Notebook: PDHP 246

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PDHP 246:Sessions 1-33
A documentary on process and outputs
By May Haddad MD.MPH
Draft 21 1 15

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Acknowledgement
Special thanks to members from the Faculty of Health Sciences-University
of Balamand for their support. Included are: Dr Nadim Karam, Dr Laurie
AbiHabib, Roubina Karhily, Stephanie Rahi, Micheline Nseir, Catherine
Constantine, Rita Chaddad, and the librarians at Habib & Fouad Abi
Chahla-Medical Library.
Our guest speakers and visitor are also acknowledged included are Dr
Norbert Hirschhorn, pharmacist Nadia Dalloul, Dr Rania El-Masri, Houda
Abboud, Rana Karam, Yusra Scott, Josiane Badra and Sami Moussa.
Warm regards to dozens of the students (FHS and other), friends,
volunteers and community members who joined our classes and activities
included were the regular classes, the World Heart Day, the Geitawi Garden
Health Festival, the Dialogue survey and the Souk Al-Tayeb. We were also
very touched by the warmth and welcoming of children and their families
when we visited the Pediatric ward at St Georges hospital.

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Dedication
This compiled PDHP 246 work is dedicated to the students of the class:
Alissar Zaghlout,
Caroline Richani,
Cynthia Bakkalian,
Mia Hani Akra,
Ranya Younes,
Ribal Maatouk,
Rim Kalfayan,
Tarek Zeineddin
Ziad Younes
In recognition of their enthusiasm to learn, educate and influence other,
team work, active participation, dedication and commitment, creativity,
leadership, and assets that each one of them has brought to the class.
Best wishes for the most prosperous times at the university and most
productive and enjoyable career and life.
Note: This report includes a mix of class activities, results of home works
and assignments, related materials and images. This document does not
include all the results of the discussions, home works and assignments that
are tabulated in course archives.

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PDHP 246 students
Alissar Zaghlout Caroline Richani Cynthia Bakkalian
Ranya Younes Ribal Maatouk
Mia Hani Akra
Rim Kalfayan Tarek Zeineddin Ziad Younes

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Contents
Page/s
Acknowledgement
Dedication
About this document
About PDHP 246
Agenda outline
Session 1: Monday 22 9 14
Session 2: Friday 26 9 14
Sessions 5 & 6: Friday 10 10 14

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Sessions 14 -16: Friday 7 11 14
Session 22: Talk by
Dr Norbert Hirschhorn-Wed. 26 11 14
Session 25: Talk by pharmacist
Nadia Dalloul-Wed. 3 12 14
Take home final exam: 25 11 14- 5 12 15

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Students’ evaluation of the final exam
Session 33: With the dean Dr Nadim Karam-
Monday 12 1 15
Recommendations to the administration of
the FHS-the Balamand University
Typical Health Issues of University Students
PDHP 246 Evaluation
PDHP 246 Competencies
Students’ Appreciation Scheme
List of Attachments, PPP, face book page
links and reports
PDHP 246 face book group
Readings and references

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About this document
Students commented on draft of 25 12 14 of this document as follows:
 This document was a great idea. No other lecturer tried doing a similar
document in order to collect and evaluate all the things we did during the
course. I was surprised at the beginning when I saw the accumulation of tasks
that we performed all of us during this course and how much activities we have
done to develop ourselves to become better and more active health
professionals. We are still putting the baby steps or the primary blocks of our
career and knowledge and this document helps evaluate our progress and what
we can improve and how we developed from the beginning of the course till its
end by now.
 Very useful and interesting. Skimming through the document made me
remember every moment or event we have had throughout this course. It is a
diary of all the fun, educational and beneficial events we have been through.
 A good way to evaluate what we have learnt from this course/ and what new
information we have gathered/ and what we have worked through together.
 I find that this document is well developed; it is well divided, and shows the
details of our work in that course. This document shows our expectations,
goals, actions, and every activity that we have done together as a team.
 It is well organized and encompasses everything we tackled during this
semester.
 The document is the best way to document the work done in this non-ordinary
class that the program of Public Health and Health Promotion needs since it's a
link between the theoretical learning and the practice in the after graduation
life. The document can be a great source for the students to recall topics and

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issues discussed in the class. Moreover this document made every step made in
this course clear enough once we look backward to things done.
 I think it was well balanced and contained questions from activities we did and
things Dr. May taught us.
 It is well organized and tackles everything we took since the beginning of the
semester.
 In case the course is repeated it would be a great idea if students enrolled have
a look at this book to have an idea what the course is all about.
 It is a very interesting portfolio for us students of PDHP246, to see what we
have achieved in a very short period of time (+souvenirs, memories, beautiful
moments).
 To show the university and the program what we were also able to do and
accomplish, and that other people can benefit from it for learning objectives, key
findings or case studies.

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About PDHP 246
Quotes about this course:
 This course is from a total different level of others. It goes beyond my
expectations. I got beautifully surprised with the activities we had, those we
proposed in class were done. i couldn't imagine that we would have the chance to
make a festival, to be active and also have classes in different environment!-
Alissar
 This course has met all my expectations. There is only the part of the field
visit, but what was done and given by Dr May was way better from my
expectations. Starting from teamwork, to creativity, to public speaking, to
searching for articles, and the most important things done were the
activities-Caroline
 The course should be given more value and interest from the faculty. It
should be considered as a major course instead of an elective since it
constitutes knowledge, reading, and practical practices-Mia
 The various expectations that I have voiced at the beginning of this course are
met. Be it in terms of the topics covered and pathogenesis of diseases, or in
terms of the proximity between Dr May and the students (collaboration,
friendly-relationship, stress free atmosphere…) or in terms of field works and
visits-Cynthia
 The course met further my expectations. What I got to learn from the course
did not only reach what I was expecting but even made me achieve and
attain more knowledge and skills. It gave me the true essence of public
health, having a healthy lifestyle and promoting wellness and health in my
community, similarly, it taught me the importance of team work and group
work in addition to new creative methods, field work, project planning,
different ways of communication and delivering a health message without

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lecturing, met key individuals such as Dr Norbert Hirschhorn, Dr. Nadim
Karam, and pharmacist Nadia Dalloul. I learned about different topics such as
acupuncture, sexuality, tobacco, mental health and many other topics. To
sum up it was an extraordinary experience-Mia
 At the beginning of the course I had different expectations, some formed due
from previous courses, but standing here now, I realize that I have put the
wrong expectations to this course. It’s not about the studying or the
memorizing or the exams, it is about acquiring the needed information and
challenging yourself to do things you would not do under normal
circumstances. This course gave me the chance to work with all my
classmates, and with those shared activities I have learnt that working with
others is not that bad, and the people with me in class are not bad themselves.
I do not have any further expectations, but I am certainly satisfied with where
we have gotten and to the progress we have made, along with facing the
struggles that we came upon. I will finish this course with a better view
towards classes and lectures and learning-Ranya
 After going over my own expectations of this course, I can say now that all of
them were met. The topics I suggested were discussed in class (cancer, yoga
and stress). In addition to taking theory into practice and not just learn from
the book and write an exam the next day. I also enjoyed the friendly
relationship between each and every one of us, including Dr May, which
made the course smoother and more fun-Rim
 In the first session we were not sure what this course is really about and our
expectations were vague to a certain extent. Now looking backward I know
that we met the expectations we should have had in the beginning of the
course such as learning how implement theories into action, and moving the
course setting into the community to make a health action-Tarek
 I think this course really hit my expectations for the course. As all my
expectations and the topics I were interested in were covered in the course
and I have gained a deeper knowledge of them and have learned new
techniques and lifestyles to prevent the topics I was interested in and others

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as well-Ziad
 What I saw in this course was way beyond my expectations. Flexibility, peer
support, reading materials and field visits, all of the topics that I wanted to see
covered were done (drug addiction, smoking, substance abuse, psychological
disorders, STIs/STDs, and mostly it helped me improve my lifestyle towards a
healthy one. Integration of this style of learning in other courses is highly
recommended - Ribal
People:
 Nine students participated in the classes of PDHP 246. Students are: Alissar
Zaghlout, Caroline Richani, Cynthia Bakkalian, Mia Akra, Ranya Younes, Ribal
Maatouk, Rim Kalfayan, Tarek Zeineddin and Ziad Younes.
 Dozens of other students, friends and community members participated in
PDHP 246 through attending selected classes and talks; joining PDHP 246
activities of the World Heart Day, Geitawi garden health festival, students’
interviews and surveys, visiting children and families at St. Georges hospital,
PDHP 246 Celebrations and other.
 Guest speakers: Dr Norbert Hirschhorn (Tobacco, what’s new?); pharmacist
Nadia Dalloul (Are we abusing medicines?); Dr Rania Masri (skills in public
speech); Rana Karam (healthy cooking); Josiane Badra/Sami Moussa
(introducing Al-Sabil center and the Geitawi garden community); Houda
Abboud (CAP-HO); and Dr Nadim Karam (dialogue with the dean).
 May Haddad MD.MPH was in charge of course facilitation, design and contents,
and coordination.

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Duration of the course:
33 interactive sessions were implemented during the interval 22 Sep.
2014 to 14 Jan. 2015 (average duration of 80-90 minutes per session).
Venues of the sessions:
 Rooms 303, 204, 106 and 105 (computer lab);
 Students’ lounge,
 terrace in front of the FHS building,
 terrace in-front of the students’ cafeteria-FHS,
 lobby of the FHS,
 Tomates Cerises,
 Old hospital cafeteria,
 Assabil center,
 Geitawi garden,
 Pediatric ward-St Georges hospital.

