Applying Participatory Approaches in Public Health Settings (Coursera)

Applying Participatory Approaches in Public Health Settings (Coursera)

This course specifically explores approaches and tools and how to apply them in public health settings. Students will learn how to critically analyse the power dynamics present between multidisciplinary stakeholders and appreciate the need for reciprocity between those delivering and those receiving health care; between both those conducting and those participating in research. They will also learn how to select and evaluate different participatory approaches to apply these to public health programmes and/or research.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Tools with which to do this include undertaking a stakeholder-mapping exercise and needs assessment, including a critical and reasoned narrative to justify the approach.
While this course, as with the rest of the specialisation, focuses on public health and ways of involving citizens and patients in programmes and research, these concepts apply to other disciplines too. So, you don't have to be a public health specialist or work in healthcare to gain insight from this course.
If you would like to learn more about the theories and core principles of participation within a public health context, we suggest taking Introduction to Participatory Approaches in Public Health. If you're planning a research project and want to learn more about participation in resaerchs, explore our course Public Involvement in Research.

Course 2 of 3 in the Participatory Approaches in Public Health Specialization

Syllabus

WEEK 1
How can Participatory Approaches Be Applied to Public Health Practice?
Welcome to Module 1! In Lesson 1, you will learn more about how participatory approaches can be applied to public health practices. In Lesson 2, you will explore the different tools that can be used to help define a public health problem. After learning about stakeholder analysis, you will be doing your first summative assessment, which is a peer review on stakeholder analysis.

WEEK 2
How to Choose Methods and Tools for Using Participatory Approaches
Welcome to Module 2! In Lesson 1, you will first be given an overview of commonly used tools of participatory approaches, such as the Action Catalogue. You will engage in an E-tivity in which you have to choose a participatory approach to strengthen surveillance. Afterwards, you will be introduced to the concepts of stakeholders and actors, and dive into the details of stakeholder analysis.

WEEK 3
Application of Participatory Approaches in the Four Domains of Public Health: Part 1
Welcome to Module 3! In this module, you will explore how participatory approaches can apply to public health practices in the areas of health improvement and health services. However, as you explore the case studies presented, do note that many examples could fall into multiple domains. It will also be important to critically reflect on how successful the tools mentioned were in promoting meaningful participation.

WEEK 4
Application of Participatory Approaches in the Four Domains of Public Health: Part 2
Welcome to Module 4! In this module, you will explore how participatory approaches can apply to public health practices in the areas of health protection and health intelligence. As you explore the case studies presented, do note that many examples could fall into multiple domains. It will also be important to critically reflect on how successful the tools mentioned were in promoting meaningful participation.

WEEK 5
What Are the Common Challenges in Using Participatory Approaches?
Welcome to Module 5! In Lesson 1, you will hear about the challenges of using participatory approaches. You will discuss the challenges that were and were not mentioned. In Lesson 2, you will explore some specific challenges in utilising participatory approaches, specifically co-production, participatory action research, and evaluation. You will then engage in a discussion about the ways that these challenges can be resolved.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets (Coursera)

What we eat and how we produce that food have significant effects on human health and the sustainability of our planet. But what is a ‘sustainable’ diet? A sustainable diet, as defined by the FAO, promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations. This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex relationship between diet and climate change. We’ll explore current research on dietary shifts needed in high, middle, and low-income countries to achieve both sustainability and food security goals and discuss evidence-based strategies to promote sustainable diets.

Sep 7th 2026
3 Weeks
Using clinical health data for better healthcare (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Sydney

Using clinical health data for better healthcare (Coursera)

Digital health is rapidly being realised as the future of healthcare. While this is placing emphasis on the input of quality health data in digital records and systems, the delivery of safe and quality healthcare relies not only on the input of data, but also the ability to access and derive meaning from data to generate evidence, inform decision making and drive better health outcomes.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice (Coursera)

Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving methodology and demonstrate how it can be used in a wide variety of settings to identify problems, propose solutions, and evaluate interventions.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Introduction to Dental Medicine (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Introduction to Dental Medicine (Coursera)

The mouth is the window into human health. This course provides an overview of dental medicine to engage, educate, excite and assist you in improving the oral health of your patients and members of your community. We will review topics in dental medicine including scope of the field, what to expect in function, and some of the many ways that dysfunction may present for different patients.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Global Health Policy (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Tokyo

Global Health Policy (Coursera)

In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and ageing.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Curanderismo: Traditional Healing Using Plants (Coursera) Coursera
University of New Mexico

Curanderismo: Traditional Healing Using Plants (Coursera)

As one of four courses on Curanderismo, the art of Hispanic/Latino traditional medicine, this course focuses specifically on the use of plants in traditional healing. As an educational and cultural platform, this course will share the history, influences, and contributions of traditional medicine. Trained traditional healers will share their knowledge of the healing properties of plants commonly found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico through practical applications that can still be used today.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Population Health: Alternative Payment Models (Coursera) Coursera
Leiden University

Population Health: Alternative Payment Models (Coursera)

The way we currently pay our care providers lead to suboptimal outcomes and unnecessary spending. Consequently, we fail to maximize the value of our health care services. We need to change provider payment models in order to keep health care systems financial sustainability. Doing nothing is not an option. But the question is, how do we do it?

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Ecosystems of California (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Santa Cruz

Ecosystems of California (Coursera)

This course surveys the diversity, structure and functioning of California’s ecosystems through time and the ways they have influenced and responded to human activities and stewardship. Topics include ecosystem drivers such as climate, soils, and land use history; human and ecological prehistory of the state; comparative marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystem dynamics; and managed ecosystems such as range, fisheries and agriculture in California.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera) Coursera
McMaster University

Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera)

Renowned exercise physiologists Martin Gibala and Stuart Phillips of McMaster University teach the surprising new science of cardio fitness and strength-building—and then provide you with hacks to get fit and strong (and healthy!) in less time than you ever thought possible. What’s the right mix of exercise between cardio and strength? How do you know if you’re working out hard enough? What’s better, heavy or light weights? These questions and more are addressed through a course designed to provide even the most inexperienced of exercisers the tools you need to design time-efficient workouts that can be done virtually anywhere, from your own home to a city park or even at your workplace.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Essentials of Global Health (Coursera) Coursera
Yale University

Essentials of Global Health (Coursera)

Essentials of Global Health is a comprehensive introduction to global health. It is meant to introduce you to this topic in well-structured, clear and easy to understand ways. Much of the course will focus on five questions: What do people get sick, disabled and die from; Why do they suffer from these conditions? Which people are most affected? Why should we care about such concerns? What can be done to address key health issues, hopefully at least cost, as fast as possible, and in sustainable ways?

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease (Coursera)

This course will focus on the interprofessional realtionship of dentistry and medicine. For each session, the medical specialist will present a broad overview of specific disease entity which will be followed by a dental educator discussing the relevant oral manifestations and implications. The final module of each session will be devoted to the interaction between the dental and other health care professionals.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks