| Course | HCD 332 Population Health Policy and Legislation |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | Policy problem statement |
| Length | About 288 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Health Care Administration and Policy |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HCD 332 Module 1
Should the State Put Naloxone Within Reach of Everyone Who Might Witness an Overdose? A Problem Statement for a Health Policy Analysis
Student Name
BS in Health Care Administration and Policy, Arizona State University
HCD 332: Population Health Policy and Legislation
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Should the State Put Naloxone Within Reach of Everyone Who Might Witness an Overdose? A Problem Statement for a Health Policy Analysis
Problem Statement
Should the state health director expand naloxone distribution so that people most likely to witness an opioid overdose, including friends and family of people who use drugs, can obtain it at no cost without a prescription?
Description of the Problem
Opioid overdose, increasingly driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl, is a leading cause of death among adults under 50 in the United States. Most overdoses happen at home or in private settings, where the people present are friends or relatives rather than clinicians. Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose if given quickly, and laypeople can administer the nasal spray safely with minimal training. Communities that distributed naloxone with overdose education to likely witnesses saw lower overdose death rates than communities that did not (Walley et al., 2013), and a review weighing the causal evidence judged that handing out naloxone kits for use at home lowers overdose deaths (McDonald & Strang, 2016). The course text treats such evidence as the starting point of any policy analysis (Teitelbaum & Wilensky, 2020).
Why Current Efforts Fall Short
Naloxone became available without a prescription in 2023, but over-the-counter prices and limited pharmacy stock still keep it out of reach for many people at highest risk. Distribution through community programs is uneven across counties, and people leaving jail or treatment, who face very high overdose risk, are not routinely given naloxone.
Scope of the Analysis
The analysis will focus on state policy options for expanding no-cost naloxone distribution to likely witnesses, not on the broader set of treatment and supply policies, which would make the analysis too large to complete well.
References
McDonald, R., & Strang, J. (2016). Are take-home naloxone programmes effective? Systematic review utilizing application of the Bradford Hill criteria. Addiction, 111(7), 1177-1187. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.13326
Teitelbaum, J. B., & Wilensky, S. E. (2020). Essentials of health policy and law (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Walley, A. Y., Xuan, Z., Hackman, H. H., Quinn, E., Doe-Simkins, M., Sorensen-Alawad, A., Ruiz, S., & Ozonoff, A. (2013). Opioid overdose rates and implementation of overdose education and nasal naloxone distribution in Massachusetts: Interrupted time series analysis. BMJ, 346, Article f174. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f174
What the HCD 332 Module 1 instructions ask for
The Problem Statement is the first step of HCD 332's Health Policy Analysis project, due in Week 3 for 10 points, after modules on the policy-making process, the legal system and individual rights and medical malpractice and population health. The syllabus asks each student to identify a public health problem of interest and develop a brief statement describing it, which will be the focus of the analysis. The analysis itself follows the guidelines in the course textbook, Teitelbaum and Wilensky's Essentials of Health Policy and Law, which frames a problem statement as a short, neutral question that names a decision maker and an action. Choose a problem narrow enough that you can analyze real policy options in a few pages.
How this HCD 332 Module 1 example is built
Following the textbook's model, the statement opens with a single question naming a decision maker, an action and the goal, written neutrally so that it does not presume the answer. A short description of the problem gives its scope, where it happens and why one intervention is promising, citing an interrupted time series study and a systematic review. A paragraph on gaps explains why the problem persists despite recent changes. A scope paragraph narrows the coming analysis to one policy lever and explains why. A margin note marks the narrowing as the step that makes the full analysis possible. Sources are cited in APA, including the textbook.
Reading the HCD 332 Module 1 grading rubric
Ten points ride on this short statement. Statements are generally credited for choosing a genuine public health problem, framing it as a clear decision question with a named decision maker, describing its scope and significance with evidence, staying neutral rather than presuming a solution and setting a scope that a full analysis can handle. They lose credit when the problem is too broad, when the question already contains the answer, when no decision maker is named and when evidence is missing. Because the rough draft, peer reviews, final analysis and presentation all build on this statement, a well-framed question saves work in every later step. A statement of a few paragraphs is enough; length is not rewarded for its own sake.
HCD 332 Module 1 help from the desk
Many problem statements are written as topics, such as "the opioid crisis," rather than as questions. Write one sentence that begins "Should" or "How should" and names who decides. Keep it neutral; avoid wording that assumes your recommendation. Narrow the scope to one lever you can analyze. Support the significance with a few strong sources rather than many statistics. Read the textbook's chapter on policy analysis before you write, since the final paper follows its structure. The desk can help you test your question for neutrality and scope. Remember that peers will review your draft, so a clear question helps them give useful feedback.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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HCD 332 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HCD 332 Module 1 sample paper?
The HCD 332 Module 1 sample on this page is a full health policy analysis problem statement on naloxone access to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
How should a health policy problem statement be written?
As a short, neutral question that names a decision maker and a possible action, for example "Should the state health director expand naloxone distribution?"
What textbook does HCD 332 use?
Essentials of Health Policy and Law by Teitelbaum and Wilensky, whose policy analysis guidelines the course project follows.
When is the HCD 332 problem statement due?
In Week 3, followed by a rough draft and peer reviews, the final analysis and a recorded presentation in Week 6.
Does take-home naloxone reduce overdose deaths?
A systematic review and community studies found that distributing naloxone with overdose education to likely witnesses is associated with lower overdose mortality.