Module $4$ is divided into $4$ weeks, and in each week you were important ideas concerning health policy. Review Session $1$ from Week $1215$ and jot down the key learning points from these sessions:

Week $12$

Session $1-$ Health Policy & Systems Research

Explain the role of policies in health systems.

Discuss the complexities associated with policy implementation.

Justify the value of health policy and systems research to policy$-$makers.

Class Discussion

Session $2-$ Research: The Research Process

Define the concept of research.

Discuss various types of research.

Justify the value of research as a process of inquiry.

Describe the steps of the research process.

Contrast various research paradigms.

Explain the role of conceptual frameworks in research.

Activity $4\mathrm{.}12\mathrm{.}2$: The Research Process and Conceptual Frameworks of a Study

Session $3-$ Research: The Research Problem

Describe and discuss the first step in the research process $$ identifying the research problem.

Explain the importance of identifying the research problem.

Analyse the components of a good research problem.

Session $5-$ The Struggle for Democracy

Discuss the state of health as well as the political context leading up to the elections in $1994.$

Discuss key political processes and policy decisions such as:

The Convention for a Democratic South Africa $($CODESA$).$

The Interim Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of $1993.$

The Reconstruction and Development Programme $1994.$

The National Health Plan for South Africa.

Session $6-$ History Essay: Writing Session

Review the history essay brief, with insight from your current context.

Begin to think about the debates emerging from the readings.

Plan a thesis statement and work towards planning your essay.

Intensify your engagement with the historical approaches to health systems, especially in relation to the weighing of evidence and argument.

Clarify any questions that you may have about your essay in the live session.

Week $13$

W$13.$S$1-$ The Policy Process

The purpose of this session is to introduce you to the policy formulation process, which entails a number of interrelated and interdependent elements. One of the main components of health systems sciences is the study of how healthcare is delivered to the population and how quality in healthcare can be improved. Designing and implementing health policy impacts many aspects in the delivery of healthcare service, such as regulating the healthcare industry, reducing barriers to access, addressing health inequalities, and establishing requirements and mandates that can lead to improved healthcare. Improving healthcare and enabling access for all is one of the core mandates of the Sustainable Development Goals, and as such, a number of policies have been created to reach the $2030$ targets.

Learning Outcomes $(1).$jpg

Illustrate the policy$-$making process.

Describe each step in the policy process.

Discuss the complexity and interrelationships of the stages of policy$-$making processes.

W$13.$S$2-$ Research: The Problem$-$Purpose Statement and Question

The purpose of this session is to introduce you to a technique used to focus research. It is called the Problem$-$Purpose Statement and Questions $($PPS&Q$)$ technique. The PPS&Q is made up of different structural components. As you familiarise yourself with these components, you will learn how to create more rel

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Describe the Problem$-$Purpose Statement and Questions $($PPS&Q$)$ technique.

Explain the importance of the PPS&Q$.$

Analyse the components of a good PPS&Q$.$

Identify the components of a PPS&Q in a concept note.