Sample Syllabus Summary:
Assignments and readings subject to change at
instructor’s discretion – use as an example ONLY.
TRANSFORMING HEALTH INFORMATION INTO INDIVIDUAL AND POPULATION
BEHAVIOR CHANGE
HSERV 590
2011
Instructor: Neal Sofian, MPH
Phone: 206-601-2812
E-mail: neal.sofian@premera.com
Description
Many public health programs provide information focused on accuracy rather than generating
behavior change. This course explores new technological tools and strategies that can be used in
community, corporate, and healthcare settings to drive behavior change at personal and
population levels. The core questions are, how do people learn, how do people make decisions
and act on them? How can we use technology to generate highly personalized mass
communication? We overview interactive technologies that are emerging in personalization and
behavior change. We outline theory and comprehensive approaches to planning, building and
integrating tailored messaging, multiple modalities of communication (web, telephonic, tailored
print, text messaging, etc), social networking, data mining, disease/health management
interventions in community, corporate, and consumer settings. We will explore new concepts in
tying these models of intervention to existing delivery and intervention systems.
Expectations
There will be multiple group phone calls for introductions, identifying desired outcomes,
Who are you?
What are looking to learn from the course?
How can this be applied to the work you do?
Complete reading and participate in leading conversations regarding content
Individual/group calls with instructor
Participate in a message board
Complete a project equivalent of a strategic/business plan
Reading
ON THE COURSE PAGE FOR REGISTERED STUDENTS
LEARNER OBJECTIVES
1. Participants will be able to define the Micro-cultures of Meaning (MoM) behavioral change
model to support health behavior change and how the model impacts online communities
2. Participants will be introduced to the concepts of Behavioral Economics and their impact on
healthcare.
3. Participants will be able to define the functional elements of integrated health management
program that can incorporate interactive media tools
4. Participants will be able to identify at least 3 ways tools can be integrated into other modalities
of (telephonic, tailored print, onsite, primary care) a population health intervention
5. Participants will be able to overview how a set of tools (Care Gap and Engagement Engines)
based on claims, risk, lab, benefit, pharmacy, and intervention participation data could become
part of a health intervention and/or promotion evaluation strategy that will also provide
learning for improving future interventions.
6. Participants will be able to define the functional elements of an online community
7. Participants will be able to overview how online tools, micro-tailoring, and web communities
could specifically become part of a comprehensive health intervention
8. Participants will be able to design and plan the execution of a multi-modality health
management intervention.
The course is broken into four basic segments.
1. What is the role of information in community health and population change?
Time Frame
Week 1-2 Initial call scheduled for end of week 1.
2. What drives behavior change?
Assignment
Time Frame
Week 3-5 Call following Week 3
3. What is an online Community?
Assignment
Time Frame Weeks 6-7
4. Integrating multi modalities of technology for population change
Assignment
Time Frame Week 8
Final Project
Time Frame
Week 5-10 Submission at conclusion of last week of course
COURSE EXPECTATIONS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND GRADING
There will be a group phone call for introductions and desired outcomes
Who are you?
What are looking to learn from the course?
How can this be applied to the work you do?
ID opportunities for at least one additional group call
Individual calls with instructor
If located in Seattle, arrange meeting with Instructor
Read required materials in a timely fashion
Actively engage in telephone, onsite and on-line discussion
Turn in assignments on time
Participate in a message board
Will complete a project (equivalent of a business/strategic plan)