Objectives: The inescapable impact of the clinician on the health behaviors of patients serves as the substrate for the purpose of this study which is to present a practice-oriented course in health promotion for chiropractic interns. Methods: The curriculum begins with small group discussions utilized to investigate students’ attitudes and perceptions of public health and the relation of this topic to chiropractic practice. Based upon readings from journals and the course text, questions are asked that challenge students to personally assess how health promotion merges with their philosophical perspective on chiropractic. Students survey the consumer environment to assess public perception of the same topics. The Healthy People documents published by the US Department of Health Services serve as a vehicle to examine public health issues from a chiropractic perspective. Each week learners participate in topic focused sessions aimed at broadening their perspectives and their roles as health care providers. At each session students are given readings to supplement group discussion and practice any new skills learned. Examples of topics include: patient contracting, taking a well-patient history, nutrition, weight loss, breast cancer, disease screening. The course culminates in students completing a health promotion clinical project of their choice. The curriculum runs for nine months, students meet for 1-2 hours per week, and have approximately one hour of assignments per week. Conclusion: This study presents a practice-oriented course in health promotion for chiropractors. Syllabi, lesson plans, course materials, course handouts and assessment tools used in the curriculum will be presented and shared.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the presentation, participants should be able to: Initiate their own clinically oriented health promotion teaching program. Employ small group discussion strategies for teaching health promotion concepts and skills. Use the handouts and curriculum provided as a resource for beginning their own program. State 5 positive and negative attributes of conducting such a program
Keywords: Chiropractic, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.