Module 5

Advocacy

PH/CHNs play a critical role in advocating for equitable access to care and safe environments, particularly as climate change increases the risk of VBDs such as Lyme disease. In this module, learners will be introduced to the foundational knowledge and skills needed to engage in advocacy and to how this work extends beyond the individual to include schools, communities, and broader systems. We will begin by defining advocacy and the role of the PH/CHN. Using micro, meso, and macro lenses, learners will examine how policies, funding, and systems shape prevention and response efforts. Learners will also consider what culturally safe and equity-focused advocacy requires, including reflecting on privilege, power, and the importance of engaging diverse knowledge systems. Finally, learners will explore practical tools and strategies such as framing issues, building alliances, and using multisectoral approaches that can strengthen the ability to influence decision makers and create healthier, more resilient environments. This module emphasizes collaborative, policy-informed approaches to addressing health inequities tied to the environmental and social determinants of VBDs.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, learners will be able to: 

• Define advocacy within a PH/CHN context and its role in promoting health equity.
• Explain how the five principles of primary health care [AK3.1]inform advocacy approaches to addressing health inequities related to VBDs. 
• Analyze structural and systems-level factors (e.g., jurisdiction, policies, funding) to identify advocacy opportunities that strengthen VBD prevention and response across multiple sectors. 
• Describe culturally safe and equity-focused advocacy strategies that address health inequities across primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of VBDs.
• Identify strategies to influence decision makers at local, regional, national, and global levels to create safe, healthy, and equitable environments for populations affected by VBDs.