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Teaching strategy and guidelines:

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Agenda outline
Session and venue Outline
Class 106
 Introductions, Stress balls,
 Concepts Healthy lifestyle-1,
 Expectations and class dynamics
 Communications
Class 303
 Heart healthy environment-1
 Comments to course syllabus
 Self appraisal
 Wider picture of healthy lifestyle
Session3: Monday 29 9 14
Old hospital cafeteria, Lobby
of FHS, Students’ lounge &
Class 303
 Heart healthy environment-2- Interviews, football game
 Class reflections and
 Welcoming new students
Room 303
 Team building- parachute games
 Three models of health: medical, environmental and holistic-
Debate game
 Concepts and definitions/Health, Wellness, Illness and Disease-
2 - Fishbowl
 Our lifestyle- Role play
 Celebrating Caroline’s B-day
Session 5 & 6:
Friday 10 10 14
Geitawi garden,
Assabil center
 Meditation and breathing exercise
 Introduction to Geitawi community and dialogue with children,
women and elders
 Introduction to Assabil center-Geitawi
 Global health days of October 2014
 Proper hand-washing techniques
 Breast self examination
 Concepts-3/ Risk factors and life style changes
 Results of Mapping the Geitawi area
 Results from Dialogue survey:
what does it mean to have a healthy lifestyle
Computer lab-Room 105
 Stretching exercises
 Computer lab-1 exercises:
Useful link, set yourself a challenge, PDHP 246 face book page

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Tomates Cerises
 Learning through entertainment: games about nutritional iron
deficiency anemia, more veggies and fruits, no junk foods, no
smoking, and healthy nutrition
 Healthy cooking-talk by Rana Karam
 Martial arts demonstration –by Tarek
 Geitawi garden health festival plan-1
 Breast cancer: handouts on facts, risks, myths, environment,
mammograms, what to do when someone we know has cancer
Room 303
 Students presentations-1 (topics of own choice):
Alzheimer (Ziad), Acupuncture (Rim), Facial expression (Ranya),
Lead poisoning (Caroline), Food allergies (Mia), Tobacco
(Cynthia) and Addiction (Tarek)
 Developing a students’ appraisal scheme
 Students responses to peers evaluation including what they
would like to see changed
 Martial arts-2 (with Tarek)
First Floor Terrace
 Sharing useful books in public health-1
 Introducing course main resource books: Health and Wellness;
Public Health in the Arab World; Hesperian Health Guides; Be
the Change Action Guide and other resources
 May’s feedback to students presentations
Class 303
 Students presentation-2: Hospital acquired infections (Alissar)
 Useful PH books-2
 Best practices: our topics
 Dance movement (with Caroline)
 Best practices draft-Geitawi garden health festival
 Geitawi garden health festival: Our roles
 Educating and influencing others
Class 303
 Team building exercises-Balloon games
 The stone soup: Our assets
 The river code: Self-reliance and dependency
 Our values-Human sculptures
 Students presentation-3: Drug abuse and addiction (Ribal)
 Celebrating Alissar’s B-day
Class 303
 Smarter snacking
 Chapters distribution: H & W and PHAW
 Geitawi garden health festival: Slogans and a parade
 Geitawi garden health festival: Guidelines

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 Geitawi garden health festival: Our roles
 Geitawi garden health festival: Modified best practices for
children, women and elders
 Geitawi garden health festival: Program
Session 14 -16: Friday 7 11 14
Geitawi garden
and Assabil center
Geitawi garden health festival
 Preparing the stands and decorating the garden
 Integrating 15 volunteers
 Implementation: mobile and fixed stands, parade, handouts and
gifts
 Wrap up
Class 303
 Geitawi garden health festival: Results of press activity (by
Ribal)
 Geitawi garden health festival: reflections
 Geitawi garden health festival: evaluation questions
 PDHP 246: Powerful moments to date
 PDHP 246: Our river- where do we stand, and how best to
continue
 PDHP 246: Venues
 PDHP 246: Resources
Old hospital cafeteria
 Diabetes Mellitus-Key messages of the World Diabetes Day
 Diabetes Mellitus-Blue circle
 Healthy breakfast
 Nutritional iron deficiency anemia (by Mia)
 Geitawi garden health festival: evaluation by Assabil
 Geitawi garden health festival: Certificates of appreciation
 Peer support-1: More veggies and fruits
 Our chapters H&W and PHAW: Images
Room 303
 Public speeches: Guest Dr Rania Masri
 Students public speeches: Stress management (Ziad), Cancer
(Alissar), Girls Scouts (Rim), Sexual Health (Tarek), Self image
(Ranya), Health inequalities (Caroline), Women’s health
(Cynthia), Mental health (Ribal)
 Healthy eating
 Reflections: what have we learnt about public speeches
 Heart choice not a hard choice-Speech by Mia
 Diabetes Mellitus-educational competitive game
 Diabetes Mellitus-Am I at risk?
 NCD statistics-Lebanon

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 My expectations by the end of the course
 Breathing exercise and Om with Houda
Room 303
 Peer support-2: towards best practices
 Our chapters H&W and PHAW: Mind mapping
 Our chapters H&W and PHAW: Our questions
 Our chapters H&W and PHAW: Schedule of presentations
 Our breakfasts: images
 Readings from international book resources HHG
Session 22:
Talk by Dr Norbert Hirschhorn:
Wed. 26 11 14
Room 204
 Tobacco, what’s New?
Computer lab 105
 Healthy declarations: Alma Ata, Health promotion, People’s
health Charter, Human rights, Nutrition, Code of marketing
breast milk substitutes, Rights of the child, CEDWA, World
Cancer declaration
 Applications World Cancer Day 2015
 Interactive links about cancer and smoking
 Quizzes: smoking, breast cancer, cancer risk, BMI, nutrition and
activity, calories count, target heart rate
 Waist circumference
Room 303
 Laughter yoga
 Our images and quotes about mind-body communication
 Mind-Body communication: By Rim
 Psychosomatic illnesses and somatization disorders
 Peer support-3: towards best practices
 World’s Aids day
Session 25:
Talk by pharmacist Nadia
Dalloul:- Wed. 3 12 14
Room 204
 Are We Abusing medicines?
 Introducing Zaka wa Dawa: the campaign and the flyers
Room 303
 Our images about anti-smoking advertisements
 Target heart rate
 Eliminating Tobacco: By Cynthia
 Physical activity for health and well-being: By Mia
 Exercises-led by Mia

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Room 303
 Cardiovascular diseases: Risks and prevention: By Caroline
 Peer support 4: Quitting smoking
Room 303
 Managing Stress: By Ziad
 Mental Health: By Ribal
Room 303
 Using drugs responsibly: By Ranya
 Sexuality and intimate relationships: By Tarek
 Competencies in Public Health and Health Promotion
 PDHP 246: Home works
 PDHP 246: Bibliography
 PDHP 246: Take home final exam
 PDHP 246: Meeting dean Nadim Karam
 PDHP 246: Competencies celebrations
 PDHP 246: general
 PDHP 246: people
 Healthy eating
 Visit to Pediatric ward and gifts to children
Take home final exam: 25 11 14- 5 12 15
Room 303
 Towards course completion
 Final exam and its evaluation
 PDHP 246 celebrations
Session 32: Monday 12 1 15  Cervical cancer: By Alissar
 Ribal: on smoking
 Happy Hormones
 Pot-luck lunch
Session 33
Dialogue with Dr Nadim Karam
Monday 12 1 15
 With the dean

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People: Alissar, Rim, Cynthia, Caroline, Ranya, Mia, Tarek and May.
Place: Room 106
Duration: 90 minutes
Images from the session:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.960748570608847&type=1
7 students participated in this session that May facilitated (4 had already registered for the
course and the other 3 were exploring the possibility).
Contents: The session included:
(1) Brief introduction,
We introduced ourselves to each others in an open forum. Among the responses: I like most
nature and simplicity, I am interested in life and to me medicine is a way to help, I believe that
health is the most important, I like writing and reading, I am a pianist, a dancer and a reader, I
like to take things with a smile, I get mad very quickly, my family is central in my life…
May introduced herself as public health professional, social activist and an artist. Although she
has both MD and MPH, but she has learnt lots from people in marginalized and poor
communities. She has lived and worked in many countries ranging from arctic Quebec to the
Sudan and Yemen. Academically, she has spent time at AUB, Oxford University and University of
British Columbia. At this stage, she is happy to teach at Balamand. She defines useful when it
goes to our hearts and joyful when we learn with enthusiasm, fun and laughters. May has been
involved in the capacity building of thousands of people either directly, or working through
trainers or publishing books and materials. She hopes to share with the students some of her life
experiences particularly if they find it interesting and relevant.
(2) Exploring the title words of the course (healthy lifestyle and illness and disease),

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(3) Dialogue about: how we see the benefit of this course in our lives and/or future work;
features we liked in other courses that we like to see integrated in this course and aspects that
we would like not to see in PDHP 246, our expectations, specific topics/issues that we like to see
covered in the course, how can this course be most useful and joyful and how can we make it so,
our skills that we like to share, means of communications, grades and open comments.
Dynamics: We sat in a circle and practiced talking to the whole group; we worked in groups of 2-
3 and as the whole group. We also took photographs of how we felt during the class, and photos
of the working groups and the group.
May also introduced the concept of Parking Lot (Food for Thought) whereby we put aside topics
arising in discussions and refer to them at a different timing.
Stress balls (as tools for stress management) were distributed and used as a tool for pairing
people and as a ball to moderate the dialogue.
Communication among us: During this
session, we agreed upon the communication
tools among each other to include: e-mail,

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whatApp group, a facebook group and Moodle.
Reflections: Students comments at the end of the session were: Looks promising; Different -as
we are not used to situations where we talk; I felt that the class was unique, different and fun;
Creative and fun; Interactive; Forced to become committed ; meditative; I liked it (ana habeet).
Related happenings: Later in the evening, Mia established PDHP 246 whatApp group, and May
initiated the PDHP 246 facebook closed group and e-mail communications with all participants of
22 9 14.

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Results from mind-map-1 exercise as the students reported:
Healthy lifestyle: The shape of healthy lifestyle is circular or like heart and it has a good looking appearance, its
colors are green/blue/ white/, its smell is that of Spring/soil/flower/roses, its texture is rocky and rough/ soft, it
has the sounds of the birds/ wind and a good taste. We associate it with happiness/peace and serenity. The
following words have been associated with healthy lifestyle: creativity /influence /planning /continuous /art
/relationships /mood /stress /sanitation/ exercise /organization /responsibility
Illness/disease: is round, an echo, zigzag, rough, smells like spoilt eggs/disinfectants, sound like sirens, it is black/
red; it is about sadness, tears and pain, cancer, hospitals, morbidity, mortality and death. It is of public concern.
Genetic and unhealthy choices have been referred to. On the other hand, it is also about awareness, motivation
for change, help, faith, brightness, medicine, creativity, hope and an attachment to life.

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Food for thought
Based on a previous experience, one student talked about the irony of stress management that
has been stressful by itself!!!
As Mia pointed out, many of us have perceived illness and disease with negativity. We are all
challenged to take this concept further as we develop ourselves throughout this course and
other.

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STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS
How can this course be beneficial to me in my life and/or future work?
This course will teach me how to have the correct definitions of some common words such as illness, lifestyle,
and health … to be able to understand them and also to implement the theories for a better life (in general)
coping- What I mean by coping is for example to deal with any kind of stressor to be able live in a healthy
way./ Personal reflection, Life style changing, New methods/ aspects of course perception, Interaction and
peer support and communication, Directly related to public health since it deals with health, wellbeing of the
community and individuals, illnesses and diseases/ I believe this course will help me have a closer glance at
some forms of diseases/illnesses (as in their origin, transmission mode, sources…). It will teach me how to
handle situations more wisely through having healthier lifestyles and changing my behavior towards different
issues./ This course can help me cope with future issues dealing with illness and lifestyle and hopefully
influence it to the better, it would help me handle present situations and learn more about interaction and
communication since this course requires a lot of both./ Be creative, Get to know more about the science and
art of prevention./ It would help me thin outside the box when it comes to the relation between lifestyle and
disease./ It will help me develop certain lifestyle measures that can help me improve and keep my physical and
mental health at good terms. Furthermore prevent future illness from occurring. / In my opinion, I think this
course will make the idea of diseases and illnesses clearer in my head and it will help me maintain a healthy
lifestyle. I am talking about many years from now. / I guess this course would be beneficial for me because in
previous courses I mostly studied about diseases and illnesses without having any link with lifestyle. This
relationship will make it more interesting because it will give a clearer image of what I might see in my daily life.
What are the most successful features of other courses that I have liked
and would like to see integrated in PDHP 246? Poster presentations and fieldworks/
Integrate workshops and social activities; Take real life examples statistics, cases and be exposed to similar
examples (on the field experience) ; Outings on week-ends or during the vacation to be more exposed with the
community (visit the refugees or primary health care centers or a site depending on new events) / Closeness
between the Dr May and the students through interaction and integration; Feeling comfortable and engaged
during the class hours instead of being stressed out/ Field visits, classes outside university, creative thinking/
Introduction to Public Health; Real life examples and proves. I would like to see: something creative, real life
examples, having fun while learning/ Field visits/ the nutrition course were a great benefit. It helped me get a
better idea on types and variety of foods that are beneficial and harmful to the human bodies, thus helping
improve my lifestyle through better chose of foods./ Friendly relationship between the Dr May and the
students and Field visits/ The most successful features include: interaction between students and tutor and time
flexibility

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What are the aspects of other courses that I had taken and that I would
NOT like to see in PDHP 246? Quizzes and Limited time for many subjects / Stress, seriousness,
lack of communication and strict Dr May / Hardness of the exams, Being overloaded/ A very dense material
and having a lot of work to do, Being stressful throughout the entire semester/ Lengthy assignments, hard
exams, slide shows that put you to sleep/ Too much memorizing, Not seeing a real proof, Absence of
communication during the lecture and interaction./ Long reports/ The different types of microorganisms that
we have studied in the microbiology course. Such as the different viruses and bacteria and the illnesses they
cause. / Difficult exams, Stress, Too many projects and assignments / Well, personally, I don’t like the whole
attendance system, where students are graded based on their attendance, or receiving a penalty after missing a
session.
What are my expectations from this course? To learn about illnesses and severe diseases
coping, To learn how to implement “theories” about healthy lifestyles, To get good grades. : D/ I expect from
this course to have a clearer vision of what is public health practice, get familiar even more with the field and
how to deal with sickness illness and diseases. How to promote health and be an active individual in the
community. I know that the best school is the street that’s why I suggested previously having more classes in
the exterior world because lectures alone are just theory however through experience knowledge is gained. /
Knowing more about the pathogenesis of certain diseases. Knowing about how can an individual have a
healthier lifestyle and how to adapt to it. Discussing certain psychosomatic diseases, which are not taken into
consideration seriously/ To benefit in ways that people who have not taken the course will not benefit from,
To learn new aspects of illness and disease and lifestyle/ Get brief explanation of any point of case study, Get
to know more about the illness aspects and how it affect our lifestyle, Have more information concerning
public health policy./ To increase my knowledge, To know more about lifestyle’s effect of illnesses/ My
expectations are to learn the different diseases and certain lifestyle measures that can affect my health in a
direct and indirect way, and learn more about techniques or ways to prevent such diseases./ I actually don’t
have any specific expectation from this course, but I can say, I hope it would be helpful to me on a personal level,
so I can improve my lifestyle, and be able to share with people what I learnt in a simple way so they benefit as
well.
Are there specific topics/issues that I would like to see covered in the
course? Yes! The effects of severe diseases management. The topics I would like to see covered would be
for example “how to manage the stress of a cancer patient and his/her surrounding”/ Actually every topic
discussed will be useful. Throughout the course if any topic was “hot” we would add it in the parking spot to
be discussed between us. What I got encouraged to gain after this first lecture is how to be creative in

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spreading the awareness and the health message. This is a topic or an issue that numerous people face
because health professionals are not able to promote health efficiently since they do not focus on simplifying
their methods. After all, knowledge is important but if we were not able to deliver it then what is the purpose?
/ No specific topic/issue/ Mental illness and its effect on the body and on other people around you/ Causes of
illness and diseases. How do they affect our lifestyle? Prevention of such catastrophe. How to call for action in
case of illness of a whole community. / GMO’s, Manmade diseases/ Stress plays a major role in everyone’s life,
especially in today’s world. I think it is an interesting topic to be covered in class as it can greatly affect our
health without our knowledge of it. So gaining an idea of it can help us understand it more and prevent it. /
As I said in question 1, I hope that by the end of this course, I will be more aware of the threats on my health
and how to prevent them later on. / Although I covered these topics in different courses and fields but I would
like to take them again; maybe I could help in sharing some personal experiences: Drug addiction, Smoking,
Substance abuse, Psychological disorders, STDs/STIs
How can this course be most USEFUL for me? Most ENJOYABLE for me?
This course can be most useful and enjoyable if we get to participate more in social activities. In my opinion it
can be more useful and enjoyable if we can implement the theories learned in class but in real life with people
in need and thus feel productive. / Class interaction and discussions m Social media, Sharing of references and
articles among each other / It could be helpful by teaching me what behaviors to avoid in order to have a
healthier and a better lifestyle. / Field activities that require being introduced to new environments and new
things/ Increases my knowledge concerning health impacts. Non strengthened lectures can be considered
enjoyable and discussing new topics/ By being more of a practical course/ Class discussions and arguments can
be helpful and beneficial as it helps the information be better understood. / /Stress management, Cancer.
Yoga/ It would be more useful if there’s a balance between theory and practice (or being on the field); therefore
it would be more enjoyable and less boring, compared to any other course.
What can I do to make it most useful and enjoyable? Fieldworks, Campaigns
production / Share my talents with my classmates, Help them out in any topic I believe I can be useful or
provide them with an article I have previously read or used , Keep the smile on my face to make other
comfortable around me and encourage indirectly students to keep coming to class and attending since peer
pressure effects the outcome and the success of the course. / This course would be enjoyable if we relate it to
real life examples through case studies for examples. Also, by being involved in community activities./ Make
the best of it, work hard on the assignments and basically pass the course with very high grades and achieve a
sense of accomplishment and productivity/ Refer to true life examples and proofs., Communication skills/ Field
visits/ I believe that if we take theory into practice, the course will be more enjoyable and beneficial at the
same time./ Field visits, Practice sessions, Debates/ Share some personal knowledge and experience with others
and vice versa would make it more useful and enjoyable.

