Certified Health Education Specialists
Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECHs)
Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) can request up to five (5) Continuing Education Contact
Hours (CECHs) for completing the Introduction to Public Health e-Course. Individuals must record the
activity on the CHES CECH Participant Record. The completed CHES CECH Participant Record and a
copy of the certificate of completion for each module must be submitted to Sandra Nates, Office of Public
Health Education, DHEC-Health Services, 1751 Calhoun Street, Columbia, SC 29201, within one month
after completing the course. Once submitted, the participant will receive a CHES CECH Certificate from
the DHEC-Office of Public Health Education. This will be a different certificate from the on-line certificate
of completion. The information will be submitted to NCHEC for processing by the State CHES Committee.
Introduction to Public Health –Course Description
The Introduction to Public Health course provides a comprehensive overview of public health from its historical roots to
defining what public health is today, how governmental public health agencies are organized, the core public health
functions and the 10 Essential Public Health Services.
The Introduction to Public Health is the foundation course of Public Health concepts. Public Health is an evolving discipline
and it is important to understand the history and core concepts to be prepared for current and future challenges. The course
was designed to give you a better understanding of the core concepts of Public Health.
This course has been developed to help meet Goal 5 of the DHEC 2005-2010 Strategic Plan. Specifically, Goal 5-A works
to “improve organizational capacity and quality” by providing “continuous development of a competent and diverse
workforce.” (http://www.scdhec.gov/administration/library/CR-003160.pdf)
The course is divided into four modules: Module 0 - “Introduction to Public Health Overview,” Module 1 - “Overview and
Historical Origins of Public Health”, Module 2 – “Purpose and Practice of Public Health” and Module 3 – “Organization of
Public Health.” Each module serves as a prerequisite to the next. You cannot move forward without completing the
modules in order. The course has a built in bookmarking feature that remembers the last place visited, so you do not have
to complete the course in one sitting. Once completed, you can return to any completed module for review.
•
Module 0 – Introduction to Public Health Overview, provides background information, objectives, and a pre-test.
•
The remaining three modules each contains exercises to help ensure you follow and understand the information. At
the end of each module, there is a 10-question assessment. If you score 50% or higher on your assessment, you will
be allowed to proceed to the next module. However, if your assessment is lower than 50%, you will be prompted to
retake that module. You must score 50% or higher on each assessment to complete the course.
The Introduction course is available via the Internet anytime, in any location, through the DHEC E-learning system. All
Health Services employees are required to take the Introduction to Public Health, which will serve as an excellent beginning
for some and a timely refresher for others.
Introduction to Public Health – Course Objectives
Module 0 - Introduction to Public Health Overview
Final Objectives Activities Key Messages
Intro to Public Health Overview & Course Pre-test
• Course overview
• 30 questions from the post module assessment questions
Module 1 - Overview & Historical Origins of Public Health
Final Objectives Activities Key Messages
Define Public Health What is Public Health? Explanation & Definitions
• Public Health has evolved and there are many definitions of public health
• Six obligations-- Public Health responsibilities, public health is responsible for six broad areas
Explain the origins and historical developments of Public Health
History of Public Health--overall • Today’s solution, tomorrow’s problem
• Sanitation, sanitation, sanitation—by taking care of some basic
sanitation issues, we have greatly improved the health of the population. However, when disaster strikes (hurricanes, floods, etc) we are right back at the beginning again
• Progress has given us the opportunity to focus now on lifestyle issues and on disparities
History of Public Health--SC
Recall the contributions of Public Health ASPH video—The Face of Public Health. • ASPH: rewards of Public Health work
Unique features • While Ph is many things to many people, there are some consistencies, like the unique features
Differentiate between medical care and Public Health
Medical v. Public Health model • Everyone knows what the medical model is—they get sick and go the doc
• Med mod is the sick model
• Public Health works to prevent on a larger scale
Newspaper Activity • Participants are able to look at examples and apply concepts
Tension between individual rights and public health
Compare the three levels of prevention and recognize examples of each
Prevention Strategies • Know the goal of each level of prevention
Module 2 - Purpose and Practice of Public Health
Final Objectives Activities Key Messages
Identify determinants of health Determinants of Health • Not just one factor determines health—there are multiple determinants within multiple categories. No easy fix.
