Course syllabus valid from Decision date
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Course syllabus for
Public Health Sciences III, 30 credits
Folkhälsovetenskap III, 30 hp
This course has been cancelled, for further information see Transitional provisions in the last version of the syllabus.
Please note that the course syllabus is available in the following versions:
Autumn2007 , Autumn2012 Spring2013 ,
FHG000
Public Health Sciences III 30 credits
Higher Education, study regulation 2007 Public Health Sciences
G2 - First cycle 2
Fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG) Department of Global Public Health
Programnämnden för Folkhälsovetenskap 2007-05-10
Autumn 2007
Specific entry requirements
Ma C, En B with at least the Pass grade/3
Objectives
Part 1: Global Health, 7.5 higher education credits. Learning outcomes The student should be able to describe and explain the health development in the world and in different countries. The student should be able to report on: o the health promoting work of the international society; o how living conditions in different countries influence the health development locally and globally; o different models of
organisation and funding of health care and apply it to different scenarios; o how of HIV and AIDS affects the living conditions of people, what actions are taken globally to halt the spread and mitigate the consequences of the infection and be able to apply the knowledge in different scenarios; o the situation of women and children in different countries and societies, how it affects the health situation, and be able to discuss and plan for adequate actions to improve the health of women and children; o the most important endemic diseases globally and plan for preventive work; how the health situation of the inhabitants is affected by large disasters, and how the needs can be met, and describe causes and connections regarding violence and injuries, globally and locally; the large refugee streams in the world, and the actions taken to handle the right to health of refugees as well as of internal refugees in large refugee camps, and be able to plan for health actions; The student should, based on acquired
knowledge and insights, plan a development aid project in order to improve the health state of a defined population Part 2: Public Health Work Theory, 7.5 higher education credits. Learning outcomes On completion of the course, the student should be able to : account for various evaluation and planning models, design and use; account for survey, action plan, practical local public health care and
decision-making in municipalities and county councils; account for how preventive work is carried out within different life style areas and risk assessment; account for how one works practically with media;
account for presentation technique, how a seminar is held, how to write a report and be familiar with CV-Europass; be familiar with the bases of health economics and economical evaluation. Part 3: Public Health in Practice, 7.5 higher education credits. Learning outcomes On completion of the course, the student should : - have obtained professional knowledge from either companies, municipalities, authorities or the public health activities of NGO:s and knowledge on how laws, rules and missions of significance for public health are applied; - be able to account for forms of cooperation in different workplaces, activities, and between authorities and organisations for a more effective public health care;
- be able to explain, apply and analyse his/her theoretical knowledge in a delimited practice project; - be able to plan and carry out a seminar. Part 4: Environmental medicine and Social Medicine, 7.5 HE higher education credits. 1. ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE Learning outcomes On completion of the course, the students should be able to: critically evaluate a risk assessment in environmental medicine;
describe potential risk factors and sensitivity factors in an environmental medical context and set these in relation to people's symptoms and problems; identify health risks in the working environment in the contact with patients, and describe suspected risks; exposure; give advice about preventive strategies;
be familiar with authorities and their areas of responsibility to be able to search information
continuously. To be able to do this, it is required that: knowledge of how environment and risk factors - chemical, physical, biological - in the general environment (including life style factors and workplaces,) affect groups, and individuals in the population. Examples of topics and exposures are air pollutions, particles, indoor climates/sick-houses, ionising radiation, persistent subjects, organic solvents, metals;
knowledge of common reasons for national diseases related to the environment; awareness of the disease panorama of environmental medicine. basic knowledge of environmentally related disease mechanisms, problems and health problems, individual differences in sensitivity, and interaction between events in the environment and risk factors for the individual; knowledge of authorities' responsibility within the environmental medical area.
Content
Part 1: Global health. Contents Public health development and its determinants in a global perspective Public health and human rights International cooperation for health and well-being Living conditions in different societies and civilizations Funding and organisation of the health care in a global perspective The impact of HIV and AIDS on the society and its consequences for the health in a global perspective The health and rights of women and children in a global perspective Global refugee issues Health care in disasters Violence and injuries Alternative medicine Project work about the work of international organisations to improve the health Part 2: Public health - Theory. Contents The theory period should give the students the possibility to, at a basic level, develop and train theoretical knowledge and skills in evaluation, documentation, handling and scientific thinking in public health care. Part 3: Public Health in Practice. Contents The work experience period should give the students a possibility to apply theoretical knowledge acquired during the education. Part 4: Environmental medicine and social medicine Contents Environmental medicine The subject environmental medicine comprises knowledge of how factors in the general environment and life style factors may affect the health state of individuals and groups in the population. Environmental medicine is characterised by being interdisciplinary and comprising both an individual, clinical part, and a clearly population-oriented, preventive part. The latter constitutes an important part of the primary health care. Environmental medicine is a clinical speciality.
