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Marney White
Humans often fail to make rational decisions that affect their health. This course seeks to heighten understanding of the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health decisions and behaviors, with an ultimate goal of learning how to utilize these factors in improving public health efforts. Through a set of experiential learning exercises, students will learn to apply the science of health behavior change in their own lives. The course is appropriate for students interested in health care and public health, as well as individuals who are interested in learning to apply the science of behavior change to improve their personal wellbeing.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/h0hnqi/health
What's inside
Syllabus
Welcome to the course
How do we define health? What social and behavioral factors contribute to health outcomes? How can we apply some of the key theories of behavior change to improve our nutritional, physical, and mental health?
Read more
Syllabus
Welcome to the course
How do we define health? What social and behavioral factors contribute to health outcomes? How can we apply some of the key theories of behavior change to improve our nutritional, physical, and mental health?
Read more
Traffic lights
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause and
possible dealbreakers
Covers common health dimensions and applies behavioral change toward those domains
Explores determinants of health, from the individual to the societal level
Emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practice and behavior change interventions
Provides learners with opportunities to apply theory to practice through personal behavior change projects
Taught by instructors with expertise in health behavior change research and practice
Suitable for a diverse audience, including healthcare professionals, public health practitioners, and individuals seeking to improve their health and well-being
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Reviews summary
Health behavior change: evidence to action
Learners say this course provides a strong foundation and practical strategies for understanding and influencing health behavior change. It covers essential topics like nutrition, physical activity, and mental health, offering evidence-based insights. Many appreciate the experiential learning exercises and personal behavior change projects, finding them highly valuable for applying the science to both public health efforts and their personal well-being. The structured modules offer a clear and comprehensive overview of complex behavioral factors.
Well-organized content, easy to follow modules.
"The course modules were logically presented, making it easy to absorb complex information on behavior change."
"I found the lectures clear and concise, providing a solid understanding of each topic without being overwhelming."
"The overall flow and design of the course helped me stay engaged and grasp the concepts effectively, from start to finish."
Explores nutrition, physical activity, and mental health.
"I liked how the course covered three distinct but related health domains: nutrition, exercise, and mental health."
"The structure of the course, breaking down topics into nutrition, physical activity, and mental health, was very effective for me."
"I gained a holistic view of health behavior, understanding its complexities across various aspects of life and well-being."
Benefits both public health professionals and individuals.
"This course is perfect for anyone interested in public health, but also incredibly useful for personal growth and self-improvement."
"I discovered how behavior change applies to both my own health and to broader community initiatives, making it widely applicable."
"Whether for a career in health or just self-improvement, I found the content highly applicable to diverse contexts."
Grounded in scientific research and behavioral theory.
"I really appreciated that the course is backed by solid scientific evidence, not just anecdotal advice."
"The focus on 'evidence to action' helped me trust the methods and apply them confidently to real-world scenarios."
"I learned current behavioral theories and how they directly translate into effective interventions for health promotion."
Provides actionable strategies for behavior change.
"The personal behavior change project was incredibly helpful; I immediately applied what I learned."
"I found the experiential learning exercises really cemented my understanding of how to implement change."
"This course gave me practical tools I can use in my daily life and professional work to foster healthier habits."
Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action with these
activities:
Watch videos on behavior change theories
Show steps
Build a foundational understanding of behavior change and how it can be applied to health promotion and disease prevention.
Show steps
-
Find videos on behavior change theories on YouTube or other video-sharing platforms
-
Watch the videos and take notes
Compile a list of relevant health factors
Show steps
Challenging students to think critically about what factors beyond access to healthcare affect peoples health
Browse courses on
Social Determinants of Health
Show steps
-
Brainstorm a list of factors that can affect health
-
Research the social determinants of health
-
Add information and research to your list
-
Review your list and identify the most relevant factors
Participate in a cooking class
Show steps
Gain practical meal-prepping skills while exploring healthy recipes.
Browse courses on
Nutrition
Show steps
-
Find a cooking class in your area
-
Sign up for the class
-
Attend the class and learn how to cook healthy meals
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Attend a health fair
Show steps
Gives students an opportunity to learn about different health resources and connect with health professionals
Show steps
-
Find a health fair in your area
-
Attend the health fair and visit different booths
-
Talk to health professionals and learn about different health resources
Complete food and exercise logs
Show steps
Helps students understand the relationship between nutrition and exercise
Browse courses on
Nutrition
Show steps
-
Track your food intake for 3 days
-
Track your physical activity for 3 days
-
Analyze your logs to identify patterns
-
Make changes to your diet and exercise routine based on your findings
Develop a health promotion campaign
Show steps
Challenges students to apply their knowledge of social and behavioral factors to create a plan to improve the health of a specific population.
Show steps
-
Choose a health issue to focus on
-
Develop a target audience
-
Create a message and develop a plan to disseminate it
-
Test and refine your campaign
Watch videos on behavior change theories
Show steps
Build a foundational understanding of behavior change and how it can be applied to health promotion and disease prevention.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find videos on behavior change theories on YouTube or other video-sharing platforms
- Watch the videos and take notes
Compile a list of relevant health factors
Show steps
Challenging students to think critically about what factors beyond access to healthcare affect peoples health
Browse courses on
Social Determinants of Health
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Brainstorm a list of factors that can affect health
- Research the social determinants of health
- Add information and research to your list
- Review your list and identify the most relevant factors
Participate in a cooking class
Show steps
Gain practical meal-prepping skills while exploring healthy recipes.
