Evidence-based Journalism for Health

This course is a comprehensive introduction to concepts and tools for Evidence-Based Journalism for Health.  It aims to develop and enhance the capacity of journalists and health communicators in producing and reporting accurate and timely information, in a language and format that people understand, with a solutions-based approach to journalism, to enable populations to make health-promoting decisions and to adopt positive behaviors that contribute to achieving public health goals, while combating misinformation, fear, and stigma. The course offers tools for communicators and journalists, particularly those covering or interested in health and science, to communicate evidence-based, clear, accurate, and timely content through news, human interest stories, editorials, interviews, reports, press releases, chronicles, and other formats, in multiple media while keeping a sense of ethics and values on their work.

The Evidence-Based Journalism for Health course is sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).  Like all NextGenU.org courses, it is competency-based; competencies were developed in collaboration with subject matter experts in journalism, climate change, mental health, substance abuse, and taking into consideration the following competencies set and programs "UNESCO Series on Journalism Education Model Curricula for Journalism Education", “Tartu Declaration of the European Journalism Training Association”, “Health and Medical Journalism; University of Georgia”, “Health Communication, BA/BS Grand Valley State University”, “Health Communication and Precision Journalism; Instituto de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Salud Gregorio Marañón”, “Medical Journalism Elective NYU Langone Health”, and  “Medical Journalism; Shiraz University of Medical Sciences”,

The course uses learning resources from accredited, world-class organizations such as WHO/PAHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the World Health Organization. The course was funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) working alongside Lothar M. Mikulla (Corporate Communications Officer, President’s Office) and Kemberley Gittens (Operations Officer (Social Analyst) at the Caribbean Development Bank). The course was developed in collaboration with PAHO. The PAHO team includes Dr. Luis Alfonzo B, (Substance Abuse Advisor);  Lisa Bayley (International PAHO Consultant); Dr. Claudina Cayetano (Mental Health Regional Advisor (NMH/MH));  Dr. Jonathan Drewry (Climate Change and Health Advisor); Dr. Elisa Prieto Lara (Caribbean Subregional NCD and Mental Health Advisor); Sebastian Oliel (WHO/PAHO Media and Communication Specialist); and Dr. Benjamin Puertas (Sub-, Human Resources Regional Advisor at Pan American Health Organization). The course was designed by and Pablo Baldiviezo, MD, DiplEd.; Carolina Bustillos, MD, DiplEd; Jamila Conliffe, MPH; Hugo Rojas, MD, MSc.

For publications on NextGenU.org’s courses’ efficacy, see “A Novel Integration of Online and Flipped Classroom Instructional Models in Public Health Higher Education,” (2014), BMC Medical Education, “Building Public Health Capacity through Online Global Learning,” (2018), Open Praxis, or on NextGenU.org’s publication page. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of future updates, new courses, and to be part of our community.

There are 4 modules to complete, which include:

1. Module 1: Introduction to Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Solutions Journalism;
2. Module 2: Countering Misinformation and Stigma through the Media;
3. Module 3: Reporting Specific Health Topics;
4. Module 4: Self-care for journalists; 

Engaging with this Course:

You may browse this course for free to learn for your personal enrichment; there are no requirements. To register for this course, it is required that learners have obtained a college-level/bachelor's degree.  

To obtain a certificate, a learner must successfully complete:

• all the reading requirements,
• all quizzes and pass with an 80% with unlimited attempts,
• all case studies,
• activity simulation,
• the final exam with a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 3 attempts, and
• the self and course evaluation forms.

• a link to and description of the course training, so they can see all its components, including the cosponsoring universities and other professional organization cosponsors; 
• your grade on the final exam;
• your work products (e.g. case study activities), and any other required or optional shared materials that you produce and authorize to share with them;  
• your evaluations -- course, and self-assessments;
• a copy of your certificate of completion, with the co-sponsoring universities and other organizations listed.

To obtain a degree, NextGenU.org co-sponsors degree programs with institutional partners. To obtain a full degree co-sponsored with NextGenU.org, registrants must be enrolled in a degree program as a student of a NextGenU.org institutional partner. If you think that your institution might be interested in offering a degree with NextGenU.org contact us.

We hope that you will find this a rewarding learning experience, and we count on your assessment and feedback to help us improve this training for future students.

Here are the next steps to take the course for credit:

• Complete the registration form.
• Take the pre-test.
• Begin the course with Module 1. In each lesson, read the description, complete all required readings and any required activity, and take the corresponding quizzes.