The speciality has broad cooperative areas with many other medical specialities, a number of public bodies and occupational health service. The activities are characterised by an integration of medical, toxicological, technical, chemical and behavioural science knowledge, and a coordination of resources and knowledge from different medical areas of activity and other sectors of society. To this can be mentioned that in contact with the public, issues related to the individuals' different environments are quite often brought up. Contents Social Medicine Social Medicine comprises knowledge of how
structural factors, social relations and living conditions may affect the health state of individuals and groups in the population who are most exposed to disease. The subject is characterised by being cross-boarder and comprises both an individual clinical part, and a clearly population-oriented preventive part. The latter constitutes an important part of the primary health care.
Global Health, 7.5 hp
Grading scale: VU
Public Health Work - Theory, 7.5 hp
Grading scale: VU
Public Health in Practice, 7.5 hp
Grading scale: VU
Environmental medicine and Social medicine, 7.5 hp
Grading scale: VU
Teaching methods
Part 1 Global health Teaching (Working methods) Lectures, literature studies and a project work in 5 groups, reported during the course + a final report the last day. Part 2: Public health - Theory Teaching (Working methods) Lectures, group discussions, seminars with a focus on reflection and training for professional development. Independent knowledge search and evaluation of the retrieved information and scientific method development Part 3: Public Health in Practice Teaching (Working methods) The course is planned so that the students have, alternately, three days theory and two days practice the first week and three days practice and two days theory the other week during the ten weeks. During the practice, the student should, on the basis of the checklist, document a number of assignments through participation in planning implementation and follow-up of the preventive work at the current workplace.
See proposals on checklist below. In the practical training, an examination assignment is also included covering one week of full-time work. The aim is to review a subfield within the activities of the work experience placement by means of e g 20 questions - the instrument. The students present their practical training and the practical training reports they have compiled for the supervisor/group. 1. Checklist/plan for the work experience period The work experience period should give a deeper understanding in how the primary health care is carried out. Parts concerning knowledge of the own organisation, and how cooperation with other actors take place, are important. Learning outcomes and strategies, and how these correspond to the work that is carried out should be included. The connection between economical and personal resources and how they are used to achieve the aims of the activities are described. It should be clear, to which extent the population's needs and participation should be exploited. How the practical primary health care is carried out and is documented. How contacts are made with decision-makers and how the decision-making process proceeds. Three of the following assignments are compulsory. They are chosen in consultation with the supervisor. The student summarises this in writing and presents the results to the supervisor who reviews and discusses with the student how he/she perceives the structure and contents of the activities. a) Organisational theory A description of the structure of the organisation with an emphasis on functions of importance for public health work. Example of key actors and
cooperative solutions to facilitate cross-sectoral cooperation, should be given. Examples of officials who often participate in the daily public health care should be described, as well as the work connection to organisations inside and outside the workplace. Describe leadership including control form. b) Public health aims and strategies Aims and guidelines for the public health care of the organisation, established in political decisions or in companies, are described, and if possible, the underlying motives are also highlighted. Both general and more specific aims are reported. A special analysis of the relation between established aims and choice of strategies, action plans and projects in order to achieve the aims, should
be carried out by the trainee and be presented to the supervisor (e g analyse, evaluate a ongoing project).
c) The population perspective To analyse the methods and basis of decision-making that are used to get insight into needs of the population. How are different groups, and especially exposed groups,
mobilised? Specific attention is paid to how the empowerment perspective is observed in planning and implementing the public health care. d) Practical public health care How are the activities implemented in practice, are there work groups, reference groups, how are projects integrated, followed-up, how are they reported to the population, to decision-makers. Is there a risk preparedness at the trainee post, is there a current action plan? How are decisions documented? If possible, obtain information on some cases from processing through decision to turnover in practice to see how the work is documented. e) Funding An analysis of how the aims and the primary health care are reflected in budget and allocation of resources specifically, and more generally, and how the grants are distributed among different participating actors/organisations. An estimated breakdown of services and economical resources is presented. f) Ethics in primary health care Based on the ethical fundamental concepts, assess how ethical attitudes are considered in decisions and implementation of the primary health care. The student should be able to account for the ethical problems that may arise in connection with the planning and
implementation of projects. Part 4: Environmental medicine and social medicine Teaching (Working methods) - environmental medicine The course is given in the form of lectures, group assignments and seminars. Compulsory parts are introduction with grouping, presentation and distribution of seminar assignments; examination consisting of two parts: presentation of seminar assignment and written examination. Teaching (Working methods) - social medicine Lectures, group assignments, seminars and PBL based elements.
