General provisions

This course is a freestanding course that could also serve as supplementary training for professionals in medicine, caring science, physiotherapy, public health and psychology.

Entry requirements

At least 120 credits in medicine, caring science, psychology or another health science.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding:

After the course the students should be able to:

• explain the relationship between the autonomic nervous system, mental health  and the cardiovascular system, and how  this is reflected for example in heart rate variability,
•  explain theories that describe the mutual relationship between cardiovascular disease  and psychological factors, 
• describe psychological theories and methods for behaviour change and to improve psychological wellbeing that can be used with people with cardiovascular disease.

Skills and abilities:

After the course the students should be able to:

• discuss behaviour change theories and behaviour change techniques of relevance to people with cardiovascular disease,
• perform a basic behavioural analysis and apply methods to influence motivation and behavioural change in people with cardiovascular disease
• discuss inequalities in health care that affect people with cardiovascular disease, and ways to reduce these inequalities. 

​​Judgement and approach:

After the course the students should be able to:

• critically review scientific articles dealing with psychological interventions for people with cardiovascular disease,
• demonstrate an empathic and accepting conversational approach that can enhance motivation.

Content

The course aims to increase knowledge of how psychosocial aspects play a role in cardiovascular disease. During the course, we will go through the causes of, and treatments for, mental illness in cardiovascular disease. Behaviour change techniques applicable in both primary and secondary prevention are practiced. Special behavioural challenges related to specific cardiovascular diagnoses will be discussed. Finally, inequalities in healthcare affecting people with cardiovascular disease are discussed. Different treatment based on factors such as gender, socioeconomics and serious psychiatric illness are discussed. 

Instruction

The teaching takes place online with lectures, seminars and group exercises via a video conference system. Students are expected to read literature and take part in other material, such as videos, assigned via Uppsala Universities' learning platform before each teaching session. All lectures, seminars and group exercises are mandatory. 

Assessment

Students are assessed through a written exam and a group project work where they search material on the use of psychological interventions for people with cardiovascular disease and present their result orally and in writing.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions to the specified examination method and allow a student to be examined in a different way. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.