PUB HLTH 1001 - Health and Illness in Populations

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2017

Health and Illness in Populations aims to introduce students interested in health sciences careers such as public health practice, health-related research, or clinical practice, to a population view of health. It draws on a range of disciplines that contribute to a focus on the health of populations, including epidemiology, health promotion and disease prevention, history, politics, and ethics. The course invites students to develop a critical view about what constitutes public health issues, how they are measured, and potential responses to improve population health.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PUB HLTH 1001
    Course Health and Illness in Populations
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 4 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Incompatible Not available to students who completed PUB HLTH 1001 Public Health 1A. This course has had a Title change from Public Health 1A to Health and Illness in Population and therefore it?s the same course
    Course Description Health and Illness in Populations aims to introduce students interested in health sciences careers such as public health practice, health-related research, or clinical practice, to a population view of health. It draws on a range of disciplines that contribute to a focus on the health of populations, including epidemiology, health promotion and disease prevention, history, politics, and ethics. The course invites students to develop a critical view about what constitutes public health issues, how they are measured, and potential responses to improve population health.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Catherine Chittleborough

    Course Coordinator: Dr Catherine Chittleborough
    Phone: +61 8313 1684
    Email: catherine.chittleborough@adelaide.edu.au
    Location: Level 7, 178 North Terrace

    Student & Program Support Services Hub
    Email: askhealthsc@adelaide.edu.au
    Phone: +61 8313 0273

    Program Advisor’s booking system
    bit.ly/spss-hub-bookings




    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Identify major causes of morbidity (sickness) and mortality (deaths) in Australia and globally
    2 Describe public health problems and how they are measured using basic epidemiological terminology and calculations
    3 Evaluate how social determinants and other risk factors for communicable and chronic disease influence personal and population health
    4 Describe the basic principles and salient features of health promotion and disease prevention to improve population health
    5 Evaluate the roles and functions of policies and diverse stakeholders, including in government departments and health systems, in defining, influencing and responding to public health issues
    6 Identify ethical and economic issues associated with policies and interventions aimed at improving health
    7 Identify, critique, synthesise, report and reference appropriate public health literature
    8 Participate constructively, as an individual or within groups, in tutorials and practicals
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-8
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    5-8
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    8
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    2, 7
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    3, 5, 6
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    5-8
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The required textbook is: Fleming ML, Parker E. Introduction to Public Health. 3rd ed. Australia. Elsevier; 2015. A free, online version of the textbook is available at https://www.clinicalkey.com.au/. Enter “introduction to public health” into the search on the home page. Copies are also available for purchase from Unibooks, Encompass Books and Ramsay’s Bookstore. The second edition of this text (published in 2012) is an appropriate alternative. There are only a few differences between the second and third edition. 

    Other resources, including required readings for lectures and tutorials, will be available on MyUni.

    Recommended Resources
    A list of recommended resources that will be useful for studying public health, in addition to the text book and readings, will be provided on MyUni.
    Online Learning
    MyUni is the primary entry point to online learning at the University of Adelaide. MyUni provides students and staff with access to  course materials, discussion forums, announcements, and many other features to help manage learning and teaching. You can connect to MyUni on or off campus from an internet-connected computer using a Web browser. The URL is: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/ Login to this resource using your Username and Password. Once logged on to MyUni, you will find the information displayed is customised to present only details relevant to you and the online content for courses that you are studying.

    For enquiries, contact MyUni Support https://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/
    Phone: (08) 8313 3000
    E-mail: helpdesk@adelaide.edu.au
    The Helpdesk is available for extended hours during the week or through voicemail.

    You will use MyUni for a number of purposes:

    · Accessing announcements about changes in scheduling, course information etc.
    · Accessing lecture notes as a pdf and, if recording is possible in the allocated lecture theatre, as an audiofile.
    · Completing on-line quizzes and submitting assignments.
    · Accessing online modules that form part of the lecture and practical series.
    · Posting questions on the Discussion Board.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    There are a number of teaching and learning modes in this course.

    Lectures – The course lectures provide basic factual information and concepts about public health. They introduce key concepts in public health, supported by material in the text book and readings. Many lectures provide opportunity for interaction, discussion and questions. Some online modules will form part of the lecture series.

    Practicals – Practical classes provide a problem-oriented investigation of some of the key course concepts and information. In practicals students will apply lecture material, through discussion, problem-solving sessions, videos, debates, exercises etc.

    Tutorials – Lectures are supported by interactive tutorials designed to develop and clarify topics covered in lectures. These are generally problem-solving sessions designed to clarify, discuss and apply public health concepts. Tutorials provide an opportunity to try out your ideas, develop your capacity for critical thinking, and clarify uncertainties, in a supportive environment.

