Course Description:
The course will provide a basic introduction to qualitative methods that have utility in health promotion. Participants will explore concepts from human geography and qualitative approaches including interviews, focus groups and visual methods. The course is designed to expose participants to questions of why and how to consider place, particularly within the social determinants of health framework and a community-engaged research (or practice). Course learning goals include: understanding the way place impacts health and identifying methods for use in planned or ongoing qualitative research.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate how qualitative research can facilitate understanding of the non-biological factors that impact the public’s health and contribute to public health problems
- Define health promotion and explain the unique characteristics of place-based approaches.
- Explain the value of utilizing concepts from geography in approaches to planning, implementing and evaluating public health interventions using qualitative methods.
- Introduce qualitative data collection and analysis skills for health behavior practice.
- Identity a public health problem and demonstrate ability to implement qualitative study design, including research question development, data collection preparation and qualitative data analysis.
- Apply appropriate presentation of interpretive analysis of data and create dissemination plan for research findings.
Course Syllabus:
Place-Based Qualitative Methods in Health Promotion Syllabus
Course Instructor:
Katherine Swidarski, PhD, is a Program Manager at Columbus Public Health in the Neighborhood Health Division and adjunct faculty in the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, College of Public Health at The Ohio State University. Dr. Swidarski’s program and research interests focus on the creation of healthy places that equitably reduce traffic and neighborhood safety barriers for school-aged children. Dr. Swidarski’s program aims to increase use of walking and biking as a fun, safe way to travel to/from school.