YRM-30306 Research Methods in Public Health and Society

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

HNE-24806 Epidemiology and Public Health, MAT-15303 and MAT-15403, YRM-10306 Research Methods in the Social Sciences, YSS-20306 Advanced Research Methods in the Social Sciences

Contents:

In this course relevant methodology topics for the study of public health and society will be discussed as well as the formulation of research questions. The classification of research designs based on reference period is a very relevant one for the study of health issues. Using this classification this course pays attention to the most frequently used study designs; the cross-sectional study, the case-control study, cohort study, intervention study and randomised clinical trial. Special attention is paid to the relation between health promotion research and practice. Issues of reliability, validity and sources of bias in the study of health and society as well as some qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques are discussed.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course unit, the student is expected to be able to:
- critically assess a research project with respect to validity and reliability;
- make thought-out choices with respect to study question, study design and data collection techniques for the design and evaluation of public health and health promotion research;
- deal with the limitations that practice puts on research design and data collection creatively.

Activities:

Workshops in which both lecturing and interactive learning take place in small groups.

Examination:

Exam (50%) and assignments (50%). To pass this course, one needs both the exam and the assignment to have a grade of at least 5.5.

Literature:

Bowling, A. & S. Ebrahim (eds., 2005). Handbook of health research methods: investigation, measurement and analysis. Berkshire, New York: Open University Press.