UM SPH Academic Courses

HBEHED624 Need Assessment Methods for Behavioral and Educational Health Programs

Fall term(s)

3 Credit Hour(s)

Instructor(s): Valerio, Melissa

Prerequisites: None

Description: This course is for the student who is interested in gaining knowledge and skills about different methodological approaches to conducting public health needs assessment. The course reviews the use of both methods of primary data collection (e.g., structured surveys, focus groups, and key informant in-depth interviews) supplemented by the use of secondary data (e.g., agency, state or national statistics, archival, and census data). The course emphasizes feasible, practical and inexpensive methods for assessing community needs and assets. The Public Health Needs Assessment will be conceptualized as a research methodology and process for development and prioritizing behavioral and educational health programs. The major emphasis of the class is placed upon "real-world" needs assessment projects conducted by students (working in groups) for local community-based and public health organizations and community residents in the Southeast Michigan area. This course includes an in-field lab component: five-sessions will be conducted working on primary and secondary data collection projects at community organization sites.

< Back to List

<< Back to the School-wide Listings