Health Improvement

This module introduces you to health improvement. Its goal is to explore how public health can work towards improving the health of individuals, groups and communities.

Course Description

You will have an opportunity to trace the development and evolution of health improvement, and will be able to develop your own health improvement skills with an awareness of a broad range of issues. The module will increase your awareness of the implications of a range of health improvement strategies, the challenges and dilemmas they present, and the skills needed to critique and evaluate them in a useful way.

The module brings together a wide range of inputs from nationally and internationally recognised
experts in the field. While some of the concepts or approaches presented in the sessions may
represent a challenge to your current values and ideas, we hope that you will use this opportunity
to develop your own thinking on ways to improve population health.

During the module you will have a chance to:

• Clarify your own views on the definition of health and health improvement
• Engage in discussions with colleagues and experts in the field of health improvement
• Evaluate current health improvement in practice
• Examine some of the tools available to promote health
• Reflect on your own values, views and practices about how best to improve health
• Appreciate a wide range of health improvement perspectives and their contribution to
  public health