FYS220 Physiotheraphy in Health Promotion and Preventive work

Contents and structure

The course "Physiotherapy in Health Promotive and Preventive Work" focuses on people (individuals, vulnerable groups and populations), the environment, society and the interactions among people, the environment, and culture.

Health promotion is the process of empowering individuals and communities to increase their control over and improve their health. To achieve this objective, it is essential to recognise individual needs and aspirations and, through motivational work, social and cultural support and environmental adjustments, guide people toward learning, healthy living and development to help them cope better in their lives.

Preventive health work is a proactive approach to addressing potential health issues before they occur. This involves activities to reduce the likelihood of, or interrupt the progress of, disease, prevent injury and early death, or reduce disability. This work encompasses actions such as lifestyle changes, vaccines, raising public awareness on physical and psychosocial risk factors and implementing guidelines and programs to prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases.

The overarching vision of the course is to acquire and demonstrate 21st-century skills in health promotion and preventive work by effectively applying critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy to assess the individual or population needs, communicate health information, and adapt interventions in an inclusive and ethical manner.

The course is organised in two main projects in the context of health promotion and preventive work aimed towards different groups in the population:

• Physiotherapy for public health aimed at children and youth.
• Physiotherapy for public health aimed at adults and the elderly.

One of the projects (P1) involves external collaborators in the community arena, focusing on developing or improving initiatives that promote public health and strengthen inclusion. This involves fieldwork and is part of the group examination.

The other project (P2) is linked to health promotion and preventive work aimed towards the population group not covered in P1.

Learning Outcome

After completing this course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student..

• has knowledge of physical and mental health, functional abilities, quality of life and coping, including influencing factors related to public health
• knows about fundamental theories, models, and methods related to health-promoting and preventive work in local and global society
• knows strategies for promotive and preventive health work: Health literacy, awareness of healthy behaviours, motivation, physical activity, ergonomics, technology, nutrition, hygiene, environmental factors and infection control.
• has insight into health and social policy, political planning and decision-making processes to promote health equity in public health for the local and global society
• has insight into how generic determinants of health and disease influence modifiable risk factors, interact, and affect physical and mental health, function, life quality and participation

Skills:

The student....

• can develop, implement and evaluate health-promoting programs aimed at specific groups, focusing on sustainable health solutions
• can assess physical capacity, physical functioning and psychosocial factors, including resources and risk factors, at both the individual level and group level for various target groups
• can demonstrate knowledge of various teamwork approaches and the ability to leverage interdisciplinary collaboration to promote effective and sustainable health initiatives.
• can analyse the community’s health status on communicable and non-communicable disease control, and identify factors affecting public health, including social determinants of health.
• can apply communication skills and strategies to motivate and guide participants, public and professionals, who are in the process of learning, coping, changing, and developing.
• can use relevant digital tools and technology to improve health care and health-promotive initiatives, both at the individual, group, and society levels
• can critically assess existing information regarding health, lifestyle, motivation and coping strategies to implement evidence-based practices in the work as a physiotherapist
• can communicate and facilitate professional knowledge on public health, adapted to different contexts and target groups, oral and written, both in public and academic forms. This includes the responsibility to moderate misleading or fake information.
• demonstrate cultural competence in adapting health-promoting measures to various cultural backgrounds and group needs

General competence:

The student...

• can adapt health-promoting and preventive initiatives to different group needs, cultural backgrounds and abilities and understand the significance of social inequality in health
• adapt interventions within environmental and social sustainability
• can plan, implement, evaluate, lead and mentor groups at various levels to promote public health both as physiotherapists and as an integrated part of interprofessional teams.
• can develop a lifelong learning attitude, being open to new methods and approaches in physiotherapy and health work.
• be able to think creatively, critically and innovatively to contribute to the development of new methods and approaches in healthcare
• acquire and demonstrate 21st-century skills in health promotion and preventive work by effectively applying critical thinking, collaboration, and digital literacy to assess the individual needs
• canidentify and address ethical dilemmas related to health-promoting and preventive work and make informed decisions

Entry requirements

The course is open to students admitted to a bachelor's degree in physiotherapy. The course is also available to physiotherapy and health students from partner institutions with which HVL has an agreement, who have at least 90 ECTS or an equivalent.

Must have passed all the subjects of the three previous semesters.

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

A high proportion of student active learning methods:

Lectures that provide summaries of the knowledge base within health promotion and preventive work in public health

Group work that promotes collaborative team work processes, peer learning and developing interpersonal skills

Field work that provides real-life learning

Seminars to facilitate peer learning and develop communication skills

Self-study to build fundamental knowledge from cornerstone literature

Laboratory activities at SimArena, when applicable

Project work in groups, where the groups work with real challenges in the fields of occupational health and public health. 1-2 weeks of fieldwork are integrated into project work.

The project work is presented in seminars and written reports, with the intention of integrating, applying, and presenting central professional knowledge.

Compulsory learning activities

The following learning activities must be approved for students to sit for exam:

1. Active participation:

- 80% at introduction lectures and student active learning; group-, and project work,

- Seminar presentations and attendance in group: Peer learning. Academic presentations on the group projects P1 and P2

- Field work for a total of 1-2 weeks.

2. Hand ins:

- Signed group contract

- Digital version or note related to the group presentation in seminars for P1 and P2 mentioned above)

Detailed information and descriptions of the mandatory learning activities will be provided on Canvas during the course.

The work requirements are valid for 4 semesters​

Assessment

1) Written group assignment from the project on public health linked to external collaborators (P1) (Main grade A-F)

2) lndividual note which involves application and discussion on the knowledge across the learning outcomes in the course (Adjusting grade A-F)

Information and descriptions about the assessment will be given on Canvas.

Time and place for the exam, See Studentweb..

Assessment terms

Graded scale A to F, where A to E are passed grades and F is not passed

Examination support material

Spesific tools:

- The student's own computer with an openly prepared PP file for presentation.

- Notes with keywords for the presentation.

More about examination support material

Course reductions

• BFY225 - Health Promotion and Preventive Work - Reduction: 15 studypoints