Millicent W Higgins Collegiate Professor of Epidemiology
Assessing and Improving Community Health
What You'll Learn
- Examine the key components of community health needs assessments.
- Outline a plan for population health improvement.
- Understand how to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health.
4 Modules
16 Hours
4 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Assessing and Improving Community Health
This course is intended to serve as an introduction to population health from both the vantage point of both public health and healthcare. We will examine the key components of community health needs assessments, how they are used, and how to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. We will also explore the epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve population health. Finally, we will design multi sector collaborations that support the phases of population health improvement.
As a survey of the population health, the course provides an overview for students wishing no more than an introduction to the field, as well as good grounding for students who wish to pursue additional coursework in population health.
After taking this course, you will be able to:
- Explain differences between population health assessments for public health and healthcare.
- Outline the key components of community health needs assessments (CHNA).
- Compare how public health and healthcare will use a CHNA to improve population health.
- Identify key population health indicators for social determinants of health.
- Identify key population health indicators for mental health and opioid abuse.
- Categorize data sources by epidemiologic criteria.
- Analyze differences between subpopulations and across time trends.
- Formulate multi sector collaborations that support population health improvement.
- Outline a plan for population health improvement.
- Evaluate evidence-based interventions based on epidemiologic criteria and community suitability.
Skills You'll Gain
- Community Health Improvement
- Environmental Health
- Health Education
- Health Equity
- Health Impact Assessments
- Outcomes Research
- Patient Safety
- Population Health
- Public Health
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Assessing and Improving Community Health, an introductory course designed to explore population health from both public health and healthcare perspectives. You will learn to conduct community health needs assessments, compare population health indicators across subpopulations, select evidence-based interventions, and design multi-sector collaborations for health improvement. This course provides a solid foundation for learners seeking either a broad overview or preparation for advanced population health studies.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Population Health: Healthcare and Public Health
- Video: Course Welcome and Introduction
- Video: What is Population Health?
- Reading: Public Health and Population Health 101
- Video: Why is Population Health Important?
- Video: Population Health in the Affordable Care Act
- Video: Healthcare and Population Health
- Video: Population Health and Public Health: Aren't They the Same Thing?
- Reading: Population Health Strategy
- Video: The Final Project
- Discussion Prompt: What brought you to this course personally and professionally?
- Reading: Integrated Community Healthcare
- Graded: Week 1Quiz 1
Module 2: Population Health Indicators
- Video: Improving Population Health Through Partnerships
- Video: What Influences Community Population Health?
- Video: One Health
- Reading: Multisector Partnerships in Population Health Improvement
- Discussion Prompt: Who's health do you want to improve?
- Video: Population Health Indicators
- Video: What Makes a Good Population Health Indicator?
- Video: Pitfalls of Population Health Indicators
- Video: High Quality Data Sources
- Video: High Quality Data Sources: County Health Rankings and Roadmap
- Discussion Prompt: What high quality data is available for your community or population of interest?
- Graded: Week 2 Quiz 2
Module 3: Improvement and Intervention Strategies
- Video: Sick Patients Versus Sick Populations
- Video: Risk Stratification of Patients
- Video: Risk Stratification of Populations
- Video: High-Risk Versus Population Approach
- Discussion Prompt: What are the social determinants of health affecting your population of interest?
- Video: Community-Level Interventions
- Video: The Community Guide
- Video: Recommendations from the Community Preventative Services Task Force
- Discussion Prompt: What interventions could improve the health of your community?
- Graded: Week 3 Quiz
Module 4: Community Health Needs Assessment
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: The Big Picture
- Video: The Community Health Needs Assessments: Ethical and Legal Requirements
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: Step 1 - Planning and Preparing
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: Step 2 Determining Scope and Purpose
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: Selecting Indicators
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: State and Local Health Data
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessments: Gathering Community Input
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessment: Upland Hills, WI
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessment: Upland Hills' Community Involvement
- Video: Community Health Needs Assessment: Upland Hills' Top Priorities
- Video: MAPP
- Graded: Final Project and Peer Review
Grading Policy
Course materials are self-paced, and learners must earn an overall grade of 80% to pass and receive a certificate. Quizzes are worth 85% of your final grade, and the final project and self-review is worth 15% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Intermediate Level
Some related experience required