Examination
Part 1: Global health Examination In theoretical parts, all learning outcomes are examined through a written examination and active participation in seminars/group discussions/lectures. For a Pass grade, it is required that one has achieved the minimum requirements for the aims of the part to define and use terms, causes or factors, and describe what they mean in a coherent way. A Pass with distinction is requires, that you have achieved the objectives of the part, and furthermore should be able to reflect, evaluate, compare and explain your results in a scientific manner. Part 2: Public health - Theory Examination See part 3 below. Part 3: Public Health in Practice Examination For a pass grade on a practice period, three parts are required: advanced assignment equivalent to 1 HE credit, analysis of the health care work of the work experience placement and a supervisor statement. After halftime, v 44 the student should have submitted the advanced assignment for assessment to the course director. a.
Advanced assignment equivalent to 1 hec/written assignment In the examination of the work experience period, a separate assignment is included, where the student should review a part of the activities. It can e. g. be an important decision-making process, an implementation of a new cooperative solution, the relation between aims and resources or a phase in an ongoing or completed project. The assignment should correspond to one week of full-time work. The project can be reviewed by means of the
instrument 20 questons or another appropriate method. The course administration is responsible for this part with support from the supervisor. b. Description of the organisation and activities of the work experience placement On the basis of the checklist/practice plan, the student summarises some chosen parts of the activities and conducts an analysis of how the primary health care is organised and the resources used. This is discussed with the supervisor that approves the report. After that, it is sent to the course administration for assessment. c. The supervisor's assessment The student is assessed based on:
ability to take initiative and to acquire relevant knowledge to understand how the organisation works;
analytical ability to demonstrate critical points regarding health policy, priority, resources,
implementation and follow-up; ability to apply theory in practice and professional development. A Pass requires that you have carried out the assignments according to the instructions, that you can define and use terms, causes or factors and describe what they mean in a coherent way, and that you have
participated actively in the daily work at the workplace. A Pass with distinction requires, moreover, that you can interpret, explain and draw own conclusions from your own material, and that there are 2-3 scientific articles in the area as references in the project work. Examination For a Pass grade on a practice period, three parts are required: advanced assignment equivalent to 1 HE credit, analysis of the primary health care work of the work experience placement and a supervisor statement. After halftime, v
44 the student should have submitted the advanced assignment for assessment to the course director. d.
Advanced assignment equivalent to 1 HE credit/written assignment In the examination of the work experience period, a separate assignment is included, where the student should review a part of the activities. It can e. g. be an important decision-making process, an implementation of a new cooperative solution, the relation between aims and resources or a phase in an ongoing or completed project. The assignment should correspond to one week of full-time work. The project can be reviewed by means of the instrument 20 questons or another appropriate method. The course administration is responsible for this part with support from the supervisor. e. Description of the organisation and activities of the work experience placement On the basis of the checklist/practice plan, the student summarises some chosen parts of the activities and conducts an analysis of how the primary health care is organised and the resources used. This is discussed with the supervisor that approves the report. After that, it is sent to the course administration for assessment. f. The supervisor's assessment The student is assessed based on:
ability to take initiative and to acquire relevant knowledge to understand how the organisation works;
analytical ability to demonstrate critical points regarding health policy, priority, resources,
implementation and follow-up; ability to apply theory in practice and professional development. A Pass requires that you have carried out the assignments according to the instructions, that you can define and use terms, causes or factors and describe what they mean in a coherent way, and that you have
participated actively in the daily work at the workplace. A Pass with distinction requires, moreover, that you can interpret, explain and draw own conclusions from your own material, and that there are 2-3 scientific articles in the area as references in the project work. Part 4: Environmental medicine and Social medicine Examination environmental medicine For a Pass grade in the course, completed compulsory parts including approved examinations 1 (presentation of seminar assignment) and 2, are required . . (written examination). Examination - social medicine Written individual examination of the literature