scholarly journals Healthy public policy competences for public health: interactive and practice-oriented curriculum

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Guyon ◽  
R Lessard ◽  
M Masse-Jolicoeur ◽  
S Tessier
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Organizational Practices ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Healthy Public Policy ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Staff

Abstract Background Developing and implementing healthy public policy (HPP) is one of the practical competences expected of public health professionals in Europe and beyond (ASPHER 2018, Public Health Agency of Canada 2015, US Public Health Foundation 2014). Yet, organizational practices in building public health capacity to promote HPP are seldom documented. In order to improve its HPP interventions, the Montreal Public Health Unit has been leading and evaluating a HPP multidisciplinary community of practice since 2014. In response to participants’ requests, we recently formalized a HPP curriculum. Objectives Over a period of 12 months in 2018-2019, our objectives were to: (1) develop and pre-test a competency-based professional development curriculum in HPP for public health staff and interns (2) provide a repository of relevant references (3) identify dynamic pedagogical strategies applicable to a community of practice. Results As community of practice members and facilitators, we developed a HPP curriculum with the support of pedagogical and HPP experts. It was pre-tested and iteratively adjusted with members of the community of practice. We drew content from various disciplines including political sciences, public health, communication studies and public relations. We identified relevant: (1) competences; (2) core concepts; (3) practical skills; (4) key references; (5) practical case studies, (6) interactive pedagogical strategies such as an open-source online learning system. Conclusions We developed an innovative healthy public policy (HPP) curriculum in order to support an existing community of practice among public health staff. Dynamic pedagogical strategies and a more formal HPP curriculum can support competence development among public health staff, and this can be achieved while relying mostly on in-house expertise. This constitutes a stimulating capacity-building initiative for the enhancement of public health core competences. Key messages Developing healthy public policy is a core practical competence expected of public health professionals. Yet, organizational practices in building healthy public policy capacity are seldom documented. Developing dynamic pedagogical strategies and a more formal healthy public policy curriculum can support competence development among public health staff, while relying mostly on in-house expertise.

scholarly journals Book review: Sulkunen, P., Babor, T., Cisneros Örnberg, J., Egerer, M., Hellman, M., Livingstone, C., Marionneau, V., Nikkinen, J., Orford, J., Room, R. & Rossow, I. (2019). Setting Limits: Gambling, Sciences and Public Policy.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-176
Author(s):  
Sébastien Berret
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
International Group ◽  
Public Health Professionals

This article is a book review of Setting Limits: Gambling, Sciences and Public Policy (Sulkunen et al., 2019). This policy-oriented book, authored by an international group of experts, is intended for public health professionals and policymakers, and provides a comprehensive review of research on worldwide gambling trends, addiction and related public health issues.  

Oral health diseases among the older people: a general health perspective

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
General Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Education for Public Health: A Practical Foundation for Solidarity

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Perkiö ◽  
R Harrison ◽  
M Grivna ◽  
D Tao ◽  
C Evashwich
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Rigorous Evaluation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Abstract Education is a key to creating solidary among the professionals who advance public health’s interdisciplinary mission. Our assumption is that if all those who work in public health shared core knowledge and the skills for interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration across disciplines, venues, and countries would be facilitated. Evaluation of education is an essential element of pedagogy to ensure quality and consistency across boundaries, as articulated by the UNESCO education standards. Our study examined the evaluation studies done by programs that educate public health professionals. We searched the peer reviewed literature published in English between 2000-2017 pertaining to the education of the public health workforce at a degree-granting level. The 2442 articles found covered ten health professions disciplines and had lead authors representing all continents. Only 86 articles focused on evaluation. The majority of the papers examined either a single course, a discipline-specific curriculum or a teaching method. No consistent methodologies could be discerned. Methods ranged from sophisticated regression analyses and trends tracked over time to descriptions of focus groups and interviews of small samples. We found that evaluations were primarily discipline-specific, lacked rigorous methodology in many instances, and that relatively few examined competencies or career expectations. The public health workforce enjoys a diversity of disciplines but must be able to come together to share diverse knowledge and skills. Evaluation is critical to achieving a workforce that is well trained in the competencies pertinent to collaboration. This study informs the pedagogical challenges that must be confronted going forward, starting with a commitment to shared core competencies and to consistent and rigorous evaluation of the education related to training public health professionals. Key messages Rigorous evaluation is not sufficiently used to enhance the quality of public health education. More frequent use of rigorous evaluation in public health education would enhance the quality of public health workforce, and enable cross-disciplinary and international collaboration for solidarity.

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