Health Behavior

Health Behavior MPH and PhD students learn to use theories and methods from the social and behavioral sciences to develop programs that encourage healthy behaviors. They learn state-of-the-art techniques and methods for research and program evaluation. Doctoral students study these topics in depth as they apply their knowledge and skills in conducting research, writing grant applications, analyzing data, and presenting, publishing, and translating findings. Our research covers obesity prevention including lifestyle interventions, family and child/ adolescent health issues, health disparities, homelessness, prevention and control of addictive behaviors, sexual health risks including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, community based health promotion, health communication, and dissemination and implementation science.


Including the Fast-Track and Accelerated Bachelors/Masters (ABM), and Online Degree Program
The MPH degree in Health Behavior addresses the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities.Students in our program will apply social and behavioral science theories to public health problems, develop evidence-based health promotion interventions and disease prevention programs, and apply principles of evaluating health promotion interventions and disease prevention programs.We emphasize the importance of community based participatory research and the application findings through a variety of behavioral and social science health promotion strategies.
Classes are engaging, interactive, and relevant to current health behavior issues.Graduates of our health behavior program are well positioned for opportunities in local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit/community based organizations, private research foundations, as well as the academic setting.

Curriculum
In addition to the MPH core requirements, students take 15 hours of health behavior track courses, a 3 hour internship, 9 hours of electives, and the integrative learning experience.

Courses HB 600. Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health. 3 Hours.
Social and behavioral science theories and strategies in public health will be discussed in relation to preventing disease and promoting health over the life course.The course is comprised of two major sections: (1) overview of fundamentals of social and behavioral sciences in public health and (2) social and behavioral science research and strategies and application of social and behavioral sciences in public health practice and policy.
HB 602.Alcohol and Drug Abuse. 3 Hours.History and theory of human substance use and abuse.Empirical foundations of alcohol and drug abuse, diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and prevention.Course will be graded by letter.3 hours.

HB 603. Obesity Prevention & Intervention. 3 Hours.
The aim of this course is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge required to develop, implement, and evaluate obesity intervention and prevention programs.The course covers both pediatric and adult obesity intervention and prevention with a focus on lifestyle (dietary intake, physical activity) and environmental factors.Course will be graded by letter.3 hours.

HB 604. LGBTQ Health and Wellbeing Service Learning. 3 Hours.
The service-learning course will examine LGBTQ health and wellbeing.Specifically, it will take the knowledge learned from courses associated with the LGBTQ health and wellbeing certificate program and enable the students the opportunities to put it into practice.Students will have a range of opportunities to explore what LGBTQ health and wellbeing looks like in practice.Topics include issues related to LGBTQ risk and resilience, policy and programmatic approaches to LGBTQ health and health and wellbeing, as well as the concrete advocacy and leadership skills needed to address the most pressing inequities faced by LGBQ communities in Alabama and the Deep South.This seminar course is an introduction to research and practice related to physical activity promotion from a public health perspective and will describe health benefits, epidemiological data, national recommendations and plans, and global initiatives related to physical activity.Course will be graded by letter.3 hours.

HB 607. Introduction to LGBTQ Health. 3 Hours.
This course will survey current LGBTQ health topics, including: 1) Defining evolving terms and concepts; 2) Risk and resilience -physical, mental, and behavioral health among LGBTQ individuals; 3) Theories guiding LGBTQ research; 4) Analytic considerations when conducting LGBTQ health inequity research; 5) Ways to improve the provision of services for LGBTQ individuals; 6) Overview of key, local, national, and global policies impacting LGBTQ individuals; and 7) Meaningful integration of LGBTQ communities in policy, programs, and research.HB 609.African-American Health Issues.3 Hours.This is an intermediate level course that focuses on: epidemiological data illustrating the health risks experienced by African-Americans; sociocultural factors essential for understanding and enhancing the health of African-Americans; effective health-related prevention programs for African-Americans.

HB 611. Mental Health as a Public Health Issue. 3 Hours.
This course is designed to increase knowledge of mental illness at the individual, community, and population levels.It also covers historical and contemporary models and research on the etiology, diagnosis, assessment, treatment and prevention of mental and other behavioral health disorders.HB 612.Examining Health Inequities in Social and Behavioral Sciences.3 Hours.This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of race/ ethnic health disparities/health inequities in the U.S.Both historical context and more current perspectives of identified determinants of health will be discussed as contributors to current health inequities.
HB 613.Health Promotion Practices and Disability. 3 Hours.This course will examine the population of people living with a disability and health promotion approaches at multiple levels (individual, social, environmental, and policy).One in five people in the U.S. has a disability and many people will be affected by disability, whether personally or through a loved one, during their lifetime.Advancements have been offered by the medical model of disability towards disability prevention; however, the addition of functional and social models of disability provide a more complete view of how to enhance the lives of millions of Americans and reduce economic burden.HB 615.Homelessness, Housing and Health.3 Hours.The course will begin with a discussion of the concept of homelessness and housing instability and their impact on health.We will discuss how homelessness is defined and enumerated, pathways into homelessness, and multi-level interventions to prevent and end homelessness.We will also explore a series of special topics focusing on populations that may be particularly vulnerable to homelessness as well as the intersection between homelessness and experience of particular health conditions and outcomes.

