Lifestyle and Chronic Disorders
The programme in a nutshell
The Master's programme in Lifestyle and Chronic Disorders is intended to pave the way to your PhD studies. You will learn how to set up, carry out, analyse and present research in the field of lifestyle and chronic disorders.
The first year consists of:
- Five methodology courses
- Three courses on academic skills
- Three elective courses
- Writing of a scientific article or draft article in English
During the second year, you will go on one or two research placements. This gives you a great opportunity to acquire practical experience and to prepare yourself for a futere PhD position. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a Master of Science degree (MSc). This is an internationally recognized qualification.
Download the year schedule 2011-2012 (new window)
Course description
Evidence-based practice 1: generating evidence
This module is about the principles and methods used to generate ‘evidence’. This can be applied in the entire field of health care, including scientific research into the aetiology and prognosis of chronic conditions (such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases), effectiveness of prevention, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions (in areas such as depression, arthrosis and obesity). The following subjects are covered:
- Research design
- Observational research
- Interventional research
- Systematic literature research
Evidence-based practice 2: development and implementation of guidelines
This is a follow-up module to Evidence-based practice: generating evidence, but it focuses on implementation of the ‘evidence’. This includes developing guidelines and optimal strategies for guideline implementation. Applications in the areas of diabetes mellitus and back complaints will be used as illustrations. The following subjects are covered:
- Guideline development
- Implementation research
- Policy applications
- Methods of qualitative research
Advanced statistics
This module on advanced statistics focuses primarily on techniques of longitudinal data analysis in health sciences research. The theories behind multilevel analysis are discussed. The module emphasizes practical application: “How do I recognize situations in which I should use these methods of analysis?”; “How do I perform an analysis like this?”; “How do I interpret the computer-generated data?” These applications will be illustrated using the Amsterdam Growth and Health Study (AGGO) and the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA). The following subjects will be covered:
- Linear multilevel models
- Logistical multilevel models
- Multilevel applications in longitudinal research
- Benefits/disadvantages of multilevel analyses
- General equation modeling
Economic evaluation
The Economic Evaluation module has to do with scientific research comparing costs and effects of two or more alternatives. Clinical effectiveness is assessed along with the costs. The subject of the assessment might be a current or new technique and could have to do with nearly any facet of health care: screening, prevention, diagnosis and therapy. The advent of evidence-based medicine has led to a greater demand for economic evaluation to support policy making. This module presents the principles and methods involved in economic evaluation into the cost-effectiveness in medicine. Applications in the area of the treatment of depression, back and neck pain will be used as illustrations. The following subjects will be covered:
- Cost-effectiveness
- Cost-utility
- Quality of life
- Cost-effectiveness planes
- Acceptability curves
Ethics in Public Health
This module focuses on analyzing and understanding the ethical aspects of healthcare research. Students will analyze case studies on subjects such as lifestyle adaptations, health policy and preventative health care. The following subjects will be covered:
- Freedom of choice
- Respect for autonomy
- Paternalism
- Coercion
- Informed choices
Scientific writing in English
This module is intended to help students become good writers of scientific English so that they are able to contribute to scholarly journals for the health sciences. Different kinds of scientific texts will be examined. Text structure and the functions of the introduction and conclusion of a scientific text will be discussed. The theoretical side of this module can be put into practice immediately. The following subjects will be covered:
- Verb tenses and subjunctive clauses
- Foregrounding and backgrounding
- Articles, adverbs, prepositional phrases and word order
- Style and idiom
Clinimetrics
The field of clinimetrics is related to developing methods to evaluate the quality of measurement instruments and applying these methods to the development and evaluation of measurement instruments. Developing trustworthy measurement instruments is an essential part of scientific research in health care. Measurement instruments are required for diagnosis, prognosis and for the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment regimens. Measurement instruments can be based on physical examinations, self-reporting (questionnaires), function tests, lab results, imaging techniques and so on. Applications are illustrated by making use of examples of chronic pain and conditions of the musculoskeletal system. The following subjects will be covered:
- Quality of the measurements
- Validity, reproducibility and internal consistency for multiple-item instruments
- Item response theory
- Minimal clinically important change
Writing a research grant proposal
This module focuses on independently writing a research grant proposal (under the supervision of a tutor). Government agencies may be involved, including the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research NWO and the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw). Avenues for attaining funding from other sources, such as charities, will also be discussed. The following subjects will be covered:
- Grant providers, national
- Grant providers, international
- Writing a grant proposal
- Indicators of success
- Submitting the proposal and the assessment procedure
- Writing a reply
Optional courses (capita selecta)
Students may choose from a number of optional courses:
- Mental health research
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Diabetes mellitus type 2 and obesity
- Human nutrition
- Physical activity
- Community genetics
- Overweight prevention in the young
- Lifestyle and successful aging
- Work and health
The optional courses will be given by tutors and guest lecturers from varying disciplines, departments and faculties, e.g. Social Health Care, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. Students may choose up to three of the optional courses. The courses delve deep into the relevant subject. The optional courses are open to small groups of students (5-10). The approach of these small-scale courses is flexible; course structure varies as does assessment.
Read the complete course descriptions in the Studyguide (new window)
Student placement opportunities
Students go on one or two research placements during the second year of the programme. The goals include applying knowledge and skills, setting up and carrying out research, analyzing and reporting research results, being part of a research department/institute and participating in research activities within the department/institute. The placements take place at the Institute of Health Sciences and the EMGO Institute, but can also be arranged at external national and international research institutes.
The annual range of high-quality placements is guaranteed in part by the large number of scientific studies that are conducted annually at:
- The Institute of Health Sciences
- The EMGO Institute
- Hoorn study (diabetes)
- NESDA (depression and anxiety)
- AGGO (lifestyle)
- LASA (ageing)
- Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
- The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) . RIVM is stationed at VU University Amsterdam and at VU University Medical Centre.
There are also close contacts with other national and international research institutes that have resulted in many collaborative scientific publications.
