LSHTM

Purpose: To provide an overview of the methods for evaluating the impact of interventions aimed to improve health through addressing social determinants.

Description: This online course provides an introduction to the methods for evaluating the impact of policies or programmes targeting the social determinants of health.  It begins by highlighting the reasons for increased emphasis on rigorous impact evaluation by funders and policy makers. It then introduces methods which can provide a theoretical basis for understanding the process by which an intervention can lead to an improvement of health via changes in behavior.  

The course will cover both the quantitative and qualitative methods of attributing impact that are used to assess whether a policy or program was effective and how and why these effects were brought about. The course will explore how to deal with program and system complexity within the evaluation. Case studies of interventions addressed social determinants of health are included

Suggested use:  This course is designed to be used as an introduction to this area for self directed learning for a student with a general understanding of research methodology. Links to advanced materials are provided for students who wish to explore particular aspects of the course in more detail. Self assessment exercises designed for students to test they have understood key concepts are provided throughout the course.  The course would be an ideal pre-cursor to a taught face to face or distance learning course.