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Student Self Appraisal Healthy Lifestyle
(Q 1 of 8)
Is healthy lifestyle a concern of mine? Please explain why yes
or why not? I am really interested in a healthy lifestyle since it is the key to stay in good health and
to avoid, reduce, or delay disease and illness. A healthy life style can affect an individual positively in
numerous ways where it can reduce stress, promote a good mood and mental health, supports proper
functioning of the body and the brain. Adopting a healthy life style can facilitate the individual’s life through
making him a sociable individual, community active, teaches him time management and commitment. /
Healthy lifestyle is a big concern for me because it is the base of a healthy maturity of the body
and mind. To live without any disease or illness, the first thing to do is to adopt a healthy
lifestyle. / It is, because having a healthy lifestyle is the key to a fruitful life, and health is a main
factor of happiness, productivity, and continuity of life. / I believe that a healthy lifestyle should
be the concern of every individual, from children to elderly. We, humans, want to stay in a good
health to maintain our survival. Having a good health away from diseases/ illnesses/ or health
problems can only be achieved through having a healthy lifestyle. / Yes, it should be the
concern of everyone. It is important to achieve a healthy life style and everyone should try their
best to work on it. It is not as easy as it seems, and I don’t think anyone is able to achieve a total
healthy life style and should try their best to work on that because a healthy lifestyle can benefit
in every possible way. From going up a flight of stairs, to running 30 minutes a day, to even
have a goodnight sleep/ Of course a healthy lifestyle leads to a better life. Healthy habits help in growing
strongly, staying healthy and decreasing the risk of many diseases and illnesses. / Healthy lifestyle is a big
concern of mine since I am dealing constantly with high triglyceride levels in my blood. Come to think of it I do
believe even if I didn’t have this health issue I would always think of adapting such a healthy lifestyle, because
my family woks in the healthcare field, health is always an important aspect of our lives. / A moderate healthy
lifestyle, rather, is a concern of mine. Of course a healthy lifestyle is important, but I don’t like restrictions. A
healthy lifestyle will offer me a good state of health, as well as it will affect my surrounding so everyone can
benefit from it, whether by interchanging and exchanging healthy behaviors, or by reducing risk factors that
affect a person and his/her surrounding. / Yes, I'm not much into sports but I can already feel the
effects of the lack of exercise, so I want to have a healthier lifestyle.

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People: Alissar, Rim, Cynthia, Caroline, Ranya, Mia, Tarek and May
Place: Room 303
Images and video from the session:
Flipagram http://flipagram.com/f/JIfDTpehqK
We started the session with stretching exercises (source Health Promotion Programs at
University of British Columbia) to upper body, wrists, hands, back and legs.
Practicum:
As most of the participants have shown great enthusiasm for activities outside the classroom set-
up and fieldwork, we prepared ourselves for an outdoor activity that is in line with the World
Heart Federation recommendations for the year 2014: Heart-Healthy Environment: Heart choice
not a hard choice on the occasion of the International Heart Day on 29 9 14. Our preparation
included: learn the facts (competition game), introducing the 5 questions (why, who, what ,
when, where), class discussion of what we can actually do given the short time, and hands on
activities (play with the ball, use of face paint, making hand heart gestures, our medals etc.).
May explained that she sees this as an experimental activity for us to learn through practice.
Hopefully, we will use the lessons learnt as we organize other similar activities.
Our feedback to forms: Working in small groups of 2-3, we looked at course learning objectives,
teaching methodology and students’ work appreciation and commented on the “Self Appraisal”
questionnaire.

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Extracts from Our Comments on Course Syllabus
Our comments on learning objectives/methodology and grading:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/960731717277199/970360702980967/

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Looking at the wider picture of healthy lifestyle and health
The last activity of the day was an Image Gallery exercise. Each student picked up one image out
of 25, and wrote a paragraph about why she/he had chosen it. Students presented their work to
the group (as speakers). For the complete folder ################
“Hugs” were used as a means to reflect on the session in reference to the image “Hugging is
good medicine” http://www.encognitive.com/node/18608

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People: Alissar, Rim, Cynthia, Caroline, Ranya, Mia, Tarek, Ziad, Ribal and May
Visitors: Roubina- Engaging other students in World Heart day event
Places: Old Cafeteria, lobby, students lounge and Rm 303
Special thanks to Roubina for her support, Mia for the photocopies, Tarek for the
music and all for the contribution and enthusiasm 
Images and videos from the session:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/960731717277199/photos/
Flipagram http://flipagram.com/f/JZUJbRhJGJ
Videos See face book group
By now, nine students have registered to PDHP 246.
Day’s agenda included
12:00 -12:30: Planning for World Heart Day
 We reviewed: WHY are we doing this intervention, WHO are the people involved, WHAT
we are doing and HOW (interviews/Our questions/Inviting interviewee to the Football
Exercise/ playing football and other (face /body paint, slogans etc.), finalizing the WHEN
and WHERE…
12:30-1:30 Implementation:
 Interviews,
 Football game,
 Our recommendations to the administration,
 Group photo

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1:30-2:00 wrap up and appraisal
 Reflections: What worked well? What we need to improve for next time?
 Introducing the resource book: Health and Wellness
 Our letters to Ziad and Ribal/welcoming Ziad and Ribal (day’s evaluation)

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Preparing ourselves for World Heart Day 29 9 14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMTwR8Dko0#t=120
http://www.who.int/nmh/events/2014/world-heart-day/en/
http://www.worldheartday2014.com/?fb_action_ids=10154662338940584&fb_action_types=og.shares

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Welcoming Ziad and Ribal:
As means of integrating and welcoming Ziad and Ribal, students wrote the following letters:

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Extracts from our reports Heart-Healthy Environment
For cumulative and complete reports
https://www.facebook.com/notes/pdhp-246/recs-to-fhsbalamand-heart-healthy-
environment/965014426848928
Mia and Cynthia:
Feedback:
 Fun event
 The number of people engaged was better than expected
 Very successful evaluation or assessment to what we can do with little effort,
limited time, and funding
 Developed a sense of belonging to the team
 The music was an important component during the football activity, which gave energy and grabbed
people’s attention
 Promoted health with a simple activity
 The key to health is not knowledge but knowing how to dissipate it
Ranya and Tarek:
ANALYSIS ON THE INTERVIEW OUTCOMES:
It is important to note how much our country plays a role in our environment and healthy lifestyles, it is
unfortunate to see that most of us are living in a non-healthy lifestyle, yet we seem too defeated to do
anything about it. “We don’t even have a park next to home I can walk in” claimed one of our participants.
ANALYSIS ON THE CLASS ACTIVITY:
We think the activity day today was very beneficial. We believe we had something new to teach the
students and they all took it in a good manner and they were all willing to absorb our information and
participate in our activities.
We believe today went better than expected and we are content of the level of interaction that occurred
on a class basis and on a university basis.

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We hope to get the chance to do more activities, and hopefully next time our crowd will be bigger!
Rim and Caroline:
Monday, September 29 was the day of the activity, during class hours. We first started by a meeting with the
Dr May of the course Dr May Haddad and Ms Roubina, where we prepared the questions we were going to ask
the people and ourselves (face painting and so). We then went back to our campus, divided into groups of 2,
and started asking everyone we met there. However, almost every person we asked had no idea about the
occasion, so we explained it to them before starting the questionnaire. We asked them if they know that CVDs
are the leading cause to death worldwide, especially in females, if they have an idea about some acts to
protect their heart and if they do some physical activities. Most of them didn’t know about the danger of CVDs
but they know that by not smoking, exercising and following a healthy diet they will prevent CVDs from
occurring. After that, we invited everyone we interviewed to the student lounge to play some football. The
purpose was to exercise a little bit, to have fun and to tell everyone about the importance of physical
activities.
I think this event was a hit. Students, including us, had fun and received some good information about our
health in a unique method.
However, if we took a little more time to prepare for it, it would have been even more successful. 
Alissar, Ziad and Ribal:
After interviewing several people, it was showed that cardiovascular diseases are not very well understood
and known. However, the risks factors leading to it and the measures of prevention are identified. Physical
activities have to be more encouraged. Knowledge and awareness are missing; they should be considered and
developed concerning important diseases, illnesses and lifestyle.
We believe the activity done was a great success, not only did it raise awareness to a group of people about
cardiovascular disease, but also showed them the importance of keeping the heart healthy and away of
harmful substances, furthermore the inclusion of an interactive beneficial activity of football brought together
students, in order to increase their heart rate, and show them that just a short time of exercise can greatly
help in improving your health.

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About World Heart Day
HEART-HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS: heart choice not a hard choice
http://www.worldheartday2014.com/?fb_action_ids=10154662338940584&fb_action_types=og.
shares
CVD is the world's number one killer. It's already responsible for 17.3 million deaths per year, and
by 2030 this is expected to rise to 23 million. Too often, society 'blames' the individual for having
CVD - you smoke, you eat and drink too much, you don't exercise!
But the environments where we live, work and play can have a huge effect on our ability to make
the right choices for our heart health, especially in increasingly urban environments. A heart-
healthy environment is a space where people have the opportunity to make the right choices for
their health.
Not everybody has the choice; many adults and children across the world are ‘trapped’ In
environments where they face: Lack of access to green spaces, Unhealthy school meals,
Overwhelming displays of tobacco, alcohol and fast food, Exposure to second-hand tobacco
smoke in parks, cars, work places
Everyone should be able to make heart choices not hard choices wherever they live, work and
play. Join us on World Heart Day for better #heartchoices #worldheartday

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Appraisal of the Heart Friendly Environment Activity
Reported by PDHP 246 students
Practical implications of the Heart Friendly environment activity that we had implemented on 29
September 2014:
o A simple ball
o Student lounge
o Simple question
o Listening skills to others instead of imposing our opinions and knowledge
o Allowing free self expression of students through allowing them to write
down their requests to the Balamand FHS administration.
o Teamwork
o Active spirit
o Delivered the message without lecturing, only through a very simple game.
 The heart friendly environment was my first experience with the community. It was a
success. We could show the FHS community that we can save our hearts and protect
ourselves from cardiovascular diseases by simple actions, such as moving a little or playing
football. The students of the faculty were engaged in the activity and had fun. We, the
students of the PDHP246, enjoyed our time. Through this event, we could teach students an
important issue by combining it with fun.
 The activity done had several implications, first it helped raise awareness to the FHS
community about the heart and healthy choices, second implications is that it got the
students closer to each other and all participated in good healthy activity. It also showed
the students that even though we may not have a large space for activities we are still able
to do healthy activities in the space provided.
 We have increased the awareness of students about the importance of the health and
cardiovascular diseases and encouraged healthier behaviors such as healthy eating habits,
regular physical activity or tobacco avoidance.
 We implemented a simple exercise between students can increase the heart beats (playing
football in the lounge).

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 Students might become more aware of the health of their heart and start engaging in
healthier behaviors such as regular physical activity or quitting smoking.
 Students will be more aware of the need for physical activity to keep their hearts healthy.
o They will have a better idea on healthy foods and proper diets.
o They will know more about their health rights ( access to information, public spaces for
physical activity, other infra structure including healthy restaurants)
 Practical implications of the Heart Friendly environment activity that the class had
implemented:
o Information about CVD
o Informing people about the date: World Heart Day
o Engaging in physical activities
o Team work
o Happy hormone
o Lowering the risk of developing a CVD
o Reducing body fat
o Enhancing respiration
o First contact/experience with the community (interviews, activity engagement…)

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Visitors: 2-3 students
Places: Terrace of students’ cafeteria and Rm 303
Special thanks to Mia for the delicious cake 
Images and videos from the session: facebook group + Whats App
Flipagram http://flipagram.com/f/JiRsKdlqUo

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Day’s agenda included:
Parachute games: we played parachute games about cooperation and team building as we were
celebrating Caroline’s B-day
Open platform: dialogue circle of what we like to share/ Looking at events in October that maybe
of interest to us/ Classes and make ups in Oct 2014/ Too many home works?/ Calculating how
much time we spent on HW #3/ be able to let people interact with us more
Debate game: We formed three groups and debated the three models of health (medical,
environmental and holistic)

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Towards our definitions of health, disease and illness: A dialogue using fishbowl technique
Our lifestyles: two role plays about our lifestyles, showing issues in eating junk foods, smoking,
excessive use of mobile phones, drinking alcohol, being over protective about weight gain etc.
Risk factors: distributing the reading materials Risk Factors and Life Style Changes and discussion

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Health, Wellness, Illness and Disease
1. Develop a table contrasting the three models for health as mentioned in H & W book chapter
one, and present in a panel discussion
2. List key findings from what attracted your attention in the concept of health, disease and
illness as posted in PHAW's book chapter 9-
Readings from H & W: ch 1, p 4-10 and PHAW: ch 9, p 118-120

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Samples of students’ responses
Comparing the three models for Health
For cumulative results:
Medical model Environmental model Holistic model
 Relies on biological
explanation of diseases
and illness
 Deals with environment and its
effects on human health.
 Takes the health of the
person as a whole not
only certain parts of the
body.
 Can be interpreted in
terms of body, organ
malfunction
 Defines health in terms of
quality of a person’s adaptation
to environment conditions
 Includes physiological,
emotional, spiritual, and
environmental aspects of
the individual.
 Is measured in term of
vital statistics, such as
morbidity and mortality.
 Focuses on conditions outside
the control of humans that
affect his or her health such as
water, air and socioeconomic
conditions.
 Focuses on health,
prevention of diseases
and positive emotional
and mental states.
 Does not include social
problems that can affect
the health, and does not
integrate mental health
with biological health
 Being healthy means
having unity between
the mind, spirit, and
body.
 Health can be restored by
curing the diseases or
injured body part
The Medical Model The Environmental Model The Holistic/Wellness Model
Health is the absence of the one or
more of the “five Ds”- death,
disease, discomfort, disability, and
dissatisfaction.
Health is defined in terms of the
quality of a person’s adaptation to
the environment as conditions
change.
Health is defined in terms of the
whole person, not just in terms of
diseased parts of the body or the
environmental condition.

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Focuses almost on biological
explanation of disease and illness
and is interpreted in terms of
malfunction of organs, cells and
other biological systems.
Focuses on conditions outside the
individual that affect his/her health.
Conditions include: quality of air and
water, living conditions, access to
nutritious food, exposure to harmful
substances, socio economic
conditions, social relationships and
the health care system.
-Focuses on optimal health
prevention of diseases, and
positive mental and emotional
states.
-Moreover, it incorporates the idea
of spiritual health.
-Emphasizes the unity of the mind,
spirit and body.
Does not deal with social problems
that affect health and only with
difficulty integrates mental and
behavioral issues that do not derive
from diseased organs.
Associate health with harmonious
interactions with fellow creatures
and the environment.
As the environment changes, one’s
interactions with it must change to
remain in harmony
Illness is interpreted as disharmony
of human and environmental
interactions.
Symptoms of illness and disease
may be viewed as an imbalance in
a person’s state of being and not
simply as the malfunction of a
particular part of the body.
Three main ways to define health:
1. Medical Model
 Health is the absence of death, disease, discomfort, disability, dissatisfaction.
 Biological explanation of disease and illness
 Relate malfunction explanation to organs, cells, systems…
 Measurement: vital statistics (morbidity/mortality) and includes incidence (number of new cases) and
prevalence (total number of cases).
 No social problems
 Disease treatment only related to organs (biology)
 Successful in treating biological illness only without psychosocial.
 Limitations: promoting health- prevention- healthy lifestyle= avoiding unhealthy risky behavior etc…
2. Environmental Model
 Ecosystem
 Environmental health and impact on human health
 Quality of an individual’s adaptation to his environment

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 Focuses on external conditions affecting the person’s health (air quality- food- pollution- nutrition- life
conditions…)
 Effect of education- socioeconomic status- environmental factors on person
 Illness is defined as the inability to cope with environmental changes and with ecosystem.
3. Holistic (wellness) Model
 In terms of a person as a WHOLE
 Physiological- mental- emotional- social- spiritual- environmental aspects
 Optimal conditions (health- wellbeing- disease prevention- healthy mental status….)
 Illness is an imbalance between the mind spirit and body.
 Self- healing, health maintenance, disease prevention are included…. Not only symptoms medical
treatment.
 Works in parallel with medical treatment to cure a certain type of illness or disease since it encourages
each individual and patients to preserve their health and wellbeing and even be able to improve it
through healthy non risky behaviors

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Reading assignment and reports:
Risk Factors and Life style changes
Students read “Risk Factors and Life Style Changes” and the last two pages of WHO report on the
global health risks (key findings). For the reports posted as PDF documents on the face book:
The students wrote a commentary or conclusive paragraph.

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Students’ commentaries on risk factors and life style changes
Global wellness must be our concern, and we should all work hard to prevent chronic diseases that limit the
wellbeing of the population. So, doctors, nurses, employers, bankers, governments, and all nations should
have some regulations that eliminate the burden of chronic diseases before it's too late and share together
the spirit of awareness and lowering the risk. However, the first step that should be solved is by eliminating
the social, economical, financial, and health gap between rich and poor countries. We all share humanity and
we have the right to have a total state of wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle.
In the article “CDC: Lifestyle Changes Can Reduce Death from Top 5 Causes”, the author Stacy Simon
illustrated the fact that lifestyle change could help reduce deaths in the US. Moreover, the major five causes of
death are caused by poor lifestyles, all of which could be prevented and thus could easily help prolong lives.
These risks could be reduced by making healthy choices such as avoiding tobacco, eating a healthy diet,
maintaining healthy weight, engaging in physical activity, limiting UV exposure as well as alcohol consumption.
Kelly Young mentioned in her article that 37 million deaths could be delayed if we aim to improve the
risk factors that are causing mortality. All of which are related to poor lifestyles.
According to “Chronic Diseases in Rich and Poor Countries- the Causes Differ”, the author showed that the
leading cause of death are the chronic diseases, which besides death effect the quality of life. But the causes
of death differ from the developed to the underdeveloped countries. In the developed countries, the causes of
death are associated with five risk factors that are: tobacco use, cholesterol, overweight and alcohol
consumption, where as in that of the underdeveloped countries the risk factors are different and are related
to poor sanitation, unsafe sex and underweight. All of the previously mentioned risk factors are preventable
and individuals must be taught how to live more healthfully to avoid them
Conclusive paragraph/short summary:
Engaging in healthy life styles can increase the span of your life. In order to limit the top 5 causes of death
around the world, people should start focusing on their lifestyle, and focusing on how to make it better and
healthier.
The top 5 causes of death in the world vary from: cancer, to heart disease, to chronic lower respiratory

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diseases, to strokes and unintentional injuries.
In order to have a better lifestyle, people can start by avoiding tobacco use, they can focus on having a healthy
diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and limiting their alcohol consumption.
They can focus on other things as well like minimizing the stress level in their life and controlling the
environment around them, however the things listed above are important factors, without them the risk on
your life would not be eradicated, but it would be less.
In order to help people get into a healthier lifestyle, we need to understand their environment and the factors
affecting their lives. We need to notice the policies and programs, and make the services accessible to them.
We can also notice that the “unhealthy lifestyle” led by the poor differs from the unhealthy lifestyle led by the
rich. The unhealthy lifestyle led by the rich involves tobacco use, high blood pressure, alcohol use, high
cholesterol and overweight.
However, the unhealthy lifestyle to the poor includes underweight, unsafe sex, bad sanitation and polluted air.
When a country develops a burden of a bad lifestyle, it wastes all its money on medical issues rather than
invest the money to build better schools, or to promote healthy education or better roads. Or any other issues
that might work on making the country more developed rather than more harmful.
Education is very important and must be given to all people in order for them to be able to lead better
lifestyles on their own. Support can be given by psychological standards or from educational standards. People
would start being aware of healthy lifestyles and would perhaps start choosing salads to sugars or fats.
Combined support from the people, the government, and the associations could make a better country with
more healthy citizens.
A way to measure the development of a country is by knowing the average life span of the population. In a
world full of diseases it was hard to extend the peoples average age, unless certain measures are taken to
reach the goals set by the World Health Organization to prevent mortality and extend lives.
According to the CDC simple measures such as avoiding tobacco, increasing physical activity and eating
healthier diet could significantly reduce the deaths rate. Up to 20% to 40% of the deaths can be prevented by
following the previous measures only.