HB 616. Psychophysiology and Public Health: The Interface of the Mind/Body Connection. 3 Hours.
Psychophysiology is a branch of neuroscience that analyses the interfaces of mental states and physiological responses, and how they interact to affect one another and subsequently drive behaviors.This course introduces students to basic knowledge about neuroanatomy, learning/cognition, neurological processes, memory, human development, brain disorders, response patterns, and behavior change strategies as they relate to public health issues such as sexual behavior, drug addiction, cigarette smoking/vaping, and obesity.The course will also introduce principles of stress management and neurofeedback techniques.A biopsychosocial framework will be applied to a range of public health domains, using Maslow The course provides lectures on implementation science and a deep dive into a premier, national program for people with disability.Implementation science helps researchers to understand how and why a program is effective in order for it to be translated into practice.Students will gain a better understanding of when and how to use implementation science methods through a series of lectures and multiple assignments including a grant proposal.In addition, this course provides experiential learning opportunities in disability health and community engagement.

HB 624. Advanced Social and Behavioral Science Theory. 3 Hours.
The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad understanding of theories of health behavior change with a strong focus on those theories that are most widely used in research and practice.Emphasis will be given to the discussion and elaboration of important theoretical concepts as well as their application in specific health behavior interventions.This class will take an ecological perspective and discuss theories that approach behavior change from various different levels.This course provides an in-depth treatment of survey design and elementary data analysis procedures commonly associated with social and behavioral research.What are the best practices for asking individuals potentially uncomfortable questions about risky health behaviors?How do we measure the reliability and validity of self-reported behaviors?This course addresses these issues in addition to those of sampling hard-to-reach populations, best practices in questionnaire design, an overview of index and scale construction, and an elementary introduction to data entry and analysis of survey data using common software packages.Designed to provide students with the most current knowledge and analysis of issues influencing the health and well-being of adolescents.Theoretical frameworks that draw on an ecological perspective will provide a better understanding of how families, peers, schools, and neighborhoods influence risk and protective factors in youth.Emphasis will be placed on the relevance of adolescent health issues for the science of Health Behavior and the broader public health arena.The aim of this course is to develop and fine-tune scientific writing proficiency.In this course, students will read and critique a variety of books, essays, and articles about science and medicine, and complete numerous writing assignments and participate in peer review.

HB 707. Introduction to LGBTQ Health. 3 Hours.
This course will survey current LGBTQ health topics, including 1) Defining evolving terms and concepts; 2) Risk and resilience -physical, mental, and behavioral health among LGBTQ individuals; 3) Theories guiding LGBTQ research; 4) Analytic considerations when conducting LGBTQ health inequity research; 5) Ways to improve the provision of services for LGBTQ individuals; 6) Overview of key, local, national, and global policies impacting LGBTQ individuals; and 7) Meaningful integration of LGBTQ communities in policy, programs, and research.HB 709.African American Health Issues.3 Hours.This course will explore issues of both physical and psychological issues of African Americans historically and today.Historical, sociocultural and economic factors that affect the quality and utilization of healthcare services in African American communities will be examined.We will examine the risk and protective factors for specific health conditions.We will also identify evidence-based ways to engage the community and draw on individual and community strengths in prevention and treatment.Students will be equipped and empowered with the knowledge and skills required to develop a Community Action Plan aimed to improve the effectiveness of interventions targeting the African American community.

HB 710. Mental Health Promotion and Professional Development. 1 Hour.
In this course, students will gain knowledge about mental health topics relevant for graduate students, professional students, and postdoctoral fellows and learn skills for managing personal mental health, supporting others' mental health, and intervening when concerned about someone who may be considering suicide.In addition to course credit, students will earn a certificate in QPR Suicide Gatekeeper Training.

HB 711. Advanced Public Mental Health Promotion: Service Learning. 3 Hours.
This advanced course on mental health promotion focuses on evidencebased approaches, innovative service delivery models, and researchpractice partnerships to address public mental health.Students acquire skills and hands-on experience related to thinking critically about evidence based approaches, innovative service delivery models, and research-practice partnerships to improve dissemination and implementation.
HB 712.Examining Health Inequities in Social and Behavioral Sciences.3 Hours.This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of race/ ethnic health disparities/health inequities in the U.S.Both historical context and more current perspectives of identified determinants of health will be discussed as contributors to current health inequities.

