Minor Exploring Health Behaviour

Changing view on health

The view on health is changing and asks for different knowledge and skills of (healthcare)professionals. Less and less it is about treating illnesses (we almost can’t handle the increasing healthcare costs), and more and more it is about changing behaviour to improve the quality of life and prevent illnesses.

Changing view on the role of professionals

Professionals in healthcare and professionals who deal with human resources are looking more closely at (behavioural) processes that play a part in people's choices regarding their health. Questions that play a part are for example:

Can't wait to get started with these kinds of issues? Then the minor Exploring Health Behaviour is for you!

More reasons to follow this minor:

This minor is in particular interesting if your studies are in a health-care related profession or if you are dealing with health issues within your field. The emphasis in this minor is mainly on coaching healthy behaviour, care and (learning) research skills.

If you are not following any care related education, but you do like to step out of your comfort zone? You can! We are open to students of all directions whether you are a Fontys student or studying at another university of applied sciences. This will be your minor if you are willing to learn about health, lifestyle, behaviour and coaching skills. You should not be afraid to challenge yourself to a higher level in communication and co-working. We would like to emphasize you do need to be motivated, we will constantly ask you to connect links to the educational themes and your own (future) profession. I fact you will shape your own route to achieve the learning outcomes. A portion of independence is there for desirable.

“At the de minor Exploring Health Behaviour a student can talk and discuss with real life clients what they can do themselves to reduce health complaints. By talking and coaching you will get a better feel for the ‘real work’ later in practical situations. If clients can be stimulated and gain insight into how they can solve complaints themselves and take on some care, they will become more mobile, happier and reduce the costs of care through their own actions. It improves the quality of life in the broadest sense of the word. This endorses my personal mission as a podiatrist.

As a therapist it is the challenge to contribute to an improvement of the quality of life of our clients. The professional field is waiting for these health care professionals of the future. Let them come!"

– Angelique Penders, podiatrist, owner Voetzorg Limburg

Themes of the minor:

In this minor you will examine themes that are becoming increasingly important in health care, whereby motivational interviewing has been chosen as THE instrument to use with clients. Within the minor you specialize in supporting lifestyle changes and promoting positive health of clients. Being able to offer this support requires different knowledge and skills from a (healthcare) professional than merely transferring information and advice. In your communication and care plan you learn to really connect with your target group and thereby contribute to authentic, personal care. To achieve this, the minor focuses on the following themes:

Lots of practical assignments and contact with real target groups

During the minor, experiential experts, such as patient, practitioners, research scientists in the field of behavioural interventions or sports psychologists, will have their say. They will tell you about their experiences in healthcare and how they see the essence of behavioural change: How do people deal with consequences of disorders and what exactly do they do? What is the impact of environment on people? How complex is changing behaviour, both for the client as for you as a professional?

During workshops about coaching techniques, you will see how you can work from a person-orientated vision of supporting people. Independently you are going to coach someone in behavioural change outside the lessons (e.g. a client from a practice place, fellow student, family member or a roommate). This way you will experience on first-hand how difficult and important it is to really make a connection on an equal basis, especially if they are completely different from you. You will practice your coaching skills and you will experience what the process of coaching really includes.

During the minor you will work in a project group on a practice-orieplace/organization, choose a target group, do a target group analysis, and develop a health intervention in coordination with your place of practice, which you will finally test with the target group. This innovation project will ensure that the theoretical knowledge from the minor acquires a practical meaning. You will also practice your research skills and reporting.

Competences

The competences that you develop within the minor have everything to do with the interaction between a (care) recipient and (care) professional. The minor mainly revolves around these four competences:

Learning objectives

During this minor, you will work towards learning objectives by individual self-study, group assignments and practical experience. After completing this minor you will be able to:

1. You can develop a simple lifestyle analysis and set appropriate change goals.
2. You identify health and behavioural determinants that play a role in a client or client group and set appropriate goals.
3. You can use client coaching and motivational interviewing in lifestyle and behavioural change.
4. You contribute in an innovative way to the (positive) health of a client group.

Working methods

The minor consists of a versatile programme with plenty of room for your own input. You work closely with fellow students and local clients, such as sports centres, patient associations, health centres or residential care institutions.

We offer you education in several teaching methods:

Review

Your own development as a professional is always central, and you help shape your own route to achieving the learning objectives. During the minor, you keep a personal portfolio in which your growth as a professional becomes visible. There are also a number of parts on which you must have received positive feedback so that you can include it as evidence in your portfolio. These include a video demonstrating your coaching skills and a reporting on the innovation you have developed with your project group.

Student experiences

“The „Self-Management“ programme gave me a great basis for coaching which is in my opinion, essential for becoming an alrounded physical therapist. I liked the atmosphere during classes and the teacher was always very approachable and helpful. I especially liked the practice interviews which prepared us for a professional situation. I would recommend this programme to all students who want to have a better insight in coaching a patient and to help them in achieving their goals.” – Hong, Physiotherapy English Stream student

Registration

The registration period for following this minor in September starts in February and runs until half July (note: no later than June 15 it is communicated if the minor doesn’t take place). The registration period for following this minor in February starts in September and runs until half December (note: no later than November 15 it is communicated if the minor doesn’t take place). This is a popular minor. The minor has numerous fixus and therefore full-full. So make your choice in time! In order to participate in the minor, the student must: * Be in possession of a propaedeutic certificate. OR * have permission from the Examination Board of his or her degree program.

Assessment

Your development as a professional is central. You help decide on your route to achieve the learning outcomes. During the minor you keep a personal portfolio in which your growth as a professional becomes visible. There are also a number of parts on which you must have received positive feedback. These include a video demonstrating your coaching skills and a report about the development of an intervention with a group of students.