Actual causes of death • Lifestyle is the major contributor to morbidity and mortality Epidemiology
% of spending for each • While we get the biggest bang for the buck out of public health, 97% of medical/health spending is on the medical mod
Recognize the levels of the Ecological Model
Ecological Model • The ecological model helps us to address multiple determinants at various levels—to look comprehensively at issues
Discuss the core functions and essential services of Public Health
3 functions • Core Functions of Public Health are: assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities; assurance that all populations have access to appropriate and cost effective educational, environmental, and personal health services; and policymaking to prioritize and solve local and national health problems.
10 essential services • What are the 10 essential services
• What is an example of each essential service
Recognize real-world applications of the core functions and essential services in Public Health practice
Your Job and the Essential Services • Apply new knowledge into personal situation
Module 3 - Organization of Public Health
Final Objective Activities Key Messages
Identify the general organization of Public Health at the federal, state, and local levels
Organizational structure of public health national level
• Where does the direction come from
• What are we a part of
• Where does the money come from Organizational structure of public health state
level
• How are we organized
• How are different or like other states
• How are decisions made
• Who makes up the public health system Organizational structure of public health local
level
• What happens on the local level
• How are local responsibilities different from state
• Who are potential collaborators on the local level
Explain how the individual Public Health professional fits within the Public Health system
Your Job and the 10 essential services • Apply new knowledge into personal situation
Intro to Public Health Course Post-test • 10 questions from the post module assessment questions (matched with pre-test)
After completion of each module, you will be able to print a copy of the certificate of completion to file along
with your other documents. The certificate will be customized with your name and the date you completed the
course.
To print your certificate of completion:
1.
Logon to the DHEC eLearning Center (eLC).
2.
Click Learning and Metrics.
3.
If you requested approval to take Introduction to Public Health, click My Elective Learning. If you
were enrolled in the course by your Training Coordinator or eLC Contact, click My Required
Learning.
4.
Click the
History
tab.
5.
Select the Introduction to Public Health module that you would like to print a certificate for, and click
the Print Certificate button. Your certificate will open as an Adobe PDF file. To print the certificate,
click the print icon in the top left hand corner of the screen.
Introduction to Public Health Online Course
NCHEC MEP Provider #: SC0019 Event Number: 1231
Application for CHES CECH Participant Record
Name: ___________________________________________
CHES#: __________
Home Address: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Home Phone #: ( ) _________________ Work Phone #: ( ) ____________ Email Address: _________________________________________________________
Please indicate the sessions completed by marking the appropriate boxes. Date Completed: __________________________________
[ ] Module 0: Introduction to Public Health Overview [0.5 CECH]
Date Completed: __________________________________
[ ] Module 1: Overview & Historical Origins of Public Health [1.5 CECH] Date Completed: __________________________________
[ ] Module 2: Purpose and Practice of Public Health [1.5 CECH]
Date Completed: __________________________________
[ ] Module 3: Organization of Public Health [1.5 CECH]
TOTAL CECH EARNED: _______ x $2.00 = $_________ (Maximum 5.0 hours CECH for this event)
This is to certify that I attended the indicated sessions of this event and should be awarded the number of CHES Category I CECH indicated.
__________________________________________
CHES Participant Signature
Important Note: Mail completed form and a check or money order (no cash please) made payable to SCAHPERD in the amount equal to $2.00 per CHES credit no later than one month after completing the course to:
Sandra Nates
Office of Public Health Education
Health Services, DHEC
1751 Calhoun Street Columbia, SC 29201 Please call (803) 898-0800 with any questions.