Division of Health Behavior Research

ELECTIVES OFFERED THROUGH HCS

U88-HCS 512A Counseling Skills for Health Care Professionals
Cavazos-Rehg; 3 units
1 night/week every even Spring semester, 5:30-8:00pm

Reviews counseling skills necessary to promote self-care behaviors in individuals, including techniques for adapting communication style to cultural needs and developmental differences. Methods for incorporating family members and significant others into the counseling process will be addressed. Self-evaluation of counseling techniques will be facilitated by videotaping practice sessions.

Course Outcomes:

1. Identify and demonstrate basic interviewing and counseling skills.
2. Demonstrate increased observational and self-evaluation skills.
3. Identify elements necessary for evaluating both the individual and the counselor.
4. Recognize barriers to effective communication and generate appropriate counseling strategies.
5. Adapt communication style to the special cultural needs and developmental differences of the individual.

U88-HCS 523 Introduction to Statistics for the Health Sciences
Boslaugh; 3 units
1 night/week every Fall semester, 4:30-7:00pm

This is a basic course in statistics. It is taught in a user-friendly manner with emphasis on use of SPSS, statistical analysis software commonly used in clinical research. The course will teach statistics at two levels: (i) basic statistical methods in which clinical researchers should have facility to execute their own analyses; (ii) statistical methods about which clinical researchers should be knowledgeable so as to be able to plan broad approaches to analysis of their research. Classes will include presentation of statistical concepts underlying specific procedures, and discussion of circumstances under which a procedure is and is not appropriate. Classes will also include demonstration of statistical procedures, and interpretation of program output. Homework assignments will involve executing statistical procedures covered in class with sample data sets.

Course Outcomes:

1. Be able to generate descriptive statistics, correlations, t-tests, chi-square goodness of fit tests, one-way ANOVA, and simple regression using SPSS.
2. Develop a knowledge of statistical methods so as to be able to plan broad approaches to analysis of one’s research.
3. Be able to interpret SPSS statistical output.

USS-HCS 539 Race, Ethnicity, and Health
Cavazos-Rehg; 3 units
1 night/week every odd Fall semester, 5:30-8:00pm

This course explores how membership in a diverse/special group can impact health and health care, including health care services and policies governing these services. Students are encouraged to give critical thought to the question of what it means to deliver culturally competent care. The goal of this course is to understand what it means to create environments (social and otherwise) that help to make individuals and communities healthy.

Course Outcomes:

1. Understand the historical basis for the health disparities which exist in diverse/special populations.
2. Identify the leading health conditions that are prevalent among diverse/special populations.
3. Identify the multiple factors (i.e., social class, cultural norms, geographic residence, language communication styles, and reading level) that influence the health of individuals within special populations.
4. Understand the importance of empowerment in health education and health promotion.

U88-HCS 540 Community Health Promotion
Houston; 3 units
one week intensive course every Summer, 8am-5pm

This course explores concepts in health promotion including community assessment, resource identification, intervention strategies, and evaluation. National and state interventions for lifestyle change and model community health promotion programs are discussed.

Course Outcomes:

1. Describe theoretical models of community organization.
2. Compare and contrast exemplary community health promotion projects focusing on the theoretical framework, methods of intervention, and evaluation design used.
3. Demonstrate the community health promotion process including community assessment, resource identification, intervention strategies and evaluation using state-of-the-art approaches in an in-class study assignment.
4. Adapt health promotion strategies to ethnic minority and special population groups.

U88-HCS 546: Health and Aging
Everard; 3 units
1 night/week every odd Spring semester, 5:30-8:00pm

This course explores various aspects of health and illness in later life. It uses current literature in the areas of social gerontology, psychology of aging, health promotion, and health behavior to provide a multidisciplinary perspective. Cross-listed with HRM 546 (Human Resources Management).

Course Outcomes:

1. To provide students with an overview of the current state of knowledge in the areas relating to aging and health behavior.
2. To help students develop skills in critically evaluating and discussing research articles.

U88-HCS 562 Leadership and Change in Health Care Services
Rickert; 3 units
1 night/week every even Fall semester, 5:30-8:00pm

This course enables students to engage in the advanced study of leadership, integrating theory, research, and application in a diagnostic approach. Leadership skills for managing planned organizational change are developed through group discussions, class exercises, case studies, and the application of organizational approaches to change and innovation. Topics include personal effectiveness, team building, and creating learning environments in organizations.

Course Outcomes:

1. Apply theories of perception, attribution, and learning to understand organizations.
2. Use a knowledge of personality type to assess effectiveness in organizational settings.
3. Analyze group stage development.
4. Develop high performance teams.
5. Use personality assessment in team building.
6. Assess organizational culture.
7. Use personality assessment to effectively manage change.

U88-HCS 588 Epidemiology for Clinical Research
Schootman; 3 units
1 night/week every Spring semester, 4:30-7:00pm

This course introduces principles of epidemiology as they apply to clinical research. Basic tools for descriptive and analytical epidemiology are presented, which are crucial for making informed decisions in the care of patients. Critical thinking and scientific/analytic competencies are emphasized. The course focuses on common applications of epidemiologic principles and tools in clinical research, in clinical issues and in understanding the medical literature concerning these issues. This is accomplished via different venues that will enhance the critical thinking and scientific/analytic competencies for the students who complete the course. No prerequisites.

Course Outcomes:

1. Appropriately employ and interpret epidemiologic concepts, including study designs, bias, and measures of effect.
2. Communicate effectively with clinical researchers about the design, strengths, and limitations of epidemiologic studies.
3. Critically read and interpret published epidemiologic research.