Public health education in Latvia

1. Public health education in Latvia Anita Villerusa Dean, Faculty of Public health Riga Stradins University Kiev, 01.07. 2004.

2. Riga Stradiņš University • In 1919 the Faculty of Medicine was formed at the University of Latvia. • In 1950 was founded Riga Medical Institute, as independent University type State medical education establishment. • In 1990 Riga Medical Institute was renamed Medical Academy of Latvia. ( AML- Academia Medicinae Latviensis). • In 2002 Medical Academy of Latvia was reorganized and renamed Riga Stradins University

3. Riga Stradins University • The number of students in academic year 2003/2004 are 3500, • Teaching staff 360, of them 62 professors, 82 asociated professors.

4. The structure of RSU • Faculty of Medicine, Stomatology, Pharmacy, Nursing, Rehabilitation, Public Health and Social sciences. • 41 departments, 7 institutes, 7 schools, 2 centres.

5. The faculty of Public Health • Established in year 1997/1998 • Studies for the Bachelour degree lasts for 4 years.( 160 Credits ) • The study program consists of eight terms, 2 practice trainings and bachelour degree work • The core of the program is common, but in the fourth year students have a possibility to chose selective course depending on professional direction ( health promotion and education, environmental health and health care administration).

6. Bachelour program in Public health • The study program provide basic knowledge and skills in the field of natural sciences and medicine ( anatomy, biology, chemistry, physiology, pathology, clinical disciplines etc.), • sociology, psychology, law, economy, statistics, • public health, health care administration, social medicine, environmental health, occupational health, epidemiology, health promotion.

7. Departments in RSU offering courses for Public Health students • Department of Public health and epidemiology, • Department of biostatistics and physics, • Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, • Department of Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis and Specific Epidemiology, • Department of Physiology, • Department of chemistrie, • Institute of anthropology and anatomy, • Department of humanitarian sciences • Department of psychology and psychosomatic medicine etc.

8. Departments in RSU offering courses for Public Health students (2) • Department of Dermatovenerology, • Department of obstetrics and gynecology, • Department of Pediatrics, • Department of Therapy, • Laboratory of nutrition, • Department of sociology, • Department of Sport and Rehabilitation and others

9. Cooperation with PH institutions • Public Health Agency • Health Promotion centre • Agency of Health statistics and Medical technologies

10. The School of Public health at Riga Stradins University • the School was founded in 1993 at the Medical Academy of Latvia. • Since 1996 offers 2 year professional Master degree study program in Public health. • The total period of studies is 4 semesters including 40 course credits, from which 32 credits come from the theoretical courses and 8 from writing the theses

11. Professional program Master of Public Health • Obligatory course: • Introduction to Public Health I- 4 credits • Introduction to Public Health II- 4 credits • Health policy, strategy and planning I- 4 credits • Health policy, strategy and planning II- 4 credits • Elective course: • Health promotion and health education- 4 credits • Health sector management- 2 credits • Introduction in health economics- 2 credits • Basic epidemiology- 2 credits • Introduction in psychosocial medicine- 3 credits • Environmental health- 2 credits • Health ethics- 2 credits • Presentation skills- 1 credits • Communication skills- 2 credits

12. Master of sciences in Public health • Program Purpose and OrientationThe program is directed towards the education and training of researchers in the public health and health care. • The program emphasizes the importance of theory in research, multiple levels of analysis ranging from the individual to the societal, quantitative and qualitative method, and evidence based public health perspectives

13. The Program of Master of sciences in Public Health • Obligatory courses: • Research methodology- 5 credits • Epidemiology- 10 credits • Qualitative methods in research- 5 credits • Biostatistics- 10 credits • Elective course: • Health promotion policy and practice • Environmental health and risk assessment • Occupational health and labor medicine • Patients’ rights • Health care management • Management of emergency epidemiological situations • Psychosocial Problems in Working Place • Professional Ethics • Etiquette and Self- Presentation • Communication skills • Office work • Master thesis- 20 credit points

14. Research Methodology ( 5 credit points) • This course will provide an overview of selected methods used in conducting public health research. • To give insight into evidence based Public health approach, importance of literature in research. Use of theories in public health research. • The course will address all phases of the research process, from generating research questions and hypotheses, to study design, measurement, data collection, and planning data analyses. During research the students will get an idea on formulating Qualitative and Quantitative approach in making a research plan.

