In this section, you want to look at the impact of the problem on the community, including families and individuals, and the benefits to be derived through intervention, treatment, or prevention.

You are allowed to give the issue a personal face (more subjective) related to how it affects individuals, families, children, and the overall community.

Also, gaps in services or lack of programs are clearly delineated and connected to the impact this has on individuals, families, and the community. 

The information in this section provides a link between the impact of the problem to the benefits of intervening. 

So you will need to show potential benefits, which can include cost savings, greater community unity, employee morale, improved quality of life, etc.  

Also, data to support benefits can include using literature review of related studies/programs and their benefits, within this the use of cost-benefit analysis outcome data from successful interventions can be very persuasive.      

Example

An example of a section 3 on an Animal-Assisted Program highlighting the impact of the need.  (important components in colored italics)

Depression can have significant effects on an individual’s physical and mental health, and may interfere with fulfillment of their daily responsibilities (describes the impact of depression). Higher levels of depressive symptoms are associated with higher rates of physical illness, disability, and health care utilization (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics, 2004).  Most importantly, depression can result in suicidal tendencies.  In 2001, 5393 Americans over age 65, 85% males and 15% females, committed suicide (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004) (includes another important impact of depression in  the elderly).

Depression is a potentially treatable condition; however, depression in the elderly often goes unrecognized by health care professionals (gap in treatment outlined). Symptoms of depression may not be detected in older adults due to the presence of other medical conditions, or are attributed to the consequences of negative life events and illnesses associated with aging (showing a bias towards non-treating or non-diagnosis in the specific population). In addition, older adults may be less inclined to report their symptoms to their physician (Stek, Gussekloo, Beekman, van Tilburg, & Westendorp, 2004). According to Healthy People 2010, only 23% of adults diagnosed with depression received medical treatment in 1997 (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 2000). Because of this lack of recognition and/or treatment of depression among older adults, interventions targeting risk factors for depression are needed. The vulnerability of the elderly to stress underscores the need for effective stress management strategies for the elderly (basically makes an appeal to why the broader approach of stress management is needed in the population).

Now to lay out the impact on your population and why it is important to intervene….

Develop your section by answering the following questions:

1.   What is the overall impact of the health issue for the individual, family, and community?

2.   Why isn’t it being addressed now (provide evidence about gaps in service or participation) and how does this contribute to the impact on the individual, family, and community?

3.   Why is intervening important and how does your broader approach seem important?

    In this section, you can make a moral appeal to the reader/funder on the importance of doing something rather than not. This section provides a transition from laying out the issue and contributing factors and providing specific information on why your approach is promising – which leads us into the last section.