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Foundations of Public Health Practice: Behaviour & Behaviour Change
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 17 hours
  • Course by Imperial College London
  • Offered by

About

The Health Protection course is the third instalment of the wider Foundations of Public Health Practice specialisation from Imperial College London's Global Master of Public Health (MPH). The scope and content of this course has been developed from the ground up by a combined team of academics and practitioners drawing on decades of real-world public health experience as well as deep academic knowledge. Through short video lectures, practitioner interviews and a wide range of interactive activities, learners will be immersed in the world of public health practice. Designed for those new to the discipline, over three modules (intended for three weeks of learning), learners will become familiar with the scope, theory and implementation of behaviour change in the context of public health practice. The course begins by challenging learners about their preconceptions about healthy and unhealthy behaviour - seeking to contextualise these ideas within the broader public health approach (the first course of this specialisation). The course thereafter swiftly covers the origins of risk communication and behaviour change through the lens of health psychology and classical economics, before introducing ideas of bounded rationality and the genesis of behavioural insights and so-called Nudges. By the end of the course, learners will be fluent with their use of the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology of intervention development and the application of the COM-B framework to a range of target behaviours and behavioural barriers. The subsequent courses of this specialisation will cover health protection before moving into the final (degree learner) course which where learners will focus on developing the core professional skillset that defines public health practitioners - whether in service or academia.

Modules

Welcome to Imperial College London

    • 4 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Nice to meet you!

4 Videos

  • Meet the Team (Optional): Richard Pinder
  • Meet the Team (Optional): Katharine Collet
  • Meet the Team (Optional): Talia Boshari
  • Meet the Team (Optional): Carolyn Sharpe

4 Readings

  • About Imperial College London & the FPHP Team
  • How to be successful in this course
  • Grading policy
  • Glossary

Lesson One: Introduction to behaviour in public health

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 2 Plugin
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Why do people make unhealthy choices?

2 Videos

  • An introduction to behaviour and behaviour change
  • Why is behaviour important in public health?

1 Readings

  • Thinking about behaviour and how it impacts on health

Lesson Two: Introduction to risk and risk communication

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 3 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Describing behaviour and risk

1 Discussions

  • An interesting fact in risk communication

1 Videos

  • Risk analysis and motivation

2 Readings

  • An evolution to risk communication and understanding uncertainty
  • Framing risk

Conclusion

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Describing behaviour and risk

1 Readings

  • Conclusion

Lesson One: Health psychology based behaviour change theories

    • 1 Videos
    • 5 Readings
    • 1 Plugin
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introducing social norms and the influence of culture

5 Readings

  • An introduction to behavioural theories
  • Core Theory 1: The Health Belief Model
  • Core Theory 2: Social Cognitive Theory
  • Core Theory 3: Theory of Planned Behaviour
  • Quick recap and even more theories of behaviour!

Lesson Two: Behavioural economics

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 2 Plugin
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Describing and applying behaviour change models

1 Discussions

  • Applying the MINDSPACE framework

3 Videos

  • Nudge: an introduction to behavioural economics
  • Nudges in public health practice
  • Building nudge into policy: MINDSPACE and EAST

3 Readings

  • Applying behavioural insights to public policy
  • Applying behavioral insights to public policy
  • Applying behavioural insights to public policy

Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Describing and applying behaviour change models

1 Videos

  • Conclusions to the module

Lesson Two: Introducing the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) methodology

    • 4 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Introducing the behaviour change wheel methodology

1 Discussions

  • Using the COM-B approach to analyse a target behaviour

4 Videos

  • The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) methodology
  • Stage 1: Mapping the target behaviour against the COM-B domains
  • Stage 2a: Identifying intervention functions
  • Stage 2b: Selecting policy options

4 Readings

  • How to use the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology
  • Using the COM-B approach in medicines adherence
  • Stage 3: The Behaviour Change Taxonomy (BCT)
  • Reflections on the BCW methodology

Lesson Three: A worked example using the BCW methodology

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 2 Plugin
Show info about module content

2 Discussions

  • Why do some adolescents in Boston undertake low levels of physical activity?
  • Why do some adolescents in Boston undertake low levels of physical activity

3 Videos

  • BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 1 - analysing the problem using COM-B
  • BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 2a - selecting intervention functions
  • BCW methodology in Boston: Stage 2b - selecting policy categories

3 Readings

  • Introduction to the worked example
  • Summary of recommendations
  • Reflections on our Boston example

Conclusion

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Describing and applying the BCW Methodology

1 Readings

  • Conclusion

Lesson One: Behaviour change at scale & peer review

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Peer Review: Behaviour Change Wheel methodology

1 Readings

  • Introducing the peer review

Lesson Two: Conclusions

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Power, authority, and stakeholders

2 Videos

  • Practitioner interview: Sexual health and behaviour change
  • Conclusions to the course

1 Readings

  • Population brief advice: implementing MECC

Auto Summary

"Foundations of Public Health Practice: Behaviour & Behaviour Change" is a foundational course offered by Imperial College London on Coursera, focusing on health and fitness. This three-week course, ideal for beginners, delves into the theories and implementation of behaviour change in public health. Through video lectures, practitioner interviews, and interactive activities, learners explore risk communication, health psychology, and the Behaviour Change Wheel methodology. The course, part of a broader specialisation, prepares students to apply the COM-B framework effectively. Subscription options include Starter and Professional.

Dr Richard J Pinder
Instructor

Dr Richard J Pinder