Public health among children, youth and their families (MHV206)

The course is suitable for everyone working with public health in health and welfare services, as well as other associated societal roles and tasks. The roles of primary and specialist health care, kindergartens and schools, social and welfare services, as well as non-governmental organizations for the benefit of disease prevention, health promotion, and children and adolescents´ participation and healthy development will be addressed.

The health of a society´s childhood population relate to and rely on the health of the society both retrospectively and at present time and have large consequences for the prospective sustainability of the society. Health is a precursor of participation in the society, whereas children and adolescents´ participation in health services, schools, leisure activities, and local communities are important for their health and development.

In Norway and globally, non-communicable diseases including mental health problems represent a major burden for both individuals and societies. Additionally, both non-communicable and communicable diseases affect children in relation to a social gradient in health.

Recent advances in knowledge concerning the development of children from a biopsychosocial perspective point out the importance of bort adverse childhood experiences and safe, stable, and nurturing relationships to understand healthy and unhealthy trajectories of development. Health promotion strategies therefore need to acknowledge both the presence of challenges and adversity, as well as healthy relationships and support for mastering those. Moreover, the experiences of a child, and specifically the early experiences, become embedded in the bodies making the development of mental and physical health inherently integrated throughout the lifespan. Therefore, health literacy, healthy development, and healthy behaviours must be understood from a systems perspective, taking objective and subjective individual health outcomes, social networks, daily environment, and the general socioeconomical, cultural, and environmental terms into account. In children specifically, early interventions for greater return, and family-oriented practices are crucial to sustainable health promotion and disease prevention.


Course description for study year 2024-2025. Please note that changes may occur.

Facts

Course code

MHV206

Version

1

Credits (ECTS)

10

Semester tution start

Autumn

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Autumn

Language of instruction

Norwegian Bokmål

Offered by
Time table

View course schedule

Content

The course is organised into four thematic sub-courses:

  • Part 1: Epidemiology, evidence-based public health initiatives, and overview of children and adolsecents´ health
  • Part 2: Understanding the aetiology of, factors associated with, and prognosis for healthy and unhealthy trajectories through the life course
  • Part 3: Children, adolsecents, and families as resources for co-creating healthy trajectories
  • Part 4: Strategies, Interventions & theoretical models: systemic approaches for the health of the whole child, whole family, and whole community

Students will while working with their folder exam have the opportunity to focus on, and deepen their knowledge, in health themes most relevant for their interest and/or professional/educational background.

Learning outcome

After successfully completing and passing the course, candidates will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

Students:

  • have advanced knowledge about central legal rules, political strategies, administrative tools, health services and other public services relevant to Norwegian and international public health and health promotion
  • have advanced knowledge about the prevalence and incidence of the most common health and developmental challenges and health related behaviours among children and adolescents in Norway and globally
  • have advanced knowledge about how parental participation in work, children´s participation in school and leisure activities, and families´ participation in social networks can provide health benefits as well as cause health challenges
  • have in-depth knowledge about how a system-theoretical and biopsychosocial understanding of children and adolescents´ health are discussed in research literature.

Skills

Students:

  • can find, understand, assess, and apply research-based evidence about prevalence/incidence, aetiology, diagnostic factors/tools, effective interventions, prognosis, and subjective experiences to understand and describe options of actions on the perspective and benefit of children, adolescents, and families´ health
  • can analyse, discuss, and apply the most central concepts, theories, and models within the fields of epidemiology and public health in planning health promoting initiatives and activities
  • can disseminate evidence and theory in planning activities aiming to empower children, adolescents, and families, reduce social inequalities in health, increase health literacy and stimulate behavioural change
  • can contribute to plan activities and strategies at an individual, group, and societal level, taking contextual and socio-political strategies into account.

General competence

Students:

  • can reflect on the complexity and conflict of values between health promotion and disease prevention as well as population versus high-risk approaches
  • can disseminate ethical justifiable choices of actions in public health work, and discuss the consequences and importance of populational and individual trust
  • can identify and discuss implementation facilitators and barriers for when a selected evidence-based intervention or strategy is to be used in the field of public health practice
  • can disseminate innovative thinking, evidence-based strategies and practice, and equivalent services for sustainable public health development.

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid
Folder 1/1 Letter grades

The folder exam consists of three parts, including the two individual assignments (related to sub-course 2 and 3) that must be submitted within the given deadlines. Those parts can be revised before submitting the full folder exam including also a third part related to sub-course 4.All examination support materials are permitted as long as source referencing rules are followed. Scope: 3000 words (+/- 10%), list of references is additional.The exam can be answered in English or Norwegian

Coursework requirements

Two assignments, Feedback on a fellow student's assignment

In order to take the examination (submit the final folder exam), students must have:

  1. submitted two individual assignments (first and second part of the folder exam) ranging from 500-800 words each
  2. given a peer assessment of a fellow student’s individual outline (from point 1)

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Per Christer Thomas Westergren

Study Program Director:

Kristin Akerjordet

Method of work

The course includes lectures and varied student-active work methods organised in accordance with flipped classroom principles. Students take part in a 3-step workshop in groups realted to sub-course 2, 3, and 4.

Open for

  • Students admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health Sciences may take the course.
  • Other students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in health and social sciences are also relevant for this course.

Course assessment

There must be an early dialogue between the course supervisor, the student union representative and the students. The purpose is feedback from the students for changes and adjustments in the course for the current semester.In addition, a digital subject evaluation must be carried out at least every three years. Its purpose is to gather the students experiences with the course.

Literature

The syllabus can be found in Leganto