Global health promotion

This module introduces the rationale for health promotion in global health and the main methods and models for studying health behaviour change. It focuses on what affects health behaviours and the possibilities and limitations for health interventions to promote behaviour change.

Module Code: GLBH0024

UCL Credits: 15

Module Organisers: Dr Rodney Reynolds

Who can study this course?

MSc/PG Dip Global Health and Development students, other UCL MSc/PG Dip students, Taster course students, Short course students.

Admission Requirements

MSc and PG Dip students: Open to all UCL MSc/PG Dip Global Health and Development, and to any UCL MSc/PG Dip students.

Taster students: UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant/allied subject awarded with a 1st or upper 2nd class Honours or an equivalent qualification.  Two academic or professional reference letters.

Short course students: Professional work experience in a relevant area and/or UK Bachelor's degree in a relevant/allied subject awarded with a 1st or 2nd class Honours or an equivalent qualification.

In addition to the above, all students must demonstrate a GOOD standard of English Proficiency with 6.5 in each subtest.

Content

Topics

• Introduction to the field of Behavioural Sciences and its relation to Public and Global Health.
• Behaviour modification models and limitations.
• Psychology and health promotion.
• Anthropology and ethnographic approaches to health promotion.
• Social networks and their implications for health.
• Intervention design and analysis.

Teaching and learning methods

This module is a mix of teaching and self-directed reading and learning.  Interactive lectures will be combined with seminars and group discussion.  The bulk of teaching will be carried out by tutors from within IGH, but may also draw on relevant expertise across faculties.  The module prioritizes time for private reading and self-study.  Moodle will be used to give students access to reading materials and links to other learning materials available in other media formats or via internet links.

Assessment

The module will be assessed by a group project and presentation that presents and analyses a health promotion intervention from a macro and micro perspective. 

The group project presentation consists of 80% of the total mark.  

Students also peer review each other's contribution to the group project (20%) by submitting a document (500 words max) summarizing their contribution and the contribution of the other group members, allocating a mark to each group member.

Assessment Date

15 February 2019 by 9 am.

Selected Reading List

Black N. 1994. Why we need qualitative research. J. Epidemiol. Comm. Health 48: 425-26

Benson P. 2010. Tobacco talk: reflections on corporate power and the legal framing of consumption. Med. Anthropol. Q. 24(4):500-21

Carpenter-Song EA, Schwallie MN, Longhofer J. 2007. Cultural competence reexamined: critique and directions for the future. Psychiatr. Serv. 58:1362-65

Castro A, Singer M. 2004. Unhealthy Health Policies. Walnut Creek, CA: Alta Mira

Chowdhury A, Helman C, Greenhalgh T. 2000. Food beliefs and practices among British Bangladeshis with diabetes: implications for health education. Anthropol. Med. 7(2): 209-26

Dewi FST, Stenlund H, Öhman A, Hakimi Mm Weinehall L. 2010. Mobilising a disadvantaged community for a cardiovascular intervention: designing PRORIVA in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Global Health Action 3:4661.

Farmer P. 1997. Social scientists and the new tuberculosis. Soc. Sci. Med. 44:347-58

Green,  C.  1990.  Media  Promotion  of Breastfeeding,  a  Decade's  Experience. Washington, DC: Acad. Educ. Dev

Lopez AD, Mathers CD, Ezzati M, Jamison DT, Murray CJL. 2006b. Global and regional burden of disease and risk factors, 2001: systematic analysis of population health data. Lancet 367:1747-57

Moore RS, Annechino RM, Lee JP. 2009. Unintended consequences of smoke-free bar policies for low-SES women in three California counties. Am. J. Prev. Med. 37:S138-43

Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behaviors. American Psychologist, 47(9), 1102-1114. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.47.9.1102

Serlin, D. 2010. Imagining Illness: Public Health and Visual Culture. University of Minnesota Press. 

Shiell, Alan and McIntosh, Karen (2006) Economics of health promotion. What we know, don't know and need to know before spending to promote public health. Harvard Health Policy Review. 7(2):21-31

Stephens, Keri K, Rajiv N. Rimal, June A. Flora (2004) Expanding the Reach of Health Campaigns: Community Organizations as Meta-Channels for the Dissemination of Health Information. Journal of Health Communication Vol. 9, Iss. sup1.