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The measures are taken to avoid the top five causes of death in the United States: Cancer, Heart Diseases,
Chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke and unintentional injuries.
In addition the people should be advocated on the turn their environment plays in increasing the risk of such
morbidities by increasing stress and other environmental factors that could be avoided easily if measures are
taken not only by the people but on a state level. Such interventions on a state level are so important for the
state since development and health are directly related to each other. Any weakness in the health sector puts
the government under a huge burden and a heavy health bill. So to implement strategies, the government has
to take health, environment and the people into consideration for the best development and health results.
Investing in a healthy lifestyle should not be the people's responsibility, but a governmental strategy which
starts by educating the children on the benefits of a proper lifestyle. In turn education will pay back the input
in the form of development, and money paid previously on the health bill by the government will now be paid
on education and research centers for further development.
The top reasons of death in the world are all related to lifestyles measures, and bad behaviors people pick up,
such causes of deaths include respiratory diseases, mainly caused by tobacco smoking, heart strokes, due to
high blood pressure and intake of foods with high level of fats, and cancer which can be caused by a variety of
reasons that include long exposures to UV radiation, all of which can be prevented and the relative risk of
getting them reduced by applying some simple changes to anyone’s lifestyle. Such changes include increase in
physical activity, cutting back on tobacco smoking, reducing alcohol drinking, lowering the amount of fats
ingested, and increasing the intake of vegetables in order to increase the intake of vitamins. Since the top
deaths of the world are controlled by our actions and behaviors, it is of crucial importance to raise awareness
of such facts to the public to help them take action and the first step in changing their behaviors, and lifestyle
in order to improve their life expectancy and life quality, so that they will live a healthier, and longer life.

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Events of Sep. and Oct. 2014

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Session 5 & 6: Friday 10 10 14
Helpers: Josiane and Sami (Sabil center)
Interaction with around 25 of community members (kids, women and elderly)
Places: Sabil library and its garden, Geitawi garden
Duration: around 120 minutes
Images from the session: posted at Whats-App and Face book page
Special thanks to Cynthia for saving documents on her I-Pad and bringing it to class

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We were welcomed by Josiane who introduced us to the Sabil library at Geitawi and its clients.
We started with an open platform about our concerns at this stage, and May explained a general
framework for our course. Rania was concerned about introducing I-pads at the Sabil center, and
some students reflected that the course is speedy and required more feedback from May when it
comes to their performances.
Then we experienced an exercise in meditation after we shared our previous experiences
including the meaning of mindfulness.
Groups of students presented the results of their mapping of the area and their posters and 3D
installations (based on HW assignment to explore an area of choice and report about enabling

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factors for a healthy lifestyle) Caroline and Mia’s presentation consisted of a 3 D installation
whereby they showed enabling components in Geitawi area. Here are few images:

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We shared the significance of 4 international days/events in October included were breast
cancer awareness month, hand-washing global day, international day for ending poverty and
mental health day in reference to a handout prepared by May and that was distributed to all. We
also reviewed together the proper technique of hand washing (see handout
https://www.facebook.com/groups/960731717277199/970364959647208/ )
Sharing the results of the dialogue survey:
The students presented their findings from stage 1 of the Dialogue Survey and informed us about
the people they selected as follows:
Cynthia: 2 housewives in their 50’s,
Tarek: 2 domestic Syrian workers
Rim: two ladies in their 40’s (one is a teacher)
Alissar: 2 ladies in their 50’s with cancer
Ziad: 2 Syrian guards
Caroline: 3 nurses
Mia: 3 housewives and friends.
In preparation to the dialogue survey, the students had selected a homogenous group of 2-3
people that they encounter regularly in their life and who would be willing to talk to you (porters,
waiters, guards, shopkeeper, elderly, housewife etc.) and asked their permission to talk to them
from time to time to listen to their views about specific issues in healthy life style. The students
told them that this is a university project that aims at widening their scope of thinking by listening
and understanding the perspective of people around us so that they become better public health
people. The first question: what comes to their mind when we say healthy lifestyle…?
‫صحيه‬ ‫بطريقه‬ ‫منعيش‬ ‫نقول‬ ‫لما‬ ‫بالك‬ ‫ع‬ ‫بيخطر‬ ‫شو‬
The following are extracts from students’ reports about their first dialogue:
Caroline:
After asking the nurses in Saint George hospital, I started with nurse number 1, who is the right hand of a
therapist. His response was that health is a job for him, lack of problem, and the absence of disease. He added
that it is an absent case in Lebanon.
A second nurse replied with his mate that it is a psychological and physical state of a person, where the
individual can prevent some risks to reach it. These risks were no tobacco smocking, exercise, a good and a

80
healthy diet, knowledge in managing stress.
Their answers were logical, but it lacked the idea that health isn't only related to disease. Where in fact, as
cited in WHO, health is the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and not merely the absence of the
disease!
Mia:
For my study I decided to interrogate three women in my building. In fact they are friends and neighbors living
in the same building same region and have close ages. They come from a similar economic status and they all
raised kids. Two of them work and the third one doesn’t. None of them is in the medical field. They are all
from the same religion however different nationalities. One is Armenian Lebanese, another is Syrian Lebanese
and the third is Lebanese.
Methodology:
 I waited till the afternoon until they are home
 I introduced myself (in fact they know me from the building)
 I told them about the study and that it is among the requirements for a course at the University of
Balamand which gave me more credibility
 I asked their permission if can ask them from time to time some questions during this semester.
The question:
What comes to your mind when we say healthy lifestyle?
‫صحية؟‬ ‫بطريقة‬ ‫منعيش‬ ‫نقول‬ ‫لما‬ ‫عبالك‬ ‫بيخطر‬ ‫شو‬
Responses:
First Housewife’s response:
 Exercise
 Eat healthy
 Avoid alcohol smoking and addiction
 Do regular tests and consult family doctor from time to time.
Second Housewife’s response:
 Eat healthy food
 Exercise regularly
 Eat organic
 Do regular tests (mammography, blood tests etc…)
 Proper hygiene and cleaning
 Being in good health… no diseases or at least managing sickness ( taking proper medication)
Third Housewife’s response:
 Healthy cooking
 Avoid eating outside home
 Active lifestyle and exercising
 Sickness illness free (in good shape)
 Proper weight
 Avoid smoking cigarettes and arghileh

81
 Reduced pollution environment (mountains, greenery etc…)
 Limit alcohol (do not get drunk and addicted)
 Avoid drug abuse
Ranya:
For the second part of the home work, I chose 2 people, both Quantity Surveyors to interview in regards of the
“healthy life style” awareness. I chose those 2 people because they are as far from the “medical field” as could
be. They work as part of an engineering company and that means their information is based on numbers and
facts about construction. I had hopes to help them “strengthen their building” regarding their health, and
make their body the “strong pillar” they try their best to achieve in buildings.
I questioned both people separately and managed to understand their idea of a healthy life style, and after
that, I managed to explain the functions of a healthy lifestyle, how to achieve it, and how you know you have
it. I believe the brief interview widened their knowledge and motivated them to want to change to the better
and try and achieve a healthy lifestyle.
In this report, I will post the questions I asked and the answers I got, and then I will portray a small conclusion
on each person. I will call them “Person A” and “Person B”.
Person A:
When I asked Person A what he thinks of a healthy life style, he claimed: “In order to achieve a healthy life
style, you need to be financially comfortable, and have the time to invest in it, otherwise, you can’t do it,
especially in a country like ours where a salad is for 10$, and a burger is for 5$”. “It’s very easy to lead an
unhealthy lifestyle, the challenge lies in whether you can control what you eat and how you behave, and not
fall for the easy, but compete with the hard.”
Person A went along and explained that he believed that having or leading a healthy lifestyle is really worth it,
however he doesn’t believe he has the strength or the time to go through with it himself.
When I asked him if he believes he leads a healthy life style, his answer was filled with guilt as he said
“unfortunately, I don’t lead a healthy life style. I did diet for a couple of months and I have to say, I felt great,
but as soon as I reached my targeted weight, I lost my motivation completely. I stopped exercising and I went
back to eating junk food and fast food.”
Here I had to explain to Person A that “dieting” is different from leading a “healthy lifestyle”. I explained that
as soon as he made his weight the targeted goal, he was limiting his lifestyle. As the word portrays, it is a
lifestyle, not a phase.
He thought that was a very interesting point because he never realized that dieting was different from a
lifestyle, and he thought as long as he had to cut down on the chocolates or the burgers, then he could go
back to consuming them as soon as he reached the desired weight.
After that, I asked Person A if he believes his environment and surrounding permit him to lead a healthy
lifestyle, he said no. “I work in an office” he claimed. “My lunch break is a good 15 minutes; I eat what’s there
and what’s fast and I go back to my desk and resume my work. I do get food from home, they’re healthy and
home-made, however, I sit on a chair from 8 AM till 5 PM, and that doesn’t really allow me much movement.”
I then resumed asking person A what he thinks of when I say “Healthy Lifestyle”, he claimed that it is having
the “right eating habits”.

