Changing behaviour

 

Module Aims:

This module aims to provide students with an understanding of core principles related to changing behaviour (of professionals, populations or individuals), how complex interventions to change behaviour can be developed, and approaches to evaluating the impact of the interventions with the potential to change behaviour.

 

Module Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

1. Describe the role of behaviours in healthcare, health and disease
2. Identify a range of models of professionals’, populations’ and individuals’ behaviours and behaviour change, and critically appraise the strengths and limitations of these
3. Classify approaches to changing behaviours of professionals, populations and individuals using a variety of taxonomies, and appraise the strengths and limitations of these
4. Design and interpret studies describing the distribution and determinants of behaviours of professionals, populations and individuals
5. Develop causal diagrams of determinants of  behaviours of professionals, populations and individuals and use them to inform intervention development
6. Develop a theory of change for an intervention
7. Appropriately apply frameworks for designing and evaluating interventions, such as the MRC suite of guidance, and appraise their strengths and limitations
8. Design an evaluation of an intervention selecting an appropriate study design
9. Understand different approaches to causal inference and principles of synthesis within and between studies

 

Pre-requisites:

Principles of Epidemiology, Principles of Public Health, Research Skills.

 

Teaching Strategy:

The module will be delivered using a combination of lectures, workshops, small-group exercises, and class discussions. Some reading may be required prior to some sessions.

 

Assessment:

Assessed e-poster. Select one of five pre-specified problems where changing behaviour might provide a solution. Pre-specified problems will include topics of relevance to both public health and primary care that can be approached from a UK or international perspective. Identify the relevant behaviour. Develop a causal diagram of potential determinants of the behaviour (informed by brief review of literature). Propose a potential intervention informed by causal diagram. Develop a theory of change for the intervention (informed by brief review of literature). Propose an evaluative strategy for your intervention. Present e-poster in final session in 3-5 min with ~3min for questions. Students to be assessed on the application of methods and principles in the module, rather than the extent of their review of literature; and the quality of communication in poster and verbal presentation.

 

Module Length: 4 days