Non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung conditions, and mental illness pose a significant health and well-being burden for both the developed and the developing world. These diseases and conditions are often linked to behaviours, for example drinking, smoking, poor diet and exercise. Given this, policy makers and behavioural experts are increasingly interested in what sort of prevention approaches could be used to effectively reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases. In this module the aims are:
- To develop a critical understanding of psychological approaches to prevention.
- To provide an objective analytical basis on which to build relevant prevention policies.
- To inform practitioners who have responsibility for prevention programming and delivery in local communities.
- To establish a basis for further research into prevention effectiveness.
The course will appeal to those with intellectual and career development interests in behavioural health, mental health and wellbeing, public health preventive services, as well as the wider fields of public health, health policy, advocacy, social work, epidemiology, health and social care, teaching and community development.