    Assessment - Quizzes throughout the semester aid students in monitoring their understanding of specific topics. Assignments provide an opportunity to undertake in depth analysis of some key concepts of the course. Finally, the exam will assess the extent to which students have developed their understanding through the course.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    As a 3-unit course, Health and Illness in Populations will require approximately 12 hours of work per week, including attendance at lectures (2 hours),  attendance at a tutorial (1 hour), and attendance at a practical (1 hour). Eight of the 12 hours per week is private study, which is study outside of your regular classes.

    Eight non-contact hours per week should be private study, including:
    Pre-reading (including lecture material and pre-class activities such as online modules) - 1 hour
    Tutorial tasks – 1 to 2 hours
    Completion of assignments and revision - 6 hours
    Learning Activities Summary
    A detailed timetable of classes and assessment tasks will be available in the course Handbook, and on MyUni. The topics covered in
    lectures, tutorials and practicals include:


    · Sources of information and data about public health issues

    · Chronic conditions, infectious diseases and risk behaviours that are public health issues

    · Epidemiological measurement of public health issues using counts, prevalence, incidence, rates and risk

    · Determinants of public health issues

    · Public health interventions: Disease prevention, health promotion, and protection

    · Ethical and economic issues in responding to public health issues

    · Population and high-risk approaches in public health

    · Public health and the Australian health system
    Specific Course Requirements
    N/A
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    N/A
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome
    Maths Diagnostic Test Formative 0%
    Assignment 1 Summative 10% 1, 2, 3, 7
    Assignment 2 Summative 20% 1, 3-7
    Quizzes Summative 15% 1-4, 6-7
    Tutorial participation Summative 10% 1-8
    Exam Summative 45% 1-7
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Attendance and participation at all tutorials is required; 10% of your overall mark is based on the quality of your tutorial participation. Tutorials will extend and apply the material presented in lectures and in the readings. The final exam will test your understanding of tutorial topics, among other things.

    All practical material is examinable and you are expected to participate actively. An attendance sheet will be completed every week.  More importantly, the practicals provide an opportunity for you to process and assimilate the material from the lectures and readings, and apply your learning to specific situations. Active participation will not only lead to greater enjoyment and learning, but will definitely assist you in the exam.

    In tutorials and practicals, it is expected that all students contribute to discussion. Public health can be controversial, therefore opinions may be expressed that are counter to our own. You are expected to be respectful of others' points of view even though they may differ from your own. Each student has the right to hold and express views that are not conventional, provided that they are not personal attacks on individual students and they do not vilify groups of people (i.e. people from different ethnic or religious groups, or those with different sexual preferences).
    Assessment Detail
    Maths Diagnostic Test (Formative).
    This is a diagnostic tool, completed online via MyUni, to help students establish that they have the basic numerical and mathematical skills to continue in this course. Students are directed to supplementary materials for questions they do not answer correctly. If they do not achieve 50%, they should read this material and retake the test until they do achieve 50% or greater. The purpose of this test is also to initiate contact with the Maths Learning Centre for those students who require additional numeracy support. Staff at the MLC will contact students who achieve less than 50% to offer support that aims to make the semester easier for students.

    Assignment 1 (10%), 700 words.
    This written assignment will assess students’ understanding of a priority health issue that affects the population, focusing
    on key epidemiologic measures to describe the issue. Students will use information from journal articles, published reports, and internet sources, and reference these appropriately.

    Assignment 2 (20%), 1700 words.
    This written assignment will assess students’ understanding of how public health issues are measured, and responded to with
    disease prevention, health promotion and protection interventions. It will assess students’ ability to identify, critique, synthesise, report and reference appropriate public health literature and interpret key epidemiologic measures of health and disease.

    Quizzes (15%).
    Quizzes will comprise mainly multiple choice questions and will be completed online. Some quizzes will be included in online modules that will form part of some lectures and practicals.

    Tutorial participation (10%).
    Attendance and participation at all tutorials is required. Tutorials will extend and apply the material presented in lectures and in the readings. The criteria for attendance and participation marks, which will apply from Week 2, are as follows:
    1 mark is allocated for attending and actively participating in one tutorial.
    If a student is absent, he/she will receive 0 for that tutorial.
    Attendance only, without preparation and participation, may receive 0.5 marks for that tutorial.
    A tutorial which is not attended but for which the student submits a medical certificate will not be counted for marking.

    Exam (45%).
    Details will be provided in the final week. All aspects of the course are examinable: lectures, tutorials, practicals, and assignments, the textbook and other readings from the course. The course learning outcomes should be used as a guide for preparing for the examination. Students will be expected to integrate information and critically analyse public health issues.
    Submission
    Extensions
    All extensions for assignments must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission. Extensions will generally be granted only on medical or genuine compassionate grounds. Supporting documentation must be provided at the time a student requests an extension. Without documentation, extensions will not be granted. Late requests for extension will neither be accepted nor acknowledged.

    Only the Course Co-ordinator(s) may grant extensions.

    Supporting documentation will be required when requesting an extension. Examples of documents that are acceptable include: a medical certificate that specifies dates of incapacity