82
Person A thinks he could have a better lifestyle if he had the right motivations; my friends don’t go to gym and
I find that affecting me because I have no motivation to drag myself to the gym and work out, I’m also always
outside the house so whenever I want to eat, it’s always the fast food and the junks that I find fulfilling, cheap,
and mouthwatering” he goes on to say “I have the needed finances to lead a healthy lifestyle in terms of
healthy food, however I do not have the time to do so. I don’t have time to make salads or to cook my dinner,
and I live alone, so there is no one to do it for me. So laziness takes over and I end up dialing Pizza Hut’s
number for a good greasy pizza”.
Finally when I asked person A how he imagines the physical appearance of a healthy lifestyle is, his answers
were:
- Color: Light Blue
- Smell: pine trees
- Texture: silky
- Shape: circle
- Taste: sweet
Person A and I went along and had a small chat where I explained a little bit about a healthy lifestyle, and
how it is not a punishment but a reward. I went on and asked person A how he felt about this small
interview he said that he feels guilty about the lifestyle he leads and he thinks he wants to change to the
better.
After that he sent me a picture of a cucumber and said “look Ranya, I’m having a vegetable!”
I felt pleased with the outcome and I felt like I made a difference, hopefully Person A will go on with the
change of lifestyle and sees the rewards it promises.
Person B:
With person B, the talk was different; he knew everything there is about leading a healthy lifestyle; however
his main concern is “Fighting so hard not to go back to my old habits”. Person B has lost around 25 kilos in the
previous year and a half; he now has a body he is pleased with and an appearance that satisfies him. “I went
from eating 2 burgers at dinner, to having a grilled chicken breast with a side salad. I’m content with my
progress, and I’m still working as hard to maintain my weight. I go to the gym nearly every day and I still
manage not to have those 2 burgers at the end of each work out.”
“I think it’s very easy to go back to your old lifestyle and your old habits, especially when leading a healthy
lifestyle takes up so much of your time, and requires a good amount of financing. To order a chicken breast for
dinner, that is for about 15$, rather than a burger knowing that the chicken breast will barely satisfy your
hunger is still challenging for me, sometimes when we go out I go for what’s convenient rather than what’s
healthy because it all depends on your financial situation.”
“What I try to do now”, claimed Person B “is to balance my lifestyle in a way where I can eat some unhealthy
meals, but at the same time make up for it in the next meal. I don’t think anyone can go on with a lifestyle
without having a juicy burger or a cold ice cream once in a while, and I think what’s keeping me going with the
healthy lifestyle, is knowing that I can reward myself with the “bad stuff” when I want to.”
“I do think that your state of mind affects your food. Before I started my diet, I was going through a rough
phase and although I had the opportunity to eat healthy food, I chose not to. I would have homemade dishes
in the fridge yet I would still order that pizza or the fries. But when I escaped that phase, when I figured that I
cannot go on like that anymore, I threw away the menus –so to speak- and I put all my energy on maintaining

83
a good lifestyle; exercising helped me a lot as well.
When I asked about his environment, if it permits him to lead a healthy lifestyle, his answer was a definite
“no”. “I live in a place where everything around me is made up of fat. Their ingredients are 90% butter and
10% water; it’s very hard to find something healthy on the menu or in the restaurant for that matter.” “We
also don’t have the food dieting services where they deliver food to your house, 3 meals a day and you
wouldn’t worry about cooking or eating right. I live in a very small area where the facilities are limited and the
options are minimal.” “However, I do find the time to hit the gym at least every day. My friends go to the gym
too, so it’s easy for us to commit, we go together and encourage each other I guess. It would be hard not to go
when they do because the guilt would be too much. I also find the gym a huge motivation because then I
could have 2 sandwiches for breakfast and know that I will have to go burn away the calories later on that
day.”
When asked to imagine the physical appearances of a healthy lifestyle, Person B gave me the following
answers:
- Color: green
- Smell: flowers
- Texture: smooth
- Shape: triangle
- Taste: it’s like water, it tastes good, but it’s not strong enough to identify. You can’t explain what water
tastes like, so I can’t explain what a healthy lifestyle tastes like; but I know it’s good.
-
I left person B feeling accomplished in only 1 way, I knew I had no new information to give him regarding a
healthy lifestyle, and I knew that he has tried to do whatever it is to maintain that lifestyle, but I did succeed in
one thing: I made him realize the importance of what he has done, and I think I reduced his hesitation towards
giving up or going on. I have no doubt that this person will resume a healthy lifestyle, not because he has to,
but because he doesn’t see himself as he was before.
Tarek:
Case 1:
Domestic worker lives with other Workers in a construction site where dust and pollution is everywhere, he's
poor and doesn't have enough money to eat complete meals every day. He doesn't eat every day and when
he does it's a lot of bread and cheap stuff. He tries to save money for rent (after the building is done) and a
shower once every 2 days. He lives with 2 other guys for cheaper rent and they live in a very small room with
low hygiene. He doesn't believe he is un-healthy and claims he can work hard every day and he still has strong
muscular body. If he could get anything, he would ask for food because that's how much he's hungry. He does
not believe that stress could affect his health or future, and he consumes some alcohol if available when he
feels extremely stressed. He smokes more than 40 cigarettes a day while working (according to the
construction site, if the HSE office (if present) is not so strict).
Case 2:
A Domestic worker living with his family a wife and four children, he works hard to feed them and try to send
the old son to school, so he almost forget himself. His wife cooks some stuff when they can such as potatoes
and Mediterranean foods and although they're healthy food, he doesn't believe he is healthy because of the
lack of meat and fat in the food. They live in one room with a toilet which is not isolated from cold nights or

84
warm summer sun. He doesn't smoke cigarettes but a hookah or a Hubble bubble ( shisha ) and he thinks it's
much healthier then cigarettes.
The government is not providing the domestic workers with any means to have a healthy life; all they can
afford is bread and processed meats, tuna and cheese. And most of their diets consist of dairy foods such as
cheese spreads and dry milk with toasted bread. They are not receiving their basic rights to have a healthy
lifestyle not even the information. And none of the Lebanese population who are in the same
socioeconomically status can afford a healthy lifestyle or even provide their new generations with education
to overcome this degradation in the idea of a healthy life.
Be the Change Model
May briefly introduced the Be the Change model:
 The basics (current practices and choices)
 I can do more: seeking best practices/choices
 Educating and influencing others (people around us)
 Community projects

85
The best practice: ________________________________________________
The basics: The actions that I am doing now
(please add as many items as needed)
What actions I can do more
Educating and influencing others
Community Projects

86
Then, we prepared ourselves to conduct FGDs with three groups of people who are the
community at the garden. Included were kids, women and elderly.
We divided ourselves into three groups and built on the questions that May had proposed and
proceeded with the discussions.
Elderly: about social pensions for elderly, what do elderly advise the younger so that they
maintain their health, what are the elder doing to maintain their health, in case we organize a
health festivity in the garden, what do they like to see? How can they contribute?
Women: Do they do self breast exam? What makes them strong and healthy? In case we
organize a health festivity in the garden, what do they like to see? How can they contribute?

87
Kids: show us how you wash your hands with soap and water, what makes strong and healthy
(drawings)? In case we organize a health festivity in the garden, what do they like to see? How
can they contribute…?
Groups of students roamed in the place and interacted with people
We ended the session with brief presentation about the findings.

88
Extracts from our reports:
Interactions with the community

89
Interacting with children- By Cynthia, Mia and Ziad
Cynthia, Mia and Ziad were asked to walk around the Geitawi garden on the 10th
of October and to target children and ask
them several questions to see how they view different matters regarding healthy lifestyles. We did not pressure kids to talk
we simply gave them their space and freedom. Dr. Haddad told us that children in groups are more cooperative and
responsive so we started talking to children sitting in a group.
The questions were divided as follows:
1. Draw/ Sketch a picture that shows what does being strong or healthy look like
2. Ask them to show how they wash their hands
3. Suggestions from children for a small festival in the garden.
Cynthia was responsible for the first part. I moved around the area and asked children to move into the library holding
colorful pens and papers. The children were responsive and most wanted to get into the library and draw. These children
were intelligent, clever and were able to critically think and analyze. Different children had different perspectives of a
healthy life and each showed that through his/her drawing.
According to these two girls, Sahed - Bahir and Sybelle, we should protect our body and should eat healthy food in order
to survive.
A
c
c
o
r
d
i
n
g
t
o
W
a
r
e
d
,
a

90
Ziad moved around the area and asked children if they knew how to wash their hands effectively. He tested their
knowledge through asking them to wash their hands in front of him. None of the interviewed children knew how to wash
their hands.
Mia walked around and asked random children about ideas to imply for a festival in this particular garden. The
results were as follows:
Games Football Handball Animation Puppets Pop corn Ice cream Cotton Candy Clown
Balloons Exposition on plants specifically sun flowers Chips Fireworks Face Painting Artisanal Work
Drawing Coupons and rewards
 Findings:
All what kids listed was directly related to unhealthy lifestyle and diets. What is interesting is that none of these
kids suggested having fruits as a treat or something healthy. The activities that they asked for are doable and
attainable only if we collaborate among each other. The activity was really interesting, I personally loved it. I loved
talking to children, listening to their conversations, their suggestions and discover what a wide imagination they
have and how creative they could be. It made me think of my childhood again in order to understand what they
were asking for or wanted to have. I compared their responses to mine if I were their age. I figured out that this was
impossible. With the knowledge I had I was judging if their choices are healthy or not but I understood that after all
when I was a kid I had similar choices too! It made me enjoy my time and motivated me to try and implement all
Last, Eva viewed things differently.
She believes that we can have
healthier lives if each one of us
becomes a princess and lives in a
castle.

91
what they asked for which is fun but also teach them indirectly how they could be healthy and have fun at the same
time.
 Suggestions:
 Print fliers and post them around the park gates and ask the library there in the garden to send e mails to
neighboring people. Try to get confirmation of who might be able to come or not.
 Someone to dress like a clown. Make the kids dance and do animation for them. Give them balloons and do
face painting for them
 Another person could bring nice music for them to dance and gain activities.
 Girls can teach little girls to dance
 Boys will play football handball etc… whatever ball games the boys want to play
 Prepare popcorn bags at home
 Skip the cotton candy ice. Too much sugar is not good for their teeth and health
 Ice cream could be doable.
 Fruit is a better choice than chips.
 If anyone has puppets at home maybe they can do a puppet show for the kinds.
 Another individual could lecture kids about plants or handmade stuff in our country for example.
 We can let them draw their own drawings and maybe let them do some art and craft work with empty bottles
plastic cups glue and maybe threads. Let them learn that anything old can be reused (old bottles) which will
develop their environment friendly skills especially that many kids in Cynthia’s activity emphasized on the
importance of a clean environment for being healthy.
 Can contact an organization to do the activity and help up (non-profit organization) similar to the one I saw in
“spinneys” GMI maybe they are interested to help for free specially that they are doing this activity for free to
young children.

