Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Health and Population Well-Being
Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Dr. Pere Castellví Obiols: pcastellvi@uic.es
Introduction
Medicine must take into account not only disease but also people's well-being. The well-being of populations is an indicator of population health that is increasingly of interest to both clinicians and epidemiologists, politicians, and public health technicians, as it is highly related not only to health promotion and prevention of disease, but also with functionality, health-related quality of life, and disease progression, including mortality and life expectancy.
This course aims to define what is well-being, the background, which are its components and the conceptual frameworks developed, in which ways can be measured with published studies, the biology of well-being and how well-being relates to health following the institutions and studies that have been interested in this topic.
Finally, it will also discuss how to intervene to improve the health of populations.
Pre-course requirements
This subject does not require any prerequisites for the student.
Reading ability in English, Spanish and Catalan as the bibliography and readings will be in these languages.
Objectives
- To know what well-being is and what its background is
- To understand the components of well-being
- To know which biological components are related to well-being
- To learn how important it is for the health of populations and individuals
- To know how well-being has been measured in various countries and institutions
- To learn about interventions that have been carried out to improve people's well-being
- To learn to design an intervention to improve people's well-being
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 04 - Develop professional practice with respect for patient autonomy, beliefs and culture.
- 06 - Develop professional practice with other health professionals, acquiring teamwork skills.
- 10 - To understand and recognise the agents and risk factors which determine health status, and learn how they determine the symptoms and natural development of acute or chronic diseases in individuals and populations.
- 11 - Understand and recognize the effects of growth, development and aging on the individual and their social environment.
- 25 - Recognize the determinants of public health; genetic and sex-dependent lifestyle, demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural determinants.
- 27 - Recognize role in multidisciplinary teams, assuming leadership when appropriate, for the delivery of health care, such as interventions for health promotion.
- CB-2 - To know how to apply and incorporate knowledge, an understanding of it and its scientific basis and the ability to solve problems in new and loosely defined environments, including multidisciplinary contexts that include both researchers and highly specialised professionals.
- CB-4 - To be able to predict and control the evolution of complex situations through the development of new and innovative working methodologies adapted to the scientific / research, technological or specific professional field, which is generally multidisciplinary, within which they undertake their activities.
- CTP-3 - To develop critical thinking and reasoning as well as self-assessment skills.
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of this subject, the student must be able to:
- Recognize that health is a global dimension that includes not only disease, but also well-being and quality of life
- Identify which components and determinants of well-being exist and the importance they present in people's health
- Know that there are various ways to measure well-being
- Know what biological factors are associated with well-being
- Recognize the strengths and limitations of well-being
- Develop an intervention protocol to improve well-being
- Critically analyze a well-being-based intervention
Syllabus
In this matter the following contents will be worked, among others:
- Definitions of well-being
- Measurement of population welfare
- Components and determinants of well-being
- Interventions based on population welfare
- Practical application of wellness interventions
Teaching and learning activities
In blended
The classes will be developed around debates on case studies, which the students will have previously prepared with the readings indicated for the session. Theoretical concepts will be developed around these readings. There will be practical sessions on the use of wellness programs. In case the sessions are online, it will be necessary to have a computer in the workplace of the student and to carry out the works and to send them by means of the corresponding application
In groups, students will present a final paper:
1. Study protocol: Introduction, Methods and statistical analysis, Limitations and Expected Results.
2. Final presentation of the protocol and conclusions.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In blended
In groups or individually, students will carry out a protocol of an intervention that emphasizes improving the well-being of people on a topic of their choice and activities during the continuous assessment. Intermediate results will be discussed in the classroom. Assessment will be based on the manuscript submitted, oral presentations of articles and participation in the classroom.
The content of the manuscript will be evaluated with respect to its suitability with respect to the EQUATOR guides, as appropriate.
To pass the subject the student must obtain a grade point average higher than 5.
Students who do not pass the subject in the ordinary call will have an extraordinary call that will consist of the repetition of the exercises.
Bibliography and resources
- World Health Organization (WHO). Measurement of and target-setting for well-being: an initiative by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Second meeting of the expert group Paris, France, 25–26 June 2012
- Joseph Stiglitz. GDP is not a good measure of wellbeing – it's too materialistic. The Guardian. Fecha: 3/12/2018
- Martín-María N, Miret M, Caballero FF, et al. The Impact of Subjective Well-being on Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies in the General Population. Psychosom Med. 2017;79(5):565-575. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000444
- The New Economics Foundation (NEF). Measuring Well-being: A guide for practitioners. London (UK). Fecha: 07/2012
Teaching and learning material
- Handbook of Well-Being
- Joseph Stiglitz. GDP is not a good measure of wellbeing – it's too materialistic. The Guardian; 3/12/2008
- Martin-Maria M et al. The Impact of Subjective Well-being on Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies in the General Population
- Ngamaba KH, Panagioti M, Armitage CJ. Income inequality and subjective well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Qual Life Res (2018) 27:577.
- WHO. Measurement of and target-setting for well-being. Paris, 25-26 June 2012