HB 715. Examining Health Inequities in Social and Behavioral Sciences. 3 Hours.
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of race/ ethnic health disparities/health inequities in the U.S.Both historical context and more current perspectives of identified determinants of health will be discussed as contributors to current health inequities.Psychophysiology is a branch of neuroscience that analyses the interfaces of mental states and physiological responses, and how they interact to affect one another and subsequently drive behaviors.This course introduces students to basic knowledge about neuroanatomy, learning/cognition, neurological processes, memory, human development, brain disorders, response patterns, and behavior change strategies as they relate to public health issues such as sexual behavior, drug addiction, cigarette smoking/vaping, and obesity.The course will also introduce principles of stress management and neurofeedback techniques.A biopsychosocial framework will be applied to a range of public health domains, using Maslow Health, Place, and Society examines social, economic, and political trends within the context of contemporary public health outcomes.Class participants will have a detailed understanding of how the social determinants of health interface with 1) housing policy, 2) employment, 3) education opportunities, 4) economic policy, and 5) social movements.Special emphasis is placed on how these factors follow a measurable pattern affecting intangible outcomes including access to healthenhancing knowledge and tangible outcomes including neighborhood quality and proximity to clean air and healthy foods.Class activities and projects will take a solution-based approach.
HB 736.Advanced Research Intervention Design.3 Hours.This course is intended to provide doctoral students with expert knowledge and application skills for designing a range of public health interventions to change behavioral outcomes in various populations.Emphasis will be placed on skill-building for designing relevant, stateof-the-art interventions tailored to unique population subgroups, and adapting existing evidence-based interventions for use with new populations or in new settings.Students will use two textbooks in this course that they will also us in Part 2 of this course (HB-737: Advanced Intervention Implementation and Evaluation).In addition, weekly readings of scientific articles will be assigned.This course uses lecture and seminar format; class time will be structured around lectures, in-class activities, and class discussions of both the lecture and reading materials.Students will complete writing assignments and develop a comprehensive research intervention development and implementation plan that they will later build on and evaluate in HB-737.This course is required for PhD students in Health Behavior.This course provides an in-depth treatment of the major research designs used in the behavioral sciences.Emphasis is given to the randomized controlled trial as it forms the cornerstone of causal inference in scientific inquiry; however, other designs intended to approximate a randomized trial will be reviewed.The course will also examine methods of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.Other topics include evaluating published research that used the methods review in this course, writing research proposals and reports, and ethical considerations.Students must have taken HB 641: Research Methods in Behavioral Sciences or its equivalent as a prerequisite.
's Hierarchy of Needs to inform context and priorities for interventions.Prerequisites: HB 624 [Min Grade: C] or HB 624Q [Min Grade: C] HB 617.Implementation Science and Disability Health.3 Hours.
Basic theories that are covered in this course include individual level models (Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, Transtheoretical Model), interpersonal level models (Social Cognitive Theory), and community level models (community organization and other participatory models like Community Based Participatory Research, Diffusion of Innovations).3 hours.HB 625.Dissemination and Implementation in Health.3 Hours.The course will offer an introduction to dissemination and implementation science, an interdisciplinary field focused on improving the transition of evidence-based health practices, programs, and interventions from research studies into "real-world" settings.Prerequisites: HB 600 [Min Grade: C] HB 630.Health Communications: Theory and Practice.3 Hours.This course is designed to investigate the role of communication theories and methods in promoting public health and preventing disease.Both theoretical background in communication and behavioral science and practical communication/intervention development methods will be addressed.HB 636.Developing Interventions to Promote Public Health.3 Hours.This course is intended to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the range and diversity of intervention approaches to behavior change and their application in public health.Emphasis will be placed on developing skills for designing interventions: a) in various public health settings, b) for specific population subgroups, c) based on determinants identified to be most influential and amenable to intervention, and d) within the confines of available resources.Prerequisites: HB 624 [Min Grade: C] or HB 624Q [Min Grade: C] HB 639.Survey Design and Analysis in the Social and Behavioral Sciences.3 Hours.

HB 641 .
Research Methods in Behavioral Science. 3 Hours.Review of research methodology in behavioral sciences.Formulation of research questions, causality, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, reliability and validity, reporting findings.Course will be graded by letter.HB 643.Health Program Evaluation. 3 Hours.Principles and procedures to evaluate health promotion/disease prevention programs: data collection methods, instrument-scale development, measurement, evaluation designs and analysis of case studies of disease prevention literature on evaluation.Prerequisites: HB 641 [Min Grade: C] or HB 641Q [Min Grade: C] HB 660.Adolescent Health: A Social and Behavioral Perspective.3 Hours.

