Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action
Published: March 22, 2020
Description
Humans often fail to make rational decisions that affect their health. This course seeks to heighten understanding of the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health decisions and behaviors, with an ultimate goal of learning how to utilize these factors in improving public health efforts. Through a set of experiential learning exercises, students will learn to apply the science of health behavior change in their own lives. The course is appropriate for students interested in health care and public health, as well as individuals who are interested in learning to apply the science of behavior change to improve their personal wellbeing.
Course Takeaways
- Identify social, behavioral, and psychological factors that influence health and health care.
- Inform clinical care, public health programs, and health policy through results of empirical studies.
- Utilize best practices from clinical psychology and public health to make informed health decisions and to optimize health behaviors.
- Apply theory, methods, and research results in the social and behavioral sciences to public health practice and policy.
Meet the Instructors
Marney A. White, PhD, MS, is a clinical psychologist, specializing in eating and weight disorders. In addition to her appointment as Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the Yale School of Public Health, she holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Psychiatry (Yale School of Medicine). Dr. White's research focus is on weight and eating problems, with particular emphasis on the interaction of tobacco use with eating disorders and weight concerns. Current projects include curriculum-based interventions to improve student mental health on college campuses. At YSPH she teaches courses in Questionnaire Development (psychometrics) and Behavior Change. She also teaches the undergraduate course in Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale College and Biostatistics in the National Clinician Scholars Program/ Yale School of Medicine.
Full biography
