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Foundations of Public Health Practice: Behaviour & Behaviour Change

Approx. 17 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Learn how to create effective behavior change interventions in public health through this course. Discover the different factors that influence people's behavior and how to design public health programs that can promote positive change.

Key Learning Points

Understand the different models and theories of behavior change
Learn the steps involved in designing and implementing behavior change interventions
Explore different strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of behavior change programs

Learning Outcomes

Design effective behavior change interventions for public health programs
Understand the different factors that influence behavior change in individuals and communities
Evaluate the effectiveness of behavior change programs

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of public health concepts
Ability to understand and analyze research articles
Access to a computer and internet connection

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced
Video lectures
Quizzes
Peer-reviewed assignments

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Description

The Health Protection course is the third instalment of the wider Foundations of Public Health Practice specialisation from Imperial College London's Global Master of Public Health (MPH). The scope and content of this course has been developed from the ground up by a combined team of academics and practitioners drawing on decades of real-world public health experience as well as deep academic knowledge. Through short video lectures, practitioner interviews and a wide range of interactive activities, learners will be immersed in the world of public health practice.

Designed for those new to the discipline, over three modules (intended for three weeks of learning), learners will become familiar with the scope, theory and implementation of behaviour change in the context of public health practice. The course begins by challenging learners about their preconceptions about healthy and unhealthy behaviour - seeking to contextualise these ideas within the broader public health approach (the first course of this specialisation). The course thereafter swiftly covers the origins of risk communication and behaviour change through the lens of health psychology and classical economics, before introducing ideas of bounded rationality and the genesis of behavioural insights and so-called Nudges. By the end of the course, learners will be fluent with their use of the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology of intervention development and the application of the COM-B framework to a range of target behaviours and behavioural barriers. The subsequent courses of this specialisation will cover health protection before moving into the final (degree learner) course which where learners will focus on developing the core professional skillset that defines public health practitioners - whether in service or academia.

Outline

Module One: Behaviour and behaviour change principles
Meet the Team (Optional): Richard Pinder
Meet the Team (Optional): Samantha Alvarez Madrazo
Meet the Team (Optional): Katharine Collet
Meet the Team (Optional): Talia Boshari
Meet the Team (Optional): Carolyn Sharpe
Meet the Team (Optional): Helen Skirrow
An introduction to behaviour and behaviour change
Why is behaviour important in public health?
Risk analysis and motivation
About Imperial College London & the FPHP Team
How to be successful in this course
Grading policy
Glossary
Thinking about behaviour and how it impacts on health
An evolution to risk communication and understanding uncertainty
Framing risk
Conclusion
Describing behaviour and risk

Behaviour change models
Introducing social norms and the influence of culture
Nudge: an introduction to behavioural economics
Nudges in public health practice
Building nudge into policy: MINDSPACE and EAST
Conclusions to the module
An introduction to behavioural theories
Core Theory 1: The Health Belief Model
Core Theory 2: Social Cognitive Theory
Core Theory 3: Theory of Planned Behaviour
Quick recap and even more theories of behaviour!
Applying behavioural insights to public policy
Applying behavioral insights to public policy
Applying behavioural insights to public policy
Describing and applying behaviour change models
Describing and applying behaviour change models

Module Two: Analysing behaviour and effecting change
The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) methodology
Stage 1: Mapping the target behaviour against the COM-B domains
Stage 2a: Identifying intervention functions
Stage 2b: Selecting policy options
BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 1 - analysing the problem using COM-B
BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 2a - selecting intervention functions
BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 2b - selecting policy categories
How to use the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology
Using the COM-B approach in medicines adherence
Stage 3: The Behaviour Change Taxonomy (BCT)
Reflections on the BCW methodology
Introduction to the worked example
Summary of recommendations
Reflections on our Boston example
Conclusion
Introducing the behaviour change wheel methodology
Describing and applying the BCW Methodology

Module Three: Theory into practice
Practitioner interview: Sexual health and behaviour change
Conclusions to the course
Introducing the peer review
Population brief advice: implementing MECC

Summary of User Reviews

Discover how to create effective behavior change strategies in public health with this course on Coursera. The course has received positive reviews from many users, who have praised its practical approach to teaching and engaging content. One key aspect that users thought was good is the course's focus on real-world examples and case studies.

Pros from User Reviews

Practical approach to teaching
Engaging content
Focus on real-world examples and case studies
Expert instructors
Flexible study schedule

Cons from User Reviews

Some users felt that the course could have been more in-depth
A few users found the course content to be too basic
Limited opportunities for interaction with instructors and peers
Some technical issues reported with the platform used for the course
Not suitable for those looking for a more theoretical approach

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