HB 681 .
MSPH Directed Research I. 3 Hours.MSPH Directed Research I provides MSPH students with the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor in the design of a health behavior intervention and collection of data.This course is the first in a threecourse sequence that culminates in the presentation of research findings to their faculty mentor and other faculty in a public forum.As such, HB 681 focuses on the development of a health behavior intervention in an area of the student's expertise, including consideration of the PRECEDE/PROCEED model, study population, data collection methods, IRB approval, study registration, previous research, and other activities in consultation with their HB mentor.HB 682.MSPH Directed Research II. 3 Hours.MSPH Directed Research II provides MSPH students with the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor in the design of a health behavior intervention and collection of data.This course is the second in a threecourse sequence that culminates in the presentation of research findings to their faculty mentor and other faculty in a public forum.As such, HB 682 focuses on collection and analysis of data, interpretation of results, and significant progress in the drafting of a scientific manuscript reporting the research project and preliminary results, and other activities in consultation with their HB mentor.Prerequisites: HB 681 [Min Grade: P] HB 683.MSPH Directed Research III. 3 Hours.MSPH Directed Research III provides MSPH students with the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor in the design of a health behavior intervention and collection of data.This course is the third in a three-course sequence that culminates in the presentation of research findings to their faculty mentor and other faculty in a public forum.As such, HB 683 focuses on analysis of data, interpretation of results, completion of a scientific manuscript reporting the research project and preliminary results, other activities in consultation with their HB mentor, and the presentation of results in a public forum.Prerequisites: HB 681 [Min Grade: P] and HB 682 [Min Grade: P] HB 689.Health Behavior Integrative Learning Experience. 2 Hours.The HB ILE or capstone course represents a culminating experience that allows students to demonstrate synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies.This course will provide students with the opportunity to use skills gained during the MPH Health Behavior program to develop a high-quality written product that addresses health disparities from a behavioral and social sciences perspective and is ideally useful for an identified stakeholder.All MPH Health Behavior students must complete this course to graduate in the final term of the MPH program.Prerequisites: PUH 688 [Min Grade: C] HB 692.Principles and Practices of Community Organization.3 Hours.Seminar designed as an integrative experience for persons working with community groups.The focus is on learning to use available resources and advocating change to maximize community involvement.HB 695.Seminar on Selected Health Behavior Topics.1-3 Hour.Seminar covering a variety of health behavior topics.HB 698.Master's Level Directed Research Health Education.1-9 Hour.Independent study with guidance of appropriate faculty.Includes activities such as literature review and evaluation.Course will be graded as Pass/No Pass. 1 -9 hours.HB 699.Master's Level Project Research Health Education.1-9 Hour.Research for project under direction of research project committee.Course will be graded as Pass/No Pass.3-6 hours.Prerequisites: GAC M HB 701.Theory-Based Measurement Development.3 Hours.The aim of this course is to introduce students to measurement development based on well-specified behavioral theories.This course will review and discuss key issues related to measurement development such as item/scale development, number of factors to retain rotation options and statistical programs.Prerequisite: Requires knowledge of elementary probability and statistics for non-statistics majors and BST 611.Course will be graded by letter.3 hours.Prerequisites: BST 611 [Min Grade: C] HB 703.Writing for the Behavioral Sciences.3 Hours.
Prerequisites: HB 641 [Min Grade: C] and HB 643 [Min Grade: C] HB 716.Psychophysiology and Public Health: The Interface of the Mind/Body Connection. 3 Hours.
's Hierarchy of Needs to inform context and priorities for interventions.Prerequisites: HB 624 [Min Grade: C] or HB 624Q [Min Grade: C] HB 724.Advanced Social and Behavioral Science Theory.3 Hours.This course focuses on a thorough examination of theories and models of behavior change and their applications in both research and implementation in various fields of health promotion and public health.Basic knowledge of research methodology and statistics is required.Course will be graded by letter.3 hours.HB 730.Health Communication Research.3 Hours.This course is designed to investigate the role of communication theories and methods in promoting public health and preventing disease.Both theoretical background in communication and behavioral science and practical communication/intervention development methods will be addressed.HB 733.Health, Place, and Society. 3 Hours.
This course is the second in a series of courses intended to teach doctoral students how to develop, implement, and evaluate theorybased, consumer-driven behavioral interventions.Students will learn how to assess whether interventions worked, build evidence for effective interventions, and adapt, implement, and disseminate interventions.Assignments will include developing a comprehensive evaluation plan for a mock grant application and describing how to adapt an existing evidence-based intervention to a particular content area, outcome target, setting, or population; students will be expected to present their work in class.Prerequisites: HB 736 [Min Grade: C] HB 741.Advanced Research Methods in the Behavioral Sciences.3 Hours.