Prevention
This thematic area equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical tools to develop effective strategies for preventing disease and promoting long-term health across populations. Emphasis is placed on public health interventions, individual behavioral change, and policy-based approaches.
Key components include:
Vaccination: Students examine the science and application of immunization in disease control. Topics include vaccine efficacy, herd immunity, immunization schedules, global health initiatives, and responses to emerging infectious diseases. Challenges such as vaccine hesitancy and misinformation are also critically explored.
Tobacco Prevention and Smoking Cessation: This component focuses on the global burden of tobacco use and its role in the development of chronic illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. Students learn to assess tobacco-related risk factors and develop evidence-based strategies for tobacco control, including prevention campaigns, legislative measures, and behavioral interventions for smoking cessation, such as counseling, nicotine replacement therapies, and digital health tools.
Avoidance of Risky Substances: Beyond tobacco, this subtopic covers the health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, and emerging substance-related behaviors. Students investigate prevention models, harm-reduction strategies, and community outreach programs, while also addressing the social and economic determinants that drive substance misuse.
Through this integrated focus, students are prepared to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive prevention programs that address both biological and behavioral determinants of health.