Public Health Learning Modules: Using Healthy People 2020 to Improve Population Health

Background: Over the last few decades, there has been a steady shift in public health approaches to health promotion and disease prevention from a focus on individual interventions to a greater focus on population-based approaches. Using Healthy People 2020 as a framework, the purpose of this project was to build a series of educational modules that address policy and programming approaches to advance population health.

Results: We created fourteen modules that can be used individually to supplement an existing course or combined to create a stand-alone course for the education of undergraduate, graduate and/or professional students; modules can be adapted to the specific audience by using the appropriate exercises and student assessments. Each module includes readings, slides, video lectures, activities and student assessments; several modules include case studies to demonstrate practical use and associated challenges of public health practice. Topics addressed include substance use, tobacco, preparedness, obesity, injury prevention, mental health and several other areas. The modules were a collaborative effort created by faculty from CEPH accredited schools and programs and public health practitioners from across Philadelphia, providing students with a look at the career trajectories of professionals involved in public health.

Impact: Healthy People 2020 emphasizes the need for collaboration across disciplines and professions to drive and improve evidence-based public health policies and practices. The learning modules provide the latest evidence on a range of public health topics while demonstrating interprofessional collaboration among academics and practitioners in action; this is an essential element of public health education.