San Diego State University School of Public Health
PH 303 Course Syllabus
Spring 2013
Course Title:
Credit Hours:
Time:
Location:
Health Behavior in Community Settings
3
Monday, 4pm – 6:40pm
SSE-1401
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Office Location:
Email:
Julie Wang, PhDc, MPH
Mondays 2pm – 3:30pm (or by appointment)
Hardy Tower 119C
wang13@rohan.sdsu.edu
A. COURSE DESCRIPTION
Behavior change theory, principles, predictive models, and their application to health
behavior change programs. Review of research methods related to individuals and
communities. Analysis of major health behavior change programs.
Prerequisites: PH 301 & PH 302
B. COURSE GOALS
1. To provide a basic understanding of key concepts in health education, health
promotion, and theory
2. To present major health behavior projects/ programs in research and in practice
3. To introduce the application of commonly used health behavior theories and
constructs in the development of interventions
C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define health behavior, health education, and health promotion
Differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention
Explain the role of theory in health education and health promotion
Name different types of health behavior theories and provide examples
Differentiate between a theory and a model
Describe theoretical constructs, components and/or stages commonly used in
health behavior
7. Apply those constructs, components and/or stages for changing health behaviors
8. Identify major health behavior programs that have been implemented in the U.S.
and/or abroad
9. Provide personal experience in changing a health behavior
10. Develop and present a mock community health behavior intervention
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
1
D. REQUIRED TEXT
Sharma, Manoj and Romas, John A. Theoretical Foundations of Health Education and
Health Promotion, 2nd ed. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2012.
E. COURSE REQUIREMENTS, EVALUATION, AND GRADING
Maximum number of points earned is 100. Assignments and point distributions are as
follows:
1. Individual Project……………………………………………………. 20 points
Students will be asked to identify an individual health behavior, enroll into a
program aimed to change the behavior (this may include an online website or
mobile app), and work toward changing the behavior for at least 4 weeks during
the semester.
i.
Paper (15 points)
 Sections must include the following: (a) background on the health
behavior including commonly used intervention approaches/
strategies; (b) personal history with the health behavior including
self-reported baseline measure of the behavior and description of
previous attempts; (c) reasons/ motivations for changing the
behavior; (d) behavioral change goals; (e) description of the
selected intervention program; (f) weekly description of your
personal experience during the intervention period (weeks 1-6)
including self-reported measure of change at the end of each
week; (g) conclusions; and (h) references
 Format: 5 pages, typed, standard margins, double-spaced, page
number
 Points will be deducted for incorrect grammar and spelling
ii. Baseline & Follow-up Questionnaire (5 points) – you will be provided
and instructed to complete a brief questionnaire that will assess your
baseline, 4-week, and 6-week follow-up assessment of your health
behavior. This questionnaire will be posted on Blackboard.
Hard copies of both the paper and completed questionnaire must be submitted in
class on the due date (April 15). In addition, you must also send an electronic
copy of your paper to wang13@rohan.sdsu.edu (by 11:59PM on April 15).
2. Group Project……………………………………………………….. 20 points
Students will form groups of 5, research a health behavior topic, and develop a
community health behavior intervention among a specific target population. The
intervention strategy MUST be based on a health behavior theory or theoretical
construct(s) discussed in Sharma & Romas (2012). Students will be provided 30
minutes during each class to meet and work with their group and are responsible
for any additional time required outside of class to complete this assignment.
i.
Written Group Report (10 points)
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
2




Primary aim is to convince potential donors (i.e., instructor and
fellow classmates) why your group’s health behavior project
should be funded.
Sections of this report must include: (a) background on the health
behavior including commonly used intervention approaches/
strategies; (b) identification and description of the target
population including a needs assessment; (c) description of the
intervention including a theory-based rationale for the intervention
component(s); (d) measurement instrument of the health behavior
for evaluating efficacy/ effectiveness; (e) a project timeline; (f)
budget justification; (g) summary; and (h) references
Format: 10 pages, typed, standard margins, double-spaced,
include page numbers, group number, member names, and
project title
Points will be deducted for incorrect grammar and spelling
ii. 5-Minute Group Oral Presentation (5 points) – pitch the group’s health
behavior project to potential donors (i.e., instructor & classmates).
Convince us why we should fund your group’s project.
iii. Peer Evaluation Sheet (5 points) – each student will act as the potential
donor, evaluate other groups’ projects based on their 5-minute project
pitch, and cast 1 vote to fund 1 project (you may not vote for your own
group). Peer evaluation sheets will be posted on Blackboard.