Browse courses on
Nutrition
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a cooking class in your area
- Sign up for the class
- Attend the class and learn how to cook healthy meals
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Attend a health fair
Show steps
Gives students an opportunity to learn about different health resources and connect with health professionals
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find a health fair in your area
- Attend the health fair and visit different booths
- Talk to health professionals and learn about different health resources
Complete food and exercise logs
Show steps
Helps students understand the relationship between nutrition and exercise
Browse courses on
Nutrition
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Track your food intake for 3 days
- Track your physical activity for 3 days
- Analyze your logs to identify patterns
- Make changes to your diet and exercise routine based on your findings
Develop a health promotion campaign
Show steps
Challenges students to apply their knowledge of social and behavioral factors to create a plan to improve the health of a specific population.
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Choose a health issue to focus on
- Develop a target audience
- Create a message and develop a plan to disseminate it
- Test and refine your campaign
Career center
Learners who complete Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Health Educator
Health Educator
Health educators work to improve the health of individuals and communities by promoting healthy behaviors and preventing disease. This course would provide health educators with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively design and implement health promotion programs. The course would also help health educators understand the challenges of promoting and sustaining long-term behavior change.
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists study the causes of disease and other health problems in populations. This course would provide a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes, which is essential knowledge for epidemiologists. The course would also help epidemiologists understand how to design and conduct studies to investigate health problems and develop effective interventions.
Health Policy Analyst
Health Policy Analyst
Health policy analysts research and analyze health policy issues and make recommendations for changes to improve the health of the population. This course would provide health policy analysts with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help health policy analysts understand how to design and evaluate health policies.
Behavior Analyst
Behavior Analyst
Behavior analysts use the principles of behavior to change behavior. This course would provide behavior analysts with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help behavior analysts understand how to design and implement behavior change interventions.
Registered Dietitian
Registered Dietitian
Registered dietitians provide nutrition counseling and education to individuals and groups. This course would provide registered dietitians with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to healthy eating. The course would also help registered dietitians understand how to design and implement nutrition interventions.
Health Psychologist
Health Psychologist
Health psychologists study the psychological factors that contribute to health and illness. This course would provide health psychologists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help health psychologists understand how to design and implement health promotion programs.
Public Health Nurse
Public Health Nurse
Public health nurses work to improve the health of communities. This course would provide public health nurses with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help public health nurses understand how to design and implement health promotion programs.
Physician
Physician
Physicians diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. This course would provide physicians with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help physicians understand how to communicate with patients about health behavior change and motivate them to make healthy choices.
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists help people with disabilities or injuries improve their ability to perform everyday tasks. This course would provide occupational therapists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help occupational therapists understand how to design and implement interventions to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease.
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist
Physical therapists help people with disabilities or injuries improve their movement and function. This course would provide physical therapists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help physical therapists understand how to design and implement interventions to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease.
Health Communications Specialist
Health Communications Specialist
Health communications specialists develop and disseminate health information to the public. This course would provide health communications specialists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help health communications specialists understand how to communicate effectively with different audiences about health issues.
Global Health Researcher
Global Health Researcher
Global health researchers study the health of populations in developing countries. This course would provide global health researchers with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes in these countries. The course would also help global health researchers understand how to design and implement interventions to improve health in developing countries.
Social Worker
Social Worker
Social workers help individuals and families cope with social and emotional problems. This course would provide social workers with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help social workers understand how to work with clients to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech-language pathologists help people with speech, language, and swallowing disorders. This course would provide speech-language pathologists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help speech-language pathologists understand how to design and implement interventions to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease.
Environmental Health Specialist
Environmental Health Specialist
Environmental health specialists work to protect the public from environmental hazards. This course would provide environmental health specialists with a strong foundation in the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health outcomes. The course would also help environmental health specialists understand how to design and implement interventions to reduce environmental hazards and promote public health.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/h0hnqi/health
Reading list
We've selected nine books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the field of health economics. It is an excellent resource for students and professionals in the field of health economics.
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the field of health psychology, including chapters on health behavior change, stress, and coping.
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of behavioral economics and the law, with a focus on how it can be used to improve health and well-being.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the evidence on the relationship between nutrition and health. It is an excellent resource for students and professionals in the field of nutrition.
Provides an overview of the social psychological factors that contribute to health and illness. It valuable resource for students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of health psychology.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of health behavior change, with a focus on the latest research and theories, and provides a strong foundation in the field.
This encyclopedia provides a comprehensive overview of the field of health psychology, including entries on health behavior change, stress and coping, and chronic illness. It valuable reference tool for students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of health psychology.
Provides a practical guide to positive psychology, with a focus on how it can be used to improve health and well-being.
Provides a popular overview of positive psychology, with a focus on how it can be used to improve happiness and well-being.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/h0hnqi/health
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Effort
8 weeks, 2 hours per week
Level
Introductory
Via
Coursera
Institution
Yale University
Instructor
Marney White
Language
English
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