550.608.98
Problem Solving in Public Health
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Term
2nd Term
Department
Extradepartmental
Credit(s)
4
Academic Year
2019 - 2020
Instruction Method
TBD
Start Date
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
End Date
Friday, November 8, 2019
Tu, W, Th, F, 8:30am - 6:00pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
One Year Only
Resources
Uses divergent public health issues to illustrate a systematic problem solving process for use in addressing public health problems. The problem solving process includes defining the problem, measuring its magnitude, understanding the key determinants, developing a conceptual framework of the relationships between the key determinants, identifying and developing intervention and prevention strategies (either interventions or policies), setting priorities among intervention options, understanding barriers to implementation and evaluation, and developing an effective communication strategy. Consists of lectures, discussions, small-group exercises, a group project, and individual assignments.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Analyze a public health problem and evaluate intervention/policy alternatives using the problem solving methodology
- Compare and contrast the utility of the methodology to solve public health problems that emerge at different periods in the life cycle and in different cultures, including: HIV/AIDS, childhood immunization, radioactive iodine exposure and thyroid cancer, unintended injuries and their prevention, obesity prevention, tobacco abuse, screening mammography and breast cancer
- Carry out a group project under the guidance of a Teaching Assistant (TA), in which student groups will research a specific public health problem, prepare a written report and present their recommendations to the class following the problem-solving methodology
- Recognize the complexity of policy development, including a discussion of the politics of public health issues, the roles of interest groups and stakeholders, and the laws and social values that must be woven into successful policies
- Integrate human rights and ethical principles into the analysis of public health problems and recommended strategies
- Recognize the critical role of communication in public health practice
- Work together in multi-disciplinary groups that model the way public health agencies conduct problem-solving activities
- Demonstrate critical and analytical thinking by preparing three individual products (a self-assessment of the process, an individual critique of a paper submitted by another group, and a health and human rights assessment)
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 20% Group Presentation
- 25% Lab Assignments
- 20% Assignments
- 35% Group Work
Enrollment Restriction
undergraduate students are not permitted in this course
This course will be taught for 4 days in Barcelona Spain. Students are required to be in Barcelona to participate in the course. Students will receiving readings prior to the start of class; final paper will be due on or about December 20, 2019.