Decision Making in Public Health:
Evidence, Politics or Diplomacy?
June 4 - 8, 2012
Download
Content Overview
This course aims to provide students with the necessary tools to develop and to successfully implement evidence-informed decisions in health.
First: The module aims to equip students with the skills to systematically assess and critically appraise existing information (literature, reports, websites, databases - building on simple searches for high level authoritative evidence, or (if this is not available) developing concepts how to establish evidence-informed technical overviews).
Students learn to provide evidence for their own managerial decision-making, but also for communicating and translating such evidence into the process of changing and improving policy and practice.
Second: With case studies other approaches of decision-making in health, as often applied in practice, such as political or diplomacy-driven approaches will be identified. This aims to raise awareness of students to the different motives of stakeholders in decision-making.
Third: Strategies for ensuring the use of evidence-informed decisions will be discussed, with a focus on
- Synthesis and presentation of evidence-informed analysis
- Methods and tools that increase evidence relevance for practice, eg: involving decision – makers and communities, using effective communication strategies, action research case studies (current examples are given)
Learning Objectives
At the end of the course, students should be able to
- Develop evidence-informed concepts and define the advantages of this approach compared to other approaches
- Critically discuss the different approaches for defining health policies (evidence-informed, driven by political arguments or by diplomacy)
In order to reach these overall objectives, students will learn to
- Develop pertinent evidence-informed decisions on a given problem in the field of health, including prioritisation of information, critical appraisal and synthesis of information
- Identify different approaches for health policy decisions
- Identify and involve stakeholders influencing health research, policy and practice
- Develop strategies to influence decision making based on evidence
Learning Methods
The course aims to initiate an active participatory learning process. It uses a mixture of interactive lectures, individual assignments, case studies, group work and presentations, and a panel debate.
Key facts and concepts are addressed in the interactive lectures, which amount to 20 hours of the coursework. 6 hours of individual reading assignments deepens this knowledge. Development of related skills is supported by tutored individual practical exercises (5 hours) and individual written assignments (15 hours). Case studies are used for better understanding and analysing processes at work in the dynamics between evidence, policy and practice. These form the basis for group work (max 6 participants per group) followed by group presentations (12 hours). A panel debate and plenary discussion is used to synthesize the contents at the end of the module (2 hours)
Assessment Procedures
Course participants are expected to attend teaching sessions and actively participate in class discussions and group work.
- 60% individual written assignment
Essay: critical synthesis of retrieved information (2500 words) on selected topics. - 40% oral presentation based on group work
Assessment based on standard criteria, which are made available to the students
Duration / Accreditatopn
1 weeks / 60 hours SIT (45 hours (lecture, goup work, self study) + 15 self study hours after course for assignment);
Full time attendance required.2 ECTS (tropEd Master in International Health)
Target Group and Prerequisites
Public health professionals; social scientists, paramedical staff, project planners / co-ordinators, medical doctors, tropEd students;
The course is held in English. Fluency in English (Reading, Speaking, Writing) required.
Course Fee and Registration
Download:
Course Fee
General Admittance € 750;
tropEd students € 500,-.
Please register as soon as possible as the number of participants is limited.
A non-refundable registration fee of € 200, which will be credited towards the tuition fee, is due no later than 8 weeks prior to the start of the course. The remaining tuition fee is due not later than 6 weeks prior to the start of the course. Unfortunately, no Scholarships are available.
If the participant withdraws from the course
less than 6 weeks prior: 25 % of the course fee will be charged.
less than 4 weeks prior: 50 % of the course fee will be charged.
less than 2 weeks prior: the whole course fee will be charged.
The tuition fee covers coursework and printed materials and a bi-weekly pass for the Heidelberg public transportation system, but does not include accommodation, insurance or other personal living costs during the stay.
Contact Registration
Nandita Rothermund, M.A.
Assistant
Short Courses in International Health
Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, D-69120 Heidelberg
Fon: + 49 - (0) 62 21 - 56 46 48 (Mo-Fri 09-13)
Fax: + 49 - (0) 62 21 - 56 49 18
short.courses@urz.uni-heidelberg.de
Course Coordinator
Dr. Olaf Horstick
Institute of Public Health
Short Courses Programme Coordinator
tropEd Coordinator
Natascha Petersen, M.A.
Institute of Public Health
Fon: + 49 - (0) 62 21 - 56 50 48
