“Competency for public health policy analysis”: a case study of Pakistan

Public health programs are increasingly offering health policy content to meet workforce demand for public health professionals with health policy analysis and communication skills. Undergraduate public health education in health policy and related curriculum is lacking. Existing work describes service- and experiential learning approaches, which may not be feasible in large courses or public health programs with limited administrative or financial resources. This article describes health policy curriculum, learning objectives, and course activities (i.e., individual writing assignment, mock policy debate, and policy analysis exercise) that integrate an active learning approach and use simulation to develop policy analysis and communication skills in an undergraduate classroom setting. An active learning approach can increase teaching effectiveness, critical thinking, peer interaction, and student engagement to cultivate these applied skills. The described curriculum has been used in various modalities (in-person, hybrid, and remote) with positive reception in a public research university with a high percentage of first-generation college students. Student course evaluations and an independent assessment of the policy analysis exercise reflect high student interest, engagement, problem solving, satisfaction, perceived benefits, and application of policy analysis and communication skills, providing support for teaching health policy curriculum to undergraduate students using an active learning approach. The discussion includes strategies to address resistance by public health instructors and students to using active learning techniques.

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Quantitative Policy Analysis and Public Health Policy: A Macro and a Micro View

American Journal of Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1016/s0749-3797(18)30217-4 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 6-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Alan R. Hinman

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Policy Analysis ◽

Public Health Policy

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A framework to guide policymakers on the use of science to inform public health policy and law: Immunisation as a case study

10.26686/wgtn.17136614.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Alexander Sebastian Pishief

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Public Health Policy ◽

Policy Issue ◽

Policy Option ◽

Scientific Methodology ◽

Second Stage ◽

Science And Values ◽

Third Stage

<p>This thesis examines the incorporation of science into public health policy/law. The key problem that the thesis tackles is the blurring of science and values arguments in the creation of policy/law. To overcome this problem, a decision-making framework is proposed that draws a distinction between arguments based on science and those based on values. The framework suggests categorising science as information obtained by adherence to the scientific method. Values, then, are those legally protected rights, freedoms and principles that do not follow scientific methodology. Examples include public health as a community value, informed consent, freedom of choice, and religious beliefs. The idea is that the acquisition of scientific knowledge through the scientific process provides the platform from which debate about values can begin. It is acknowledged that scientific methodology does not entail an absence of values, and the reality may be the separation is more of a continuum than two distinct groups. The shorthand labels (values and science) are used for functional purposes to describe the stages of the proposed framework. There are three stages to the framework. The first stage acts as a gatekeeper, preventing non-scientific components being confused with science. The second stage addresses values, particularly rights and freedoms protected by law. The third stage looks at whether a health policy option (which could involve new law) that restricts existing rights protected by law can nevertheless be justified. Examples relating to the immunisation of children are used to help describe how the framework could work when applied to a real-world public health policy issue.</p>

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