15. Epidemiology II – 10 credits • The aim of the course is to increase student’s understanding, knowledge and skills beyond the basic level of epidemiology for strengthening capability of their independent planning and executing public health research. To introduce to principles and methods of extended epidemiologic analysis. • The content of the course include: recall of the basic epidemiology, general concepts of causality, study designs, measures of associations, survival analysis, accuracy and validity questions, theory about errors and different biases, methods to assess and control confounders, questions about factor interactions, methods of stratified and adjusted analysis, multivariate analysis.

16. Biostatistics – 10 credits • The aim of the course is to train students in the theory and practice of biostatistics. • The content of the course include: recall of the basic statistics, probability, discrete probability distribution, continuous probability distributions, hypothesis testing, nonparametric methods, hypothesis testing categorical data, regression and correlation methods, multisample inference, hypothesis testing: person- time data etc. • Students should be able to apply knowledge and skills in programmes SPSS, STATISTICA

17. Qualitative research methods – 5 credits • The course is designed to introduce students with qualitative research methodology and to teach skills for performing research projects based on qualitative data. • Five types of qualitative traditions of research will be explored: biography, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and case study. • Qualitative data collection methods, observation, recordings and interviewing will be practiced. The following areas will be explored: theory of field research, approaches to field research, research problems for qualitative approaches to fieldwork, methods of sampling, data collection and data analyses.

18. A Joint Program of Open Society Institute (OSI) & the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER)STREAM 2 PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM • The aim of the project is development of the curriculum and the program for advance training at the Master Sc. degrees in Public health and increasing the number of young public health researchers and teachers

19. The goals of the programme • to promote establishment of public health education system in Latvia, stressing research oriented approach; • to train local academic staff to prepare and develop own programmes and curricula; • to develop and deepen co-operation among academic staff in Latvia and EEC countries to accumulate experience and education materials; • to join credit transfers system in field of public health within Europe.

20. Crusial area for further development of theMaster of sciences in Public health • program development •  capacity bilding •  improvement basic resources

21. Increasing the numbers of the faculty and building their capacity by: • Improving their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in teaching advance courses • Introducing new problem oriented pedagogical methods • Increasing the activity in research and the publishing practice

22. The improvement of the learning facilities • Supplementing the library withthe books • With the 1 – 2 scientific journals • Purchase of licensed PC programs ( SPSS, Nudist) and adequate teaching literature on application of these programs

23. Training for trainers “Health and Health policy: research and practice interaction”. • “Health status monitoring. Determinantes of health. Health indicators.” • “Needs assessment. Priority setting in Public Health. Strategic planning.” • “Implementation and evaluation of Public Health interventions”

24. The objective of the training • To instruct the trainers in the usage of the progressive interactive methods • New knowledge in development of various indicators for the evaluation of health status, assessment of the health care system and development, implementation and evaluation of health policy • Increase usage of the evidence based decisions in practice among students. • To link science and theory with practice.

25. Workshop “Methods and strategies in bridging the gap between research and practice in public health, with special emphasis on the situation in Latvia” • The outcome would be to increase the competence among the participants in teaching students • How to use theories and research methods and to communicate their use to practitioners, with the ultimate goal to improve population health • How to use different competencies in society to increase communication between professionals and between professionals and the public. • How to make decision makers aware of public health competence • as a necessary basis for designing and implementing health plans.

26. Benefit of the OSI/ASPHER project • Curriculum development • Strengthening teaching and research capacity • Increasing the number of staff members at Faculty of Public health • Increasing of the cooperation among academic staff and practitioners • Improvement of facilities • Collaboration with the PH Schools in the Central and Eastern European region.