INTHE4101 – Strategic Communication in Community Health
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
NB! THE CREDIT POINTS WILL BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DURING AUTUMN 2007!!
The course aims at building knowledge and skills on how to develop a health communication strategy for public health, and at creating awareness about interpersonal communication issues affecting strategy outcomes.
The basis for the course is social science and communication theories, and the application of the theories to understand practice and build a plan for a public health communication strategy. Participants’ own practices, experiences and questions are important starting points for the teaching, which uses modern pedagogical methods needed for effective health communication through different channels.
A questionnaire will be given to the participants before the course, to assess the group’s skills and experiences on the topic, and their training needs. The course is adjusted each year based on feedback from these questionnaires. Furthermore, the theory and practice of using observations to motivate and affect change of practice will be taught, using observation tasks in the 4 weeks’ period before the course. The tasks will start participants on the process of developing awareness about personal communication habits and styles in different situations. The tasks require 10-20 minutes’ time every week, to note observations about yourselves.
Literature: A number of articles and manual, available on the net. In addition, one page handouts will be used to give summaries of main points from the teaching, and links to further information sources.
Learning outcome
Learning outcomes
- Effective learning about health and medicines, and how people change health habits. This includes overview of mass media and face to face education methods;
- Development of information and communication strategy on public health topics;
- The student/health professional as an actor in the change process: the importance and effects of interpersonal communication methods;
- Development of communication and education materials: From medicine-based information to patient-focussed communication, using action research strategy and communication and anthropological methods and tools;
- Patient empowerment perspectives;
- Operational research principles, applied to TB and HIV communication.
Admission
Open for M.Phil students at Internasjonal health, other students at the University of Oslo, students at other University in Norway and abroad, and non student.
For people outside the university system how want more information about this courses or are interested to apply, please contact Department of General Practice and Community Medicine before 1. December for registration and/or more information.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
No obligatory prerequisites beyond the minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway.Teaching
Thatching and Fronter based course
1 week course
Examination
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. If you would prefer to have the exam text in English, you may apply to the course administrators.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.