Open Educational Resources (OER) for Medicine and Health Sciences

licensed under: CC-NC creative commons license
available to be read online or downloaded as a pdf

An electronic textbook on child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) available on the website of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP).

"It is based on best clinical practice, reflects the latest research, will be updated regularly and strives to be culturally sensitive.This feat clearly reveals the commitment of IACAPAP to make knowledge about CAMH widely available, whilst advocating for access to quality CAMH care globally. This e-book is a joint venture between child and adolescent psychiatrists and allied professionals in better-resourced parts of the world and the awfully few CAMH professionals in resource-poor regions working together. This arrangement fulfils another of IACAPAP’s objectives of facilitating partnerships between developed and developing countries for the purpose of education and training, encouraging learning and growth on both sides and helping
to reduce the disparity in accessibility of CAMH resources."

available to read online or download as a pdf
licensed under: CC-BY

"Psychology is designed to meet scope and sequence requirements for the single-semester introduction to psychology course. The book offers a comprehensive treatment of core concepts, grounded in both classic studies and current and emerging research. The text also includes coverage of the DSM-5 in examinations of psychological disorders. Psychology incorporates discussions that reflect the diversity within the discipline, as well as the diversity of cultures and communities across the globe."

available to use online
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA creative commons license

"Presents quantitative approaches to measurement in the psychological and social sciences. Topics include the principles of psychometrics, including reliability and validity; the statistical basis for latent variable analysis, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and latent class analysis; and item response theory. Draws examples from the social sciences, including stress and distress, social class and socioeconomic status, personality; consumer satisfaction, functional impairment and disability, quality of life, and the measurement of overall health status. Intended for doctoral students. "

available to read online
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"Presents quantitative approaches to theory construction in the context of multiple response variables, with models for both continuous and categorical data. Topics include the statistical basis for causal inference; principles of path analysis; linear structural equation analysis incorporating measurement models; latent class regression; and analysis of panel data with observed and latent variable models. Draws examples from the social sciences, including the status attainment approach to intergenerational mobility, behavior genetics models of disease and environment, consumer satisfaction, functional impairment and disability, and quality of life. "

created by the iTunes U team for Open University, these podasts are available to watch online or downloadable on iTunes
well-rated, but not peer-reviewed
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"Mental health service users often feel - and often are - disempowered from taking control of their own destiny. The video tracks on this album tell the story of people who have been confined to the psychiatric wing of a large Northern hospital. Scripted and acted by mental health service users/survivors, A Quiet Night on Roundhay Wing presents an insiders' perspective on the people and practices that have dominated – and defined – their lives, often over many years. Although the events portrayed did not actually take place, it is a true story in the sense that it is grounded in and reflects people's real experiences. The audio tracks explore some of the issues raised by the drama, and present perspectives on the album from Ann Mitchell, lecturer in mental health nursing at The Open University. The material forms part of The Open University course K272, Challenging ideas in mental health."

created by the iTunes U team for Open University, these podcasts are available to watch online or downloadable on iTunes
well-rated, but not peer-reviewed
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"In it's heyday in the 1970s, Lennox Castle Hospital in Scotland housed over 1600 patients in purpose built multi-occupancy villas, and most staff lived on site or in nearby Lennoxtown. Oral historian Howard Mitchell started his working life there, as a member of the hospital's nursing staff. In the tracks on this album, he looks back at the history of the hospital, and talks to former patients and staff about their experiences during and after their time at Lennox Castle. He also reflects on the responsibilities of oral historians when gathering such personal testimonies. To complete the album, Professor Joanna Bornat of The Open University's Faculty of Health and Social Care explains why the case study was selected for study and unpicks some of the issues that emerge. The material forms part of The Open University course K101 An introduction to health and social care."

available to use online
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"Introduces and examines the basic prinicples which guide growth and development and the health of individuals across the lifespan, from the prenatal period through senescence. Presents methodological, conceptual and substantive issues necessary for understanding and evaluating empirically based information about growth, development and health at different stages of life and from different academic perspectives. Course covers several themes, including contributions of biological and environmental factors to health and human development, measuring the health of individuals in communities, understanding determinants and consequences of health and development across the lifespan, measuring population health and assessing the implications of health disparities.

Course Objectives: After completing this course, students should be able to do the following:

-Identify an alternative approach to the health of populations other than the disease-based approach
-Discuss the value of integrating multiple perspectives to understanding human health, including the demographic, human development, lifespan, family, and community contexts
-Demonstrate how a longitudinal, lifespan approach provides an expanded understanding of the multiple determinants of health
-Identify the common models of behavior change used in public health at both the individual and the population levels
-Describe an integrated approach to understanding the health of populations in developing and developed countries"

available to view online
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"Teaches students to frame public health issues using a life course perspective. Introduces and examines basic principles of human development across the life span, from the prenatal period through senescence, and the idea that health outcomes reflect developmental processes. Provides a conceptual framework with which to understand the interrelationships among biological, psychological, and social factors and their influence on development and health. Also illustrates the application of this perspective to gain a critical understanding of public health issues."

available to view online
licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA

"This course will consider long-term service delivery programs designed to meet the special needs of seniors. It will review care and service systems from the unique perspective of an aging population, including the physiological and psychological changes common among seniors.

Students will become conversant with a conceptual framework for planning, organizing, and delivering services to the elderly, including the ability to define the major physical, mental and psychosocial changes and health problems that accompany aging and their applicability to program development. They will be able to describe the impact of demographics and the changing nature of family relationships on senior services delivery programs as well as to evaluate various models of service delivery, including their relevance to current economic, political and social conditions.

The course will also include an historical, philosophical and managerial overview of seniors housing and care, from congregate living to skilled nursing. The course will analyze the underpinnings of the profession, including the demographics of aging, the role of financing and the evolving marketplace. The course will include a focus on the role of health care delivery within seniors housing, with attention devoted to the determinants of quality care, various models of care, and the critical role of quality management. "

available to view online
licensed under: CC-BY-NC-SA

"Introduces the study of aging, its implications for individuals, families, and society, and the background for health policy related to older persons. Presents an overview on aging from different perspectives: demography, biology, epidemiology of diseases, physical and mental disorders, functional capacity and disability, health services, federal and state health policies, social aspects of aging, and ethical issues in the care of older individuals.

Course Learning Objectives: To introduce students to a range of health issues that older persons, their health providers, and society face in the next decade. These include the demographics and biology of aging, an understanding of the basic health and mental health issues, and policy decisions that state and federal government will need to solve related to these issues."