)
- Surveillance
- Consultation
Correct answer: Empowerment
Empowerment is the process of increasing community members' capacity and confidence to take action on health issues.
Question 3: A health educator is drafting a policy brief. What is the PRIMARY purpose of an executive summary in this document?
- To list all references and citations used
- To provide a concise overview so decision-makers can quickly grasp key points (Correct answer)
- To describe the health educator's credentials
- To outline the full research methodology
Correct answer: To provide a concise overview so decision-makers can quickly grasp key points
An executive summary distills the brief's key findings and recommendations for time-constrained policymakers.
Question 4: When building a coalition for a tobacco-free parks ordinance, which action BEST reflects coalition-building principles?
- Recruit only health department staff to maintain credibility
- Include diverse stakeholders such as parents, businesses, and faith organizations (Correct answer)
- Limit membership to organizations with identical missions
- Keep coalition activities confidential to avoid opposition backlash
Correct answer: Include diverse stakeholders such as parents, businesses, and faith organizations
Diverse coalitions bring broader reach, credibility, and political influence than homogeneous groups.
Question 5: A CHES is preparing testimony for a legislative hearing on mental health funding. Which element is MOST critical to include?
- A personal anecdote unrelated to the bill
- Clear, specific policy ask tied to documented community need (Correct answer)
- A critique of opposing legislators
- A comprehensive literature review covering all mental health topics
Correct answer: Clear, specific policy ask tied to documented community need
Effective testimony centers on a concrete policy request supported by evidence of community need.
Question 6: Which ethical principle requires a health advocate to accurately represent research findings, even when results do not fully support the desired policy?
- Autonomy
- Non-maleficence
- Honesty and integrity (Correct answer)
- Beneficence
Correct answer: Honesty and integrity
Honesty and integrity demand that advocates present data truthfully rather than selectively to support a predetermined conclusion.
Question 7: A community health educator uses social media to mobilize residents before a zoning board meeting on a new fast-food cluster near a school. This is an example of which advocacy tool?
- Grassroots organizing (Correct answer)
- Legal litigation
- Academic publishing
- Clinical intervention
Correct answer: Grassroots organizing
Grassroots organizing mobilizes community members to collectively influence decision-making processes.
CHES Advocacy for Health 2
A CHES professional wants to influence a city council vote on a sugar-sweetened beverage tax.
Which advocacy strategy is MOST appropriate?