Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AM_470811

Course Objective

General aims In this course, the students will learn to: 1. Provide a solid basis in understanding elementary aspects of evidence
- and theory-based development and planning of health promotion and disease prevention programs. 2. Write a scientific study protocol about the planned development and evaluation of a preventive health intervention. Learning objectives After the course, students: · Are able to describe and apply the elementary aspects of evidence
- and theory-based development and planning of health promotion and disease prevention programs using an intervention mapping approach · Are able to apply theoretical methods that can help to change important determinants of the environment and or health behaviors (lifestyle factors) · Have knowledge about and is able to apply strategies that provides opportunities and challenges for the development and implementation of preventive health interventions, such as: o Environment, habits and self-regulation o Community action o Interventions in public space o Evaluating effects · Are able to describe, understand and discuss the fundamental aspects of quality of life such as measurements, types and criteria · Are able to describe the principals and perspectives of implementation and process-, effect and economic evaluation of health promotion programs · Are able to integrate the acquired knowledge of the course in writing a study protocol

Course Content

This course fits in the program of the specialization Prevention and Public Health. Within this specialization you are trained to become a health promotor who is able to work in a theory
- & evidence-based way and is able to link research, practice and policy. The courses within this specialization are structured according to the six steps of Intervention Mapping. These steps are: 1. Needs assessment; 2. Preparing matrices of change objectives; 3. Selecting theory-informed intervention methods and practical applications; 4. Producing program components and materials; 5. Planning program adoption, implementation, and sustainability; 6. Planning for evaluation. The course Health Promotion and Disease Prevention will introduce you to the six steps of Intervention Mapping. Specific emphasize will be put on step 2 and 3 with a focus on primary prevention. This course focuses on lifestyle/ health behaviors and environmental differences related to health and diseases among individuals and populations. The ultimate goal is to improve peoples' health status and quality of life by health promotion interventions. Some examples of the topics that will be addressed are: · Intervention mapping; designing theory
- and evidence-based health promotion programs. · Theory-based intervention methods and strategies; theoretical methods that can help to change several of the most important determinants of health behaviors. · Environmental influences on health. The physical environment and health interact. The importance of environmental interventions and their effect on health are postulated. · Health-related quality of life; the role of perceived mental and physical health status in the development of interventions. · Effect and process evaluation; principals, perspectives on process evaluation, and determining the effects of health promotion programs. Core element in this course is writing a study protocol in English, describing the design of a health promoting or disease preventing intervention trial.

Teaching Methods

This course is rewarded with 6 ECTs and runs in Nov-Dec 2023. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention is a part-time course, this means that 21 hours a week are necessary to pursuit the goals of this course. Teaching activities include: Lectures, tutorials, guest lecturers, group assignment (study protocol), peer review sessions and self-study.

Method of Assessment

Grades will be based on the assignment (study protocol) and a written exam that includes multiple choice and open-ended questions. The final grade is being determined by the study protocol (30%) and written exam (70%). The study protocol as well as the written exam must have a grade 5.5 or higher.

Literature

The following book is used by students who follow the specialization Prevention and Public Health. Bartholomew, Eldredge, Parcel, Kok, Gottlieb, Fernandez (eds) Planning health promotion programs: an intervention mapping approach; fourth edition(2016). Jossey-Bass, San Fransisco. ISBN:978-1-119-03549-7. Chapters which are applicable to this course will be announced through Canvas. In addition, students will use a course manual, and additional course materials are provided via Canvas.

Target Audience

The course ‘Health promotion and disease prevention’ is a compulsory course within the Master Health Science specialization Prevention and public health, and an elective course for students of other specializations of the master Health Sciences. Students with a Bachelor degree or pre-masters in Health Sciences with interest in the field of prevention and public health.

Custom Course Registration

Registration for this course via the registration module on your VU Dashboard. Registration for the assignment in subgroups and the workgroups via Canvas.

Entry Requirements

At the start of this course, we expect you to master knowledge, insight, attitude and skills at a level which is comparable to the final qualifications stated by the Bachelor Health Sciences at the VU.

Recommended background knowledge

Students are expected to comprehend the knowledge of the VU bachelor health science courses ‘Preventie’ and ‘Gezondheidscommunicatie’, or the VU premaster health science course ‘Preventie en volksgezondheid’ or similar courses on other universities.