MPH2049

Field methods for international health planning and evaluation

Michael Toole

6 points -Two full Saturdays, five 2-hour Thursday sessions -First semester -Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research, Fairfield

Objectives Students are expected to develop competence in the basic methodological tools used to manage community-based primary health care programs in a developing country setting, including needs assessments, planning and evaluation, health information collection, and operations research.

Synopsis This subject covers rapid public health needs appraisal; conducting population surveys; survey sampling methods; health behavioural research - focus groups; health behavioural research - ethnographic studies; measuring mortality in developing countries; public health surveillance and monitoring; using health data for decision-making; computer technology in health management; participatory evaluation of health programs; health operations research; quality assurance in primary health care; prevention effectiveness studies.

Assessment Each student will develop a study protocol related to a health or nutrition problem area in developing country context. Studies might include behavioural research, population surveys, operations research or public health surveillance (5000 words):40% -Oral presentation where the student will describe the study approach and defend their protocol: 20% -Literature review (4000 words): 40%

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