As an extra incentive, members of the group with the most votes will receive 3
extra points toward their total points earned toward their final grade.
Hard copies of the 10-page written group report must be submitted in class on
the due date (April 22). In addition, you must also send an electronic copy of
your paper to wang13@rohan.sdsu.edu (by 11:59PM on April 22).
Individual peer evaluation sheets are due on the last day of presentations (May
6).
3. Midterm Exam………………………………………………………… 25 points
The midterm exam will consist of multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay
questions covering content from Chapters 1-5 in Sharma & Romas (2012), class
lectures, and class discussions. Students will NOT be permitted to use any
course materials during the exam.
4. Final Exam……………………………………………………………... 35 points
The final exam will consist of multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay questions
covering content from Chapters 1-10 in Sharma & Romas (2012), class lectures,
and class discussions. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE FINAL EXAM WILL
BE A COMPREHENSIVE. Students will NOT be permitted to use any course
materials during the exam.
Final grades will be based on total points earned and will NOT be curved:
Assigned Grade
Total Points Earned
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
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A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
94 – 100
90 – 93
87 – 89
84 – 86
80 – 83
77 – 79
74 – 76
70 – 73
67 – 69
64 – 66
60 – 63
< 60
F. COURSE POLICIES
Attendance. If you plan to miss a class, it is advised that you email the instructor
indicating that you will be absent and the reason for your absence (preferably before
4pm of the day you are absent). The same is advised if you plan to arrive late or leave
early. Students are responsible for obtaining any missed work.
Assignments. All assignments must be submitted according to the instructions and due
dates specified in this document. Late assignments will not be accepted unless
approved by the instructor. It is therefore imperative to communicate with the instructor
of any absences as indicated above. If a late assignment is accepted, 1 point will be
deducted each day that it is late.
Exams. There will be 2 in-class exams for this course: a midterm and final. THE FINAL
EXAM WILL BE A COMPREHENSIVE. Students will NOT be permitted to use any
course materials during exams. Make-up exams will not be given. No exceptions.
Cell Phones/ Laptops/ Tablets. SMS text messaging is optional although highly
encouraged for participating in Class Pager polls during discussions. Use of laptops
and/or tablets are also encouraged for note taking. All devices must be silent at all times.
Academic Misconduct. There is a zero tolerance policy for cheating, plagiarizing, and
other forms of academic dishonesty. All papers will be run against software to detect
plagiarism. Consequences of academic misconduct will result in a grade of “zero” on the
assignment/ exam. Further, the instructor will file a report with the Center for Student
Rights and Responsibilities (see http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/academics1.html).
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
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PH 303: Course Calendar for Spring Semester 2013
Date
Jan 21
Jan 28
Feb 04
Feb 11
Feb 18
Feb 25
Mar 04
Class Agenda
No Class – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
 Overview of course syllabus
 Class discussion
 Lecture: Introduction to Health Education,
Health Promotion, and Theory
 Review of individual project
 Lecture: Planning Models in Health
Education and Health Promotion
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Lecture: The Health Belief Model
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Review of group project
 Peer evaluation sheet
 Group project meeting
 Lecture: The Transtheoretical Model
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Group project meeting
 Lecture: Theory of Reasoned Action and
Theory of Planned Behavior
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Group project meeting
Reading Assignment
Chapter 1 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Chapter 2 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
 Submit your health
behavior for the
individual project
Chapter 3 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
 Submit names and redID
#’s of group members for
the group project
Chapter 4 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Chapter 5 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Mar 11
Midterm Exam
 Lecture: Theories of Stress and Coping
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Group project meeting
Chapter 6 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Mar 18
 Lecture: Social Cognitive Theory
Chapter 7 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
Assignment Due
5
Mar 25





Class discussion/ exercise
Group project meeting
Lecture: Social Marketing
Class discussion/ exercise
Group project meeting
Chapter 8 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Apr 15
No Class – Cesar Chavez Holiday
 Lecture: Diffusion of Innovations
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Group project meeting
 Lecture: Frieire’s Model of Adult
Education
 Class discussion/ exercise
 Group project meeting
Apr 22
Group presentations
 Submit group report
Apr 29
May 06
Group presentations
 Group presentations
 Class poll: best group project
 Submit peer evaluation
May 13
Final Exam
Apr 01
Apr 08
PH 303 Syllabus (Spring 2013)
Last revised 3/22/16 3:42 AM
Chapter 9 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Chapter 10 (Sharma & Romas 2012)
Submit individual project:
 Paper
 Questionnaire
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