Theoretical and innovative approaches to long-term illness (DHV310)
Course description for study year 2023-2024
Course code
DHV310
Version
1
Credits (ECTS)
10
Semester tution start
Autumn
Number of semesters
1
Exam semester
Spring
Language of instruction
English
Content
The course addresses researchers within the health sciences broadly; health care professionals and researchers who study, or plan to study aspects of long-term illness.
Long-term health problems and chronic diseases will constitute a major challenge in the years to come. The course will discuss long-term health problems as a major challenge globally and nationally, and its impact on the patients, stakeholders and the health care system. It will address theoretical approaches to understand different perspectives of living with long-term illness. The literature will encompass concepts such as health promotion, integrated and coordinated care, health behavior change and motivation, burden of treatment, carer burden, patient capacity and coping, health literacy, social innovation and eHealth.
This course covers the development of key theoretical views on long-term illness in a life-long perspective. It adopts a critical view of the theoretical and empirical bases of health promotion, integrated care, behavioural and psychological models, and social support and innovations in a formal and informal context. Moreover, the course will discuss health policies and legislations relevant to guide research and practice.
The course aims to provide the students with an understanding of challenges of living with a long-term illness. It will raise students' awareness of the importance of health science research within this topic, and help students develop critical thinking about theoretical and methodological issues to develop a broad basis for their respective research studies.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
The PhD candidate will:
- have advanced knowledge about relevant theoretical approaches at the individual and service level to managing long-term illness
- have innovative knowledge about strategies for health promotion and integrated care for managing long-term illness
- have knowledge of the application of innovative theoretical, technological developments and social innovation
Skills
By the end of the course, the PhD candidate will be able to:
- address complex theories and innovative approaches to research of long-term illness.
- critically assess and reflect on strengths and weaknesses of these theoretical perspectives and approaches in the writing of a scientific paper on the theme of long-term illness, departing from one's own ongoing research.
- identify and articulate implications of specific theories and innovations in long-term illness research
General competence
By the end of the course, the PhD candidate will be able to:
- identify relevant challenges for the individual, the health care services and society
- present and discuss the theoretical and methodological choices one makes in developing and conducting long-term illness research
- assess the need for innovation measures and technological tools in health services delivery to meet the challenges and needs of individuals affected by long-term illness
Required prerequisite knowledge
Exam
| Form of assessment | Weight | Duration | Marks | Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual paper | 1/1 | Passed / Not Passed |
Individual paper of 5000 words (+/- 10%) in English on a self-chosen topic approved by the instructor, which departs from the participants' on-going PhD project. However, the paper must take the form of a contribution to the general literature on different aspects of living with a long-term illness. The paper must be submitted within six weeks after the end of the course, and will be evaluated as Pass/Fail.