93
Interacting with women- By Ranya, Rim and Tarek
In the occasion of Pink October, which is the month dedicated to breast cancer, we discussed this sensitive topic with four
random groups of young females at the “Geitawi garden” on October 10th
. We started our discussion by asking the
following questions:
1. What do you believe a healthy lifestyle is?
2. Do you think you are healthy? Does the environment around you allow you to be healthy?
3. Do you have any idea about Pink October?
4. Do you have any idea about how to do the self examination o breasts to detect any sort of abnormalities?
5. Do you do mammography on daily basis?
Our findings were the following:
Group 1: Two Lebanese mothers gossiping while their kids were in the playground
They were a bit hostile and not very welcoming regarding the subject and our approach. One of them was updated about it
while the other one did not share her inputs on this topic. Although they seemed a bit taken aback, we felt that they had a
general background on the subject at hands.
Group 2: Two Russian mothers
We believe that our approach was more welcomed. We should note that one of the women has a breast cancer background
(she lost her mother due to that). Although the woman was interested more about the subject, she seemed a bit reluctant
to actually go do the exam (fear of finding out if she has the tumor). The woman with her stood ideally by and listened.
Group 3: A Lebanese mother pushing her baby on the swing
She gave more of her time and seemed interested about the subject. She was aware of the self breast examination and
motivated in starting a healthier lifestyle (cooking, eating, physical activity…).
Note: she is living with her husband and his parents; she went on saying that she used to have a healthier lifestyle when she
was still in her parents’ house, however, that changed to the bad when she moved out.
Group 4: Two Syrian mothers
This group was totally unaware of the subject. They did not know about breast cancer, about the campaign, the self
examination and the required yearly examinations.
It is important to note, that although we targeted four different groups, of which three have different backgrounds
and cultures, none of them had the sufficient information about the subject.
It was unfortunate to realize that there are still some people unaware of the issues around; especially ones crucial to our
health. However, it was satisfying to know that our questions played an important factor in the awareness, and we would
love to think that we made a change and that the women will go home and invest in promoting their health and doing the
required tests.

94
Interacting with elders- By Alissar, Caroline and Ribal

95
Last week, on Friday October 10th
, 2014, the class was held at the Jesuit Garden and students were divided into groups of
three. Each group had to pick one category of people: Elderly, mid-aged women and children. Alissar, Caroline and Ribal
picked the elderly group. They walked around the corners at the garden and met many people that were sitting in groups of
3. All of the interviews were based on different questions such as:
1- What is a healthy lifestyle for you?
2- When we say illness or sickness in front of you, what is the first to pop up your mind?
3- How do you advice the youth to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid illness or disease?
4- Do you make any physical activity?
5- What about your eating habits?
6- If a health related festival was to be held in this Garden, how can you help with ideas or support to make it
successful?
They talked to 3 groups:
1- Two ladies and one man.
The conversation started by asking first if it’s possible to have 5 minutes of their time. One woman was smiling and she was
very appreciative, whereas the other one wasn’t really interactive. As for the healthy lifestyle, the woman said that she is
basically sick “ aamaliyit alb maftouh ”, and she lives in an environment where her son (the man sitting next to her) is sick as
well. She had to take care of him as he’s not being able to work anymore, due to epilepsy, which involves her in physical
activity. As for eating habits, she said that it would depend on their financial abilities. But, she mentioned that she cooks
healthy with “OIL / LESIEUR” and not “ samneh “ and they eat everything “biftek w batata, riz 3a djej, w foul”. Concerning
the festivities, the first idea to cross her mind was that she was asked for money. After being explained that the support is
humanist and not materialistic, she asked the group to ask the second lady “hiye bta’arif aktar menneh”. The other woman
didn’t understand the question and barely answered, saying that she had hearing problems.
2- Three men:
The men seemed to be indifferent and neglectful at first, and weren’t taking the approach seriously. When provided with
more explanation, the oldest man (89 years old) among three was leading the conversation, talking about some old
experiences and events concerning physical activity “ emcheh mnel cheyyah aal hekmeh” which would take 4hours “rawha
rajaa”. When asked about his lifestyle, he said that eats on time 3 meals per day, and drinks “ Arak mich Whisky”. The
second man then got interested and his advice for younger generation was based on avoiding drugs and smoking “ma
tetaato ya chabab, hayda al tari’ al bechi’”. Then, when they were all asked about the first disease that pops up their mind,
all of them agreed on cancer, then came up the suggestion for helping in participating in the health related festival, which
was based on promoting cancer campaigns.

96
3- Two men and one woman:
When the group arrived to talk to those people, the first man didn’t show any interest, without even knowing what the
topic is about “ma eleh khele’ “. Then, the approach turned out on the others who really got into it. The oldest man said
that youth should avoid smoking because it’s a very bad habit, although he was holding a cigarette in his hand. He said he
smokes up to 7-8 cigarettes per day. When asked about his lifestyle and eating habits, he said that he doesn’t have dinner
and sleep at 10, and when he wakes up, he drinks a cup of milk. That was the healthy way for him to have a good quality of
life. As for the physical activity, only one of them said that he walks from his house to the park. When the students asked
them about the first disease that pops up their mind, they all answered “cancer”.
Conclusion:
After discussion, the students concluded that the people questioned had little knowledge about healthy lifestyle, and their
information is strictly based on their own experiences/cases. It was obvious that they were mainly talking about their
disease/pain/suffering – a clear sign of depression, according to their facial expression, body language and responses.
As long as the garden is a space of recreation for elderly, it would be a very interesting idea to hold a health related festival
there. It would be helpful to promote physical activity by offering/doing stretching exercises and making them participate.
Moreover, older people need to have a better vision/perception of life and thus accept their general state without being
ashamed or feeling weak. Therefore, the festival should focus on promoting positivity, and seeing life from a brighter
perspective.

97
Place: Computer lab
Duration: around 90 minutes
Special thanks to Cynthia for leading the stretching exercise
Images from the session: posted on Face book page
We started with an open forum followed by stretching exercises that were lead by Cynthia
(handouts of the exercises were distributed to all)

98
Students worked individually and as small groups and followed the exercises that had been sent
to them as an e-mail and PPP attachment. We introduced a fun game during the session and
ended the class with an open dialogue about the session.

100
Exercises Computer lab-1
1. Useful links
Step one
Kindly familiarize yourself with the following sites
World Health Organization: Health topics
http://www.who.int/topics/en/
Healthy Lifestyle- Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle
http://www.mayoclinic.org/search/search-results?q=healthy%20lifestyle
NHS
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pages/Topics.aspx
Health Tips for Healthy Living
http://www.medicinenet.com/healthy_living/article.htm
Step two
Be an advocate to one site and tell us why it is great
What other sites do you find useful
When do we say that a site is Credible?
What are your impression if someone quoted just one site in his/her paper or presentation?
2. Set yourself a challenge
http://www.cutyourcancerrisk.org.au/quiz/default.asp#.U8au6PmSzG-
3. Video: Watch the video- pick up one finding and validate it after consulting professor
Google - Add your comment to the file https://www.facebook.com/notes/pdhp-
246/comments-on-the-video/973338369349867
Video's link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/07/31/336369873/how-will-
youdie?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term
=nprnews&utm_content=20140731
4. DPHP 246 Face Book page
Students skimmed through the page: images, photo albums, files/documents and
responded to the following tasks:

101
1. Pick up one image that you like: write down why did you pick up that image
2. What do you like about the page?
3. How can it be better?
4. Is it time that we open up to others? If yes, what do you propose (make it an open
group? Add our friends after we talk to them about their interest? )
Comments on the picture chosen
Mia, Ranya and Cynthia: Collaboration and team work made our day at the Geitawi garden fun
and successful. I believe that the key to the useful and active learning is the creativity in location
choices and peer interaction. We can notice in this picture how attentive we are while listening
to each others' experiences without getting bored. Mia Cynthia and Rania May Haddad
Alissar: I picked this image because first of all, i really enjoyed the activity and learned a lot.
Secondly, i liked the fact of being all together and working as a team. It was an amazing
experience and hope for more to come. Thank you Dr May Haddad
Caroline: I consider that this image shows the real image of our teamwork, we share education,
good times, and friendship. So, i chose this picture because it reminds me in the interesting
activity we have done last week, where we communicated in a perfect way, exchanged different
point of views, and the most important thing is that we enjoyed our time together.

102
Ribal chose a different image of the students with May and other friends. He commented as
follows:
Ribal: Besides the first image I picked, I guess this picture is a very nice picture. It shows a
moment of joy. We were celebrating Caroline Richani birthday. It's a colorful picture. It involved
all of us, especially Dr. May Haddad, because rare are the pictures where we all appear in.
Comment about the facebook page
Ribal, Alissar and Caroline:
We do like this page, because it's a sort of album that collect all our memories and experiences
that we had throughout this course. It's a link between all of us, students and tutor, to
strengthen the relationship among us. Moreover, besides pictures, we can find a lot of
interesting web pages (links) related to healthy lifestyles and health issues.
Mia: The group is not yet ready to be open to public since it contains material such as homework
and information related to the class community. It might be useful to make it public when we
start doing events and posting health information that interests the community we live in.
Having the homework through e mail is a better idea.
It is cook to have all our pictures posted, share nice links and YouTube videos and other types of
media in order to make education easier and more fun.
The facebook page makes us more active and reinforces peer communication and builds stronger
bonds.

Notebook: PDHP 246

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