Course Developing complex interventions addressing health behaviour change on multiple levels

Title: Developing complex interventions addressing health behaviour change on multiple levels

Reg.no: P231/07

is being offered by the Graduate School of Health, Aarhus University, fall 2020.

Criteria for participation: University degree at Master level in Public Health science, Sport sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy or Master’s degree in other fields and/or postgraduate research fellows.

Aim: The aim of this course is to introduce frameworks for designing public health interventions targeted health behavior. The course will include basic introduction to evaluating, with a subsequent additional course in evaluation of complex interventions (spring 2021). Socio-ecological models of health will form the basis of the course.

Learning outcomes:

• Insight into complex interventions based on the UK Medical Research Council Model
• Insight in developing complex interventions addressing co-production
• Insight in contextual elements that can influence successful behaviour change
• Overview of different complex intervention evaluation strategies

Contents: Course participants will gain an insight into the theoretical models used in relation to developing and partly evaluation of complex interventions in everyday practice. The participants will gain experience to recognize and adopt appropriate methods systematically based on a sound understanding of mechanisms of behavior change. Furthermore, the course outline is based on socio-ecological models and whole system approaches to increase awareness of a holistic orientation regarding design and evaluation of health programs. Moreover, new approaches such as co-production are introduced. The course introduction will focus on defining health behaviour interventions, to establish a common language, before introducing development perspectives on complex interventions. The participants will gain an insight into the concepts of logic models, feasibility testing and piloting to ensure that large-scale evaluations are not conducted prematurely; and into different evaluation designs relevant for different purposes.

Teaching method will be lectures and a high level of interaction with participants’ presenting their own practical examples of interventions. The course rely on peer-feedback as well as other feedback forms, to enhance learning. Preparatory work is expected through forwarding a project description of own or shared study, which will be develop on throughout the course. Concrete examples, methods and techniques will be taught in the course, aiming to provide a toolbox to the participant at the end of the course. Student driven workshops will also be part of the program, developing on provided examples.

Preparation: The students will be send a reference list in advance.

Language: English

ECTS: 2.0

Head of course: Helle Terkildsen Maindal

Instructors: Teaching will be delivered by experts in the field of public health interventions development and evaluation, including Professor H. Terkildsen Maindal (programme lead for health promotion and intervention research), researchers; K. Ryom (Sports Science), Anders Blædel Gottlieb Hansen (Social Science, Public Health), and international guest lectures.

Number of Participants: max 20

Dates and times: 2-4 November 2020 at approx. 9.15-16.00

Place: Preben Hornung stuen, Studenterhusfonden, Frederik Nielsens vej 2-4, 8000 Aarhus C