IN publicising one of its newest courses, Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK sets out clearly the benefits of health education: the awareness it creates among the community, policy makers and health care providers of the advantages of a rational drugs programme and the proper use of medicines; the increase in the skills of health care providers in the delivery of sensitive, appropriate and effective patient education; and the encouragement it gives for community and political action to prevent the misuse of drugs and medicines.

The University is offering a 10-week course in community-based health education and health promotion with specialist options, including one on medicines and essential drugs. Participants either finish after 10 weeks and receive a certificate of attendance or study further by distance learning within their own workplace for a diploma, based on implementation of a project that they designed at Leeds.

The aims of the course are to provide skills in research, planning, management and evaluation of health education, and provide opportunities to apply these skills to a problem from the participant’s own work setting. Applicants should be experienced managers and staff within field projects who require a short course to improve their capacity to plan, implement and manage the health promotion components of projects.

Module on medicines and essential drugs...

Among topics covered in this module will be:

Appropriate use of medicines, including an introduction to: the essential drugs concept and appropriate use of medicines; the work of WHO’s Action Programme on Essential Drugs, international pressure groups and consumer movements; and problems arising from inappropriate use of medicines.

Health seeking behaviours: self-medication, informal market sectors for medicines and problems of implementing essential/rational drug policies.

Assessment of needs for health education/health promotion support for appropriate use of medicines.

Community, social and economic influences on use of medicines and the role of multinational companies.

Health education and health promotion methods in various settings: national campaigns, mass media, patient education, community self help groups, community pressure groups, training of pharmacists, and training in the informal sector.

Planning for programmes to promote appropriate use of medicines: selection of indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

The course is expected to cost £3,000 for academic tuition and field visits, with subsistence/accomodation expenses of approximately £2,500.

For further details contact: Overseas Admissions Tutor, Health Education, Room F505, Leeds Metropolitan University, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK. Tel: + 44 113 28322600, fax: + 44 113 2835921, e-mail: health-promotion@lmu.ac.uk