Assessing and Improving Community Health from Coursera

This course is intended to serve as an introduction to population health from both the vantage point of both public health and healthcare. We will examine the key components of community health needs assessments, how they are used, and how to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. We will also explore the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. Finally, we will design multi sector collaborations that support the phases of population health improvement.

As a survey of the population health, the course provides an overview for students wishing no more than an introduction to the field, as well as good grounding for students who wish to pursue additional coursework in population health.

After taking this course, you will be able to:

- Explain differences between population health assessments for public health and healthcare.

- Outline the key components of community health needs assessments (CHNA).

- Compare how public health and healthcare will use a CHNA to improve population health.

- Identify key population health indicators for social determinants of health.

- Identify key population health indicators for mental health and opioid abuse.

- Categorize data sources by epidemiologic criteria.

- Analyze differences between subpopulations and across time trends.

- Formulate multi sector collaborations that support population health improvement.

- Outline a plan for population health improvement.

- Evaluate evidence-based interventions based on epidemiologic criteria and community suitability.

What's inside

Syllabus

Population Health: Healthcare and Public Health

In this introduction to population health, we lay out a comprehensive definition of population health as a process and begin to describe the major approaches to population health improvement. We also outline how the “Triple Aim” of improved population health, improved patient experience, and reduced cost was woven into the U.S. Affordable Care Act through new mandates for population health practices. In healthcare settings, we describe how new patient population management and population medicine approaches are beginning to address two known areas of weaknesses - that is, gaps in care and care transitions - that can have major impacts on a population’s health. We also begin to recognize that healthcare is not designed to address root causes of disease and that new ways of thinking are needed if communities are going to have sustained improvements in their population health.

Population Health Indicators

In this week’s module, we map the network of partnerships and interconnections that influence a population health. Specifically, we summarize the ‘health impact pyramid’ and examine connections between community health and social, economic, environmental factors. Building on this foundation, we then extend these ideas into a new arena called the ‘One Health’ concept that recognizes the interrelationship between the health of the planet, its animals, and the health of humans. To enable learners to measure the health of a community, we explore the WHO 100 health indicators and describe what makes a really good population health indicator. The ability to measure a population’s health then helps us stratify patient populations or vulnerable subgroups within a community into different risk groups who would benefit from different preventive approaches. We then end the week with an exploration of The Community Guide - a product of the Community Preventive Services Task Force - who provides systematic reviews and recommendations on the best evidence-based community health interventions.

Improvement and Interventions Strategies

The ability to measure a population’s health then helps us stratify patient populations or vulnerable subgroups within a community into different risk groups who would benefit from different preventive approaches. We then end the week with an exploration of The Community Guide - a product of the Community Preventive Services Task Force - who provides systematic reviews and recommendations on the best evidence-based community health interventions.

Community Health Needs Assessment

In this last week, we turn our attention to a standard way to assess and begin to plan improvements in community health - that is, the community health needs assessment. We go through the key principles and process steps underlying community health needs assessments, including some good examples. This week the final project to create a evidence-based intervention plan for your community of interest is due.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines the impact of public health, healthcare, and other social determinants on population health, making this course highly relevant to people and practitioners in these areas

Taught by Sharon Kardia, a recognized expert in public health and population health

Develops ethical and human-centered approaches to solving population health problems

Builds a foundation in population health for practitioners, students, and researchers

May require additional background knowledge in public health or healthcare to fully grasp the concepts

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 Assessing and Improving Community Health with these activities:

Review Public Health and Healthcare

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Review key concepts of Public Health and Healthcare to build a strong foundational for this course.

Browse courses on Public Health

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Re-read selected chapters from a previous Public Health textbook
Review online resources on key Healthcare concepts
Take practice quizzes on Public Health and Healthcare topics

Review key concepts of population health

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Refreshes your understanding of core population health concepts covered in the course, ensuring a strong foundation.

Browse courses on Population Health

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Review lecture notes and slides from previous courses or textbooks.
Attend a free online workshop or seminar on population health fundamentals.
Read articles or blog posts on the latest trends and developments in population health.

Review Book: 'Community Health Nursing: Caring for the Public's Health' by Stanhope and Lancaster

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Expand knowledge on population health nursing and gain insights into community health practices.

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Read selected chapters from the book
Summarize key concepts and theories

Seven other activities

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Attend a population health conference or workshop

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Attending conferences and workshops provides opportunities to engage with experts, learn about best practices, and expand your network.

