OUR PROJECT
At a Glance
Adherence to medication and beneficial lifestyle changes in prevalent chronic diseases is often unsatisfactory, leading to health complications and increased costs that threaten the sustainability of health systems.
Supporting the self-management of chronic diseases, in the wider context of self-care, is critical to achieve better health outcomes. Self-management involves tasks such as adhering to medication, a diet or engaging in physical activity, which are intrinsically linked to behaviour change.
Health professionals are expected to deliver behaviour change support to people with chronic diseases. However, the scientific literature and our needs assessment indicate that students present a skill gap in behaviour change support, resulting from curricular insufficiencies and limited training opportunities. Therefore, there is a pressing need of improving students’ education on behaviour change support to effectively promote self-care in people with chronic diseases.
The Train4Health project responds to this need by developing a coherent and innovative educational package on behaviour change support, aligned with the European agenda on digital transformation in education and training.
The target groups of the project are nursing, pharmacy and sports sciences students. Community nurses and pharmacists have a pivotal role in supporting self-care of people with chronic diseases. Sports sciences students were selected due to their increasingly important role in promoting physical activity in these populations.
Our Objectives
The Train4Health project aims to improve health care students’ competences for behaviour change to effectively support self-care in chronic diseases. The specific objectives are:
Consensualising a European multidisciplinary competency framework on behaviour change support in chronic disease
Defining learning outcomes-based curricula informed by the competency framework previously developed
Providing tested case studies for training behaviour change support in chronic diseases
Providing a tested e-learning course, as a MOOC
Delivering a tested simulation software for behaviour change training
Producing recommendations for large scale implementation of the Train4Health educational package
Our Work Programme
This project is organized into five work packages (WP). Overall, project activities correspond to the specific objectives stated.
The project relies on the co-production of educational products by the target group, academic educators and people with chronic diseases, to ensure that innovation meets students’ and societal needs.
Train4Health links education, innovation and research by incorporating scientific methods in its activities, by drawing on the team’s educational experience and by resorting to virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
WP1 - Project management
(September 2019 – August 2022)
- A 1.1 - Operational implementation;
- A 1.2 - Quality assurance, risk management and contingency planning.
WP2 - Paving the way to the development of key educational products
(October 2019 - October 2020)
- A 2.1 - Consensualising a European competency framework on behaviour change in chronic diseases;
- A 2.2 - Defining learning outcomes-based curricula informed by the competency framework;
- A 2.3 - Outlining unmet needs in light of a common learning outcomes-based curricula;
- A 2.4 - Defining the requirements of key educational products.
WP3 - Key educational products development
(April 2020 - May 2022)
- A 3.1 - Developing case studies;
- A 3.2 - Developing the E-learning course (MOOC);
- A 3.3 - Developing the simulation software with intelligent virtual humans.
WP4 - Piloting the key educational products & learning outcomes evaluation
(August 2020 - August 2022)
- A 4.1 - Iterative testing of the educational products;
- A 4.2 - Measurement of learning outcomes;
- A 4.3 - Recommendations of large-scale implementation.
WP5 - Dissemination, outreach and exploitation
(September 2019 to August 2022)
- A 5.1 - Definition and implementation of the dissemination, communication and outreach plan;
- A 5.2 - Definition of the exploitation and sustainability plan for the Train4Health intellectual outputs.
Our Results
The results of the project include outputs, outcomes and impact.
Planned outputs are:
- Report on the European competency framework for behaviour change support in chronic disease and the common learning outcomes-based curricula;
- Report on behaviour change support case studies;
- Train4Health e-learning (MOOC);
- Simulation software for training behaviour change support in chronic diseases;
- White paper for implementation of education on behaviour change support in chronic diseases;
- Networking database for behaviour change support education.
Outcomes for students will include improved competences in supporting self-care in people with chronic diseases and overcoming gaps in behaviour change support education, with potential for positively impacting health professionals’ employability and mobility.
For higher education Institutions, Train4Health will increase transnational cooperation and the quality of curricula and training. Digital products, such as the MOOC and the simulation software, will offer flexibility for learning outside the classroom and will cater for individual preferences. These educational resources are equally meaningful to health professionals engaged in life-long learning about this topic, which will further contribute to the project societal impact.
We expect that beyond the time frame of the project Train4Health will have a positive impact in people with chronic disease, resulting in improved self-care and lifestyle, alleviating the individual and societal burden of these conditions.
OUR PARTNERS
Seven partners from five countries joined efforts in a strategic partnership for innovating in behaviour change support in higher education, led by Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa (Portugal). Partners are higher education institutions, with the exception of ESU, a European umbrella organisation representing students. Globally, the team possesses expertise in areas central to the project, such as clinical communication, behaviour change interventions and informatics, plus a track record as researchers and innovative educators.
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa
- European Students’ Union
- Inholland University of Applied Sciences
- Instituto Politécnico de Santarém
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- Universidade de Lisboa
- Univerza v Mariboru
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa is a public higher education institution which actively pursues excellence and innovation in nursing education and research. ESEL has around 1800 students, 1300 enrolled in the undergraduate nursing programme and around 500 in post-graduate training (master degrees and other post-graduation programmes). Since 2004, ESEL has a partnership with the University of Lisbon for a doctoral programme in nursing. The School has also partnerships with multiple Institutions in Europe and in Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as strong community relationships, through volunteering and other outreach activities.
