HEL623 Introduction to Health Sciences (Autumn 2026)

On successful completion of the course, the candidate:

Knowledge

• will have insight into definitions, main concepts, theoretical models and perspectives within health sciences
• will understand how health and participation are founded in each person's unique physical, mental and socio-cultural context
• will understand how historically and culturally changes in health services have consequences at the individual, group, and societal levels
• will have knowledge and understanding of different theoretical and practical approaches to promote health, function and participation at the individual, group and societal level

Skills

• can position the candidates’ own PhD project within the theoretical context offered by the course
• can identify and discuss complex issues related to ethical, theoretical and methodological questions related to the candidates’ own research field

General competence

• can contribute to the development of new knowledge and theories within health and sciences
• can identify, discuss and communicate ethical issues within health research
• can understand how different cultural understandings of health and user participation may impact health services and research
• can critically assess and understand the complexity of health-related professional practice and service organization

• Historical and cultural understandings of health and health care
• Determinants of health and health inequalities
• Approaches to health promotion across settings (community, primary care, specialist services)
• Concepts and measures of health literacy
• Strategies to strengthen health literacy at system, organizational and individual levels
• Person-centered care, shared decision-making and user involvement
• Ethical approaches to research on health and in health services