Dr. Gen Meredith, a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine (Occupational Therapy) and the University of Massachusetts’ School of Public Health (Master of Public Health), has come to Cornell to help design and lead the Master of Public Health program. Prior to this, Dr. Meredith spent eight years leading large international development projects with a focus on national public health systems development in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and four years doing the same in the United States. Dr. Meredith’s work has centered primarily on institutional capacity development and growth specifically related to integrated disease surveillance and response systems, the routine collection and use of data, and effective public health leadership and management infrastructure to support population health access and accountability.
Supporting Public Health BehaviorsCornell Course
Course Overview
Practicing public health involves working directly with people to advocate for and support the behaviors that will prevent disease, promote health, and prolong life among individuals and the population as a whole. Through this course, you have the opportunity to enhance your ability to facilitate behavior change by studying behavior principles. You begin by examining two important behavior models and considering several different factors that influence behaviors. You will then review key components of effective public health communication, including audience analysis and accessible messaging. Finally, you will explore and practice critical strategies for developing trust and meaningful connections with people of other cultures and social identities.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Public Health Foundations
- Assessing and Implementing Public Health
- Using Public Health Data for Action
Key Course Takeaways
- Describe strategies that influence behavior change
- Apply behavior change theory to identify factors and define strategies for action
- Determine the key parameters of effective public health communication
- Complete an audience analysis and define public health communication goals
- Develop a public health message and approach to meet a communication goal
How It Works
Course Authors
Dr. Alex Travis’s research explores a diverse set of subjects related to One Health, which is interdisciplinary work that links the functions and well-being of people, animals, and the environment. His interests include animal health and fertility as well as efforts to help alleviate poverty and hunger in developing countries, work that indirectly benefits local wildlife. Dr. Travis serves as Associate Dean of International Programs and Public Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine, and he is founding Director of Cornell’s Master of Public Health program.
Who Should Enroll
- Community health leaders
- Emerging public health leaders
- Public health volunteers
- Volunteers working with high-risk populations
- Outreach coordinators
- Anyone interested in personal and collective health and wellbeing, community development, preventing disease and injury, or leading change to support health equity
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