Instructional Goals covered in this module:

• Evaluate the effects of solution journalism on individuals' and authorities' response to health-related issues.
• Gain understanding about how to transmit an accessible, actionable, credible, relevant, timely, and understandable health-related message that can influence populations to adopt healthy behaviors.
  
• Understand how inclusive and participatory Risk Communication and Community Engagement Plans can safeguard populations health.
  

Learning Objective:

• Understand the concept of solution journalism.
  
• Understand the main strengths and criticisms of solutions journalism.
  
• Evaluate the impact of solutions journalism on populations and authorities' as they respond to human rights and health-related issues.
  

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Learning objectives:

• Understand the concepts of Behavioral journalism, and Social and Behavior Change Communications.
  
• Understand best practices to transmit accessible, actionable, credible, relevant, timely, and understandable messages at different communication levels.
  
• Understand how to use communications to influence populations' behaviors.
  

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Learning Objectives:

• Understand the definition and goals of Risk Communication and Community Engagement(RCCE).
  
• Understand the mechanisms by which Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Plans safeguard populations health.

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Instructional Goals covered in this module:

• Understand how to evaluate health-related information and terminologies from scientific journals, academic conferences, private industries, and governmental sources.
• Examine the media's positive or negative impact on topics such as misinformation, fear, and stigma related to health issues in their region.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the essential elements to be appraised when reviewing a health-related academic article.
  
• Understand special considerations that must be taken into account to interpret information from governments or private industries.
  
• Understand the importance of Fact-checking along with best practices, tools, and guides currently available for journalists and communicators.
  

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Learning objectives:

• Understand recent evidence about "misinformation susceptibility" and manipulation.
  
• Understand how misinformation and fear relate to gender and inclusion issues.
  
• Evaluate the role of the media to promote or reduce fear and misinformation.
  

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Learning Objective:

• Understand the interplay between socio-cultural context and stigma, and socio-cultural context and discrimination on social media.
• Understand the importance of working with and building positive relations with people with lived experiences to share their stories.
  
• Understand strategies to address stigma and discrimination as a journalist or communicator.
  
• Analyze cases in which the media had negative and positive impacts on topics such as stigma and discrimination.
  

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Instructional Goals covered in this module:

• Understand how to evaluate health-related information and terminologies from scientific journals, academic conferences, private industries, and governmental sources.
• Integrate specific recommendations to report about health topics such as mental health and psychosocial support, climate change and health, violence, and outbreaks on communication products.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand basic mental health terminology including Mental Health and Mental Disorders.
  
• Understand the implications of discussing mental health and psychosocial support in the media
  
• Remember recommendations to cover mental health and psychosocial support.
  
• Apply solutions journalism to elaborate messages about psychosocial support and common mental issues (anxiety, stress, depression).
  
• Understand the role of journalism in the prevention of suicide and the responsible communication of suicide cases.
  
• Understand the physical and psychological consequences and stigma of substance use disorders: "Addiction" as a barrier to accessing treatment and to recovery.
  
• Describe practices to write about substance use disorders and recommend warning signs without promoting stigma
  

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Learning objectives:

• Understand the concept of violence and different types of violence against women.
• Understand strategies to communicate about violence with a solutions journalism approach.
  
• Apply discretion when communicating information about violence.
  

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Learning Objectives:

• Understand the relationship between climate change and human health.
• Identify key messages and recommendations to cover climate change and health.
• Apply solutions journalism to effectively inform the public about the effects of climate change on societal health.
  

Learning objectives:

• Understand basic epidemiological terminology relevant to disease outbreaks.
• Understand the importance of inclusiveness when reporting about disease outbreaks.
  
• Apply solutions journalism to cover disease outbreaks.
  

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Learning Objectives:

• Understand basic vaccine-related terminology.
• Understand how different types of media impact vaccine misinformation.
• Identify existing recommendations and resources to provide information about vaccines.
  
• Apply solutions journalism to cover vaccine misinformation.
  

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Instructional Goals covered in this module:

• Assess common risks for reporters and communicators along with protection and self-care recommendations.
  

Learning objectives:

• Identify common risk factors that can affect the psychological and physical health of reporters and communicators.
  
• Understand the importance of prioritizing self-care as a journalist or communicator.
  
• Summarize tips and recommendations for self-care and risk reduction in journalism.
  
• Evaluate risks for reporters and communicators while covering a story.

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In this section, you can provide feedback about this course to help us make NextGenU.org better. Once evaluations are completed, you will be able to download your certificate of completion. 

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