Public Health Policy: General Principles Applied to Local Settings

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In this ‘international classroom’ module it will become clear that policy and policy development are very important for creating a good public health. Improving public health requires actions and interventions on various levels. This module focuses at the local (municipal, organizational) policy level. What can municipalities do to improve the health of children and citizens living in the municipality? How can they create healthy schools? How can employers make sure that employees stay vital and employable? How can public health professionals convince policy makers, decision makers and politicians that Public Health should be placed on the policy agenda? The module focuses at Public Health policy, with specific focus on the local policy process (the process in organizations through occupational healthcare, Public Health organizations, and local communities). The policy process is defined as the process from agenda setting, policy formulation, policy implementation, to policy evaluation and assurance. There will be a strong link between theory, application of this theory and practice. During the module many practical examples from the field of public health policy will be addressed in the tutorials and in so-called ping pong sessions. Students are taught different theoretical approaches to agenda setting and policy which will directly be linked to specific tools to improve and manage a specific policy process. Additionally, the module covers knowledge on the different contextual aspects of the policy process, such as national and international legislation, structure and organization of Public Health, normative beliefs, and the influence of state, market and civil society on public health. 

Students will apply the knowledge they acquire immediately in a group paper they will write during this module. This group paper will consist of three chapters covering the following topics: Mapping the public health systems and public health stakeholders in Europe; Policy analysis according to the rational and the political approach; Transferability of interventions: dare to compare. In the final part of the course, students focus on policy skills. As a health promotor it is of great importance to develop specific skills that enable you to collaborate in teams. Training 4 (incorporated in one of the ping pong sessions) is about negotiation and collaboration skills in policy development.