Browse courses on Community Health

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Identify relevant conferences or workshops in your area.
Register for the event.
Prepare by reviewing the agenda and speaker profiles.
Attend the sessions and actively participate in discussions.
Follow up with speakers or attendees to continue networking.

Create a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Outline

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Create an outline for a CHNA to apply knowledge about key components and improve understanding of CHNAs.

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Review the key components of a CHNA
Identify potential data sources for the CHNA
Develop an outline for the CHNA

Analyze Population Health Data

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Analyze population health data to identify trends and patterns, improving analytical skills.

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Gather population health data from credible sources
Use statistical software to analyze the data
Interpret the results of the analysis

Develop a presentation on a population health topic

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Creating a presentation requires synthesizing and communicating population health knowledge, enhancing your understanding and presentation skills.

Browse courses on Health Promotion

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Choose a topic related to population health that interests you.
Research and gather information from credible sources.
Structure your presentation with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Incorporate visuals and data to support your points.
Practice delivering your presentation.

Volunteer at a Local Community Health Center

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Gain practical experience in population health by volunteering at a local health center, reinforcing classroom learning.

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Identify a local community health center
Contact the center to inquire about volunteer opportunities
Participate in volunteer activities

Develop a Multi-Sector Collaboration Plan

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Create a plan for multi-sector collaboration to address population health issues, applying knowledge on collaboration strategies.

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Identify key stakeholders and their roles
Develop a shared vision and goals
Outline strategies for collaboration

Evaluate Evidence-Based Interventions

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Evaluate evidence-based interventions for population health improvement, enhancing critical thinking and analytical skills.

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Identify potential evidence-based interventions
Use criteria to evaluate the interventions
Select the most appropriate interventions

Career center

Learners who complete Assessing and Improving Community Health will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Community Health Worker

A Community Health Worker provides health education and support to individuals and families in the community. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. This information can be used to provide health education and support that is tailored to the needs of the community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Health Worker

Health Educator

A Health Educator develops, implements, and evaluates health education programs to promote healthy behaviors and prevent disease. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. This information can be used to develop and implement health education programs that are tailored to the needs of the community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Educator

Social Worker

A Social Worker helps people cope with personal or social problems that are affecting their well-being. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. This information can be used to help people cope with personal or social problems that are affecting their well-being.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist collects, analyzes, and interprets data to extract meaningful insights. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to collect, analyze, and interpret data in a way that extracts meaningful insights about population health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Statistician

A Statistician collects, analyzes, interprets, and presents data to inform decision-making. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to collect, analyze, interpret, and present data in a way that informs decision-making about population health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Statistician

Health Policy Analyst

A Health Policy Analyst researches and analyzes health policy issues to inform policy development and decision-making. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of population health and the key components of community health needs assessments. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to research and analyze health policy issues and inform policy development and decision-making.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Analyst

Public Health Analyst

A Public Health Analyst collects, analyzes, interprets, and disseminates data to support public health policy development and decision-making. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of population health and the key components of community health needs assessments. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to support public health policy development and decision-making.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Analyst

Healthcare Administrator

A Healthcare Administrator manages the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility or organization. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of population health and the key components of community health needs assessments. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to manage the day-to-day operations of a healthcare facility or organization in a way that improves the health of the community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Administrator

Nurse

A Nurse provides direct patient care and support to individuals and families. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. This information can be used to provide direct patient care and support that is tailored to the needs of the community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nurse

Physician

A Physician provides medical care and treatment to individuals and families. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. This information can be used to provide medical care and treatment that is tailored to the needs of the community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physician

Health Information Manager

A Health Information Manager plans, develops, and manages health information systems. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to plan, develop, and manage health information systems that support population health improvement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Information Manager

Quality Improvement Specialist

A Quality Improvement Specialist plans, implements, and evaluates quality improvement initiatives. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an understanding of how to use data to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. This information can be used to plan, implement, and evaluate quality improvement initiatives that improve population health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Improvement Specialist

Epidemiologist

An Epidemiologist studies the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and applies this information to the control of diseases and other health problems. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will expose them to the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health. Additionally, the course will provide an overview of the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Epidemiologist

Health Policy Researcher

A Health Policy Researcher conducts research on health policy issues to inform policy development and decision-making. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an overview of population health and the key components of community health needs assessments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Researcher

Community Organizer

A Community Organizer mobilizes people to take collective action to address social problems. This course may be useful for someone entering this field because it will provide them with an understanding of the key components of community health needs assessments and how they are used to improve population health.

See salaries and explore the career path for Community Organizer

Assessing and Improving Community Health

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