The European Students’ Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 40 countries. The aim of ESU is to represent and promote the educational, social, economic and cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and in particular the European Union, Bologna Follow Up Group, Council of Europe and UNESCO. Through its members, ESU represents almost 20 million students in Europe.
Inholland University of Applied Sciences, is an open, multi-cultural institution, with an innovative, demanding and high- quality enviroment. The Inholland Sports, Health and Welfare domain is specialised in improving sport participation and physical activity in society, applying health enhancing programmes.
The Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior (Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior) is a public Portuguese higher education school integrated is the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (Instituto Politécnico de Santarém – IPSantarém). We focus in Sport and Exercise Sciences, in the fields of higher education (bachelor and master level), research and lifelong learning.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. As an independent, not-for-profit institution, we chart our own course in the pursuit of excellence in human healthcare. As one of the few educational institutions worldwide focused solely on the health sciences, we aim to enhance human health through endeavour, innovation and collaboration.
Universidade de Lisboa is the largest and most prestigious university in Portugal and it is one of Europe’s leading universities. Located in the heart of the city of Lisbon, it provides its entire community with the best and most diverse academic programs, bringing together various academic fields.
University of Maribor, is a comprehensive and research organization striving for academic excellence and the expansion of knowledge through basic and applied research. The Faculty of Health Sciences (part of the UM), introduces the latest technology, innovation, creativity and interactivity for the achievement of student competences and the main goal, a holistic patient care.
Mara Guerreiro
Project Coordinator
Adriana Henriques
Alexandre Boavida
Project Support Office
Anabela Mendes
Carla Nascimento
Carlos Quitério
Cristina Baixinho
David Loura
Eva Arriscado
BSc Student
Helena Bronze
International Relations Office
Helga Rafael Henriques
Isa Félix
Project Manager | Starting March 2020
Maria Helena Batata
Nuno Santos
BSc Student | Junior Media Officer
Patrícia Silva-Pereira
Maria Sierra
Maciej Rewucki
Afke Kerkstra
Katja Braam
Project Management Board
Nuno Pimenta
Project Management Board
Rita Santos Rocha
Cathal Cadogan
Currently Trinity College Dublin
Judith Strawbridge
Project Management Board
Afonso Cavaco
Ana Paula Cláudio
Project Management Board
Luís Correia
Mª Beatriz Carmo
Diogo Branco
MSc Student
Duarte Taranta
MSc Student
Aleksandra Lovrencic
Gregor Stiglic
Project Management Board
Klavdija Cucek Trivkovic
Leona Cilar
Lucija Gosak
Majda Pajnkihar
Mateja Lorber
Nino Fijacko
Past Collaborators
Past Collaborators
Past Collaborators
Past Collaborators
João Diniz
BSc Student
Pedro Almeida
BSc Student
Beatriz Soler
Project Management Board
Robert Napier
Carlos Perez
Diogo Monteiro
Ricardo Santos
MSc Student
Associate Partner
European Federation of Nurse Educators (FINE)
The European Federation of Nurse Educators (FINE) was formally established in Leuven in 1995, after several years of discussion and planning by an enthusiastic group of nursing educators from several countries.
FINE provides a “platform” to exchange information and experiences and to better understand the similarities and differences in nurse training and education programmes.
OUR RESOURCES
Intellectual Outputs
Is this the first time you are exploring our open access resources on behaviour change support education in chronic disease?
We prepared a video that gives you an overview.
Watch this video if you are interested in getting to know the features of our simulation software on behaviour change support in chronic disease.
Publications, Presentations and Recordings
- All
- Best practices
- Conference presentations
- Conference abstracts
- Papers
- Knowledge Hub
- Thesis
- Webinars
- e-Book
Media Kit
SUSTAINABILITY AND EXPLOITATION
Early adopters programme
This programme seeks to engage educators or institutions in the early adoption of the T4H educational products.
Envisaged benefits for early adopters include the opportunity for implementing innovative products in behaviour
change support education in chronic disease and streamlining the digital transformation of teaching and learning.
Early adopters are expected to contribute to educational products testing and iterative improvement, and to provide
input to the project white paper on implementation.
Meet some of our early adopters!
Barbara Kegl
Faculty of Health Sciences University of Maribor
Betul Okuyan
Faculty of Pharmacy University of Marmara
Dulce Cabete
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa
Eunice Henriques
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa
Isabel Margarida Costa
Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz
João Aguiar
Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz
João Padilla
Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Lisboa
Patrícia Montez
Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz
Transforming Health Education Agreement
The Train4Health project, the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy (EAFP), the European Dental Students’ Association (EDSA), the European Federation of Psychology Students´ Associations (EFPSA), the European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA), the European Nursing Students’ Association (ENSA) and the European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (EPSA) are committed to jointly improve students and health and other professionals’ competencies to support behaviour change in persons self-managing chronic disease, through actions such as:
•Raising awareness about the Train4Health curriculum
•Incorporating the Train4Health curriculum in undergraduate education
The agreement is available here
NETWORKING
This dynamic database was conceived to serve as a networking tool for stakeholders in behaviour change education in chronic disease. We envisage that the database will facilitate contacts amidst those sharing a common interest, stimulating further educational and scientific activities and projects, and contributing to advance the state-of-art of behaviour change support in chronic disease.
If you have an interest in behaviour change support in chronic disease and would like to be included in this database, simply complete the registration form.
Thank you!
Train4Health does not guarantee the validity of the data provided.
| Name | Title | Country of work | Area of Practice | Organisation | Discipline | Speciality | Expression of interest | Social Media |
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Train4Health
train4health@esel.pt
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The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
