Principles and Practice of Population Health

Population health is defined as the health outcomes of a group of individuals. It focuses on the determinants of health which include the social, economic, cultural and physical environment, as well as group characteristics and behaviours. It involves the measurement of health, which includes health outcomes such as morbidity, healthcare cost, health-related quality of life and mortality.

The overall goal of a population health management (PHM) is to maintain and improve the health of the entire population and optimise the distribution of health outcomes between population groups. PHM looks into geographical location and communities underpinning the planning of healthcare services at a national level. Other key elements of PHM such as inter-sectoral collaboration and public involvement will also be discussed using local initiatives as an example.

Students will examine various health programmes, theoretical frameworks and behaviour change models for PHM approaches for a group of individuals and communities in order to improve health. They will also be required to critically evaluate the application of such theories and models into practice for specific health programmes across different levels of care and lifespan in the local context in terms of efficacy and effectiveness.