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410.668.01
Policy Interventions for Health Behavior Change

Location
East Baltimore
Term
2nd Term
Department
Health, Behavior and Society
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2021 - 2022
Instruction Method
In-person
Class Time(s)
Friday, 9:00 - 11:50am
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
Yes
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Description
Examines the major theoretical frameworks that are relevant to the development, enactment, implementation and evaluation of policy interventions that support healthy behavior change. Explores the roles of ideas, interests, institutions, key actors and ethics in the policy process are explored. Discusses how the environment can be influenced to improve the chances of implementing effective interventions to improve the public’s health. Presents case studies to critically explore the strengths and limitations of policy change theories as they relate to current hot topics in the area of health, behavior and society.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain at least one major theoretical framework used to understand policy agenda setting and apply it to a policy intervention of interest
  2. Assess the role of ethics as it applies to agenda setting, policy enactment, policy implementation and policy evaluation
  3. Discuss the major influences, including evidence, that can determine which policy interventions receive serious attention by policymakers. Describe how the environment can be influenced to improve the chances of implementing effective policy interventions to improve the public’s health
  4. Consider the major stakeholders involved in developing and implementing policy interventions to support health behavior change and improve health
  5. Identify the key factors that affect the successful implementation of policy interventions. Apply these factors to a policy intervention of interest to analyze how best to implement that policy intervention
  6. Describe primary approaches used to evaluate policy interventions. Construct an evaluation for a policy intervention of interest that assesses its impact on public health and health equity
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 100% Assignments
Enrollment Restriction
Graduate students