HME4211 – Evidence informed health policy
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course explores health policy making as a process from an analytical point of view and from a normative perspective; how can we understand public policy processes, how can and should research findings be utilised to inform policies? A normative framework for evidence informed health policy will be explored. Its strengths and weaknesses will be examined and related to debates about the role of research, what evidence is and how research and researchers can inform policies. The course will focus on policies related to governance, financial and delivery arrangements within health systems, and implementation of these. The course will through examples and case based group work introduce an approach to making policy briefs based on research evidence.
Learning outcome
After the course students should:
• Understand and critically reflect on frameworks for public policy making and evidence informed health policy.
• Understand and discuss evaluation methods and methods for analyzing the effectiveness and impact of interventions.
• Be able to systematically search for, identify and assess systematic reviews of the effectiveness of health system interventions.
• Be able to critically analyze some specific systematic reviews and policy briefs on core health system issues related to organization and financing of care.
• Be able to analyze and describe options for addressing a health policy relevant issue.
• Be able to develop policy briefs where the problem, the options for addressing it and how options may be implemented are informed by evidence from research.
• Reflect on and critically assess how health policies and reforms are developed and informed by research findings and reflect on the ethical implications of how interests and stakeholders are involved.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course is tailored for students at the two following master-programmes:
• Health Economics, Policy, and Management
• International Community Health
No obligatory prerequisites beyond the minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with INTHE4119 – Evidence Informed Health Policy (discontinued)
Teaching
23 lectures. 4 seminars, group work based on cases. All seminars and participation in group work based on cases are compulsory.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
• Each group of 3-4 students will be examined as a group.
• Presentation of the case/policy brief (20 min)
- All students need to be active and take part in the oral presentation
• Examination/discussion (30 min)
- Each student will be given one question that she/he will need to answer, others will then have the opportunity to comment and reflect.
- Examiners may also continue with a follow up question
• Grades will be based on seminar presentations and discussions (20%), a term paper (50%) and a final oral presentation and exam (30%).
- The group will be given a joint grade. However, if it is clear from presentations and examinations that there is unequal contribution or performance, students may be given individual grades.
- All three parts have to be passed in order to get a total grade.
Term papers will be scanned to identify potential misconduct by Ephorus.
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
English
Grading scale
Grades will be based on seminar presentations and discussions (20%), a term paper (50%) and a final oral presentation and exam (30%).
All three parts have to be passed in order to get a total grade. Course grades are awarded on a descending scale using alphabetic grades from A to E for passes and F for fail. An external auditor regularly evaluates the academic quality of the course, including the form of exam used on the course.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.