Topic outline

  • In order to improve the health of populations - the rationale for the discipline of Public Health, prevention is the key. This course is designed to explore some of the theory and application of prevention with a population focus.

    How to navigate the course

    Each section comprises some introductory remarks. To access resources we think you will find interesting - click on the hyperlinks and on the collections of resources. There is a forum in each section for reflection, and there is a quiz to check your understanding of some of the concepts.

    We encourage you to reflect on what you have learned or comment on the course. When you click on the hyperlink in each section labelled reflection, you will be able to add a new topic or respond to a previous one. You may want to share your learning from this and other readings, comment on the topics from your own experience, comment on others' posts, or provide feedback on how we can improve the content and presentation.


    In the final section you will see that you can gain a Certificate of Completion - the requirements for this are to view the Resources and post a reflection in each section and gain a pass mark in the quiz at the end. This is a self-directed course, to be taken at your own pace.

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  • The population approach to prevention

    This section outlines the population approach to prevention. An understanding of this approach is key to many preventive programmes in the field of Public Health. By the end of the section you should be able to appreciate the importance of taking a population approach to prevention.

  • Health Promotion

    This section defines and describes the theme of Health Promotion. By the end of the section, you should be able to understand the principles of Health Promotion and the part it may play in disease prevention.

  • Social Determinants of Health

    In this section we will take a brief look at the social and cultural determinants of health.  By the end of the section you should be able to understand that social and cultural determinants are important in disease causation and prevention.

  • Policy implications of prevention

    In this section we will take a brief look at the policy implications of prevention. By the end of the section you should be able to understand how policy settings are crucial to the implementation of disease prevention.

  • Evaluation

    As with any intervention, prevention programmes need to be evaluated. This section aims to provide an introduction to the issue of evaluation; irrespective of your profession and where you work it is essential that you continuously evaluate whatever you do. In some aspects, evaluation is not optional and indeed may be a mandatory requirement. At the  end of the section, you should be able to understand how to apply a simple evaluation framework to any project or intervention, know how to identify develop indicators that allow you to demonstrate the results of the project, and be able to identify 'succeses' and 'lessons learned' for future projects.

  • Gain a certificate

    You can gain a certificate if you view the Resources in each Section and gain a pass mark in the quiz (7/10 and you have two attempts)
    • View Receive a grade Receive a passing grade
      Opened: Monday, 22 July 2019, 11:12 PM

      Take this quiz - a score of 7/10 will qualify towards a certificate