MPH5002 - Foundations of health promotion and program planning - 2019

This unit examines the impact of multiple factors that contribute to the health of populations, focusing on role of the social determinants of health, and to develop knowledge and skills in program planning for health promotion.

Students will examine the values and principles that guide contemporary health promotion and its capacity to influence the determinants of health.

They will develop skills in needs assessment, priority setting, using evidence and theory to make intervention choices and program management.

The roles played by partnerships, capacity building and participation will be explored, and the steps toward improving program sustainability are examined.

On successful completion of this unit students will:

1. Assess and interpret health promotion from differing perspectives and explain the principles that underpin contemporary health promotion;
2. Critically reflect on the link between the social determinants of health and social equity, health inequities and the ethical project of health promotion;
3. Research and compare a range of approaches for promoting health that address upstream, mid-stream and dowstream determinants of health;
4. Implement the steps in comprehensive program planning as a basis for action to address health determinants;
5. Identify the information sources that can be used to identify health needs, assess determinants and select targets for change;
6. Demonstrate skills in priority setting and development of project goals, objectives and strategies based on a logic model.

• Critical reflections (1800 words - 6 x 300 words) (30% - 6 x 5%)
• Essay (1800 words) (30%)
• Health promotion program plan (2400 words) (40%) (Hurdle)

6 hours of teacher-directed learning activities per week, and 6 hours of self-directed study per week. There is an expectation that students will attend 2 on-campus Block Days.

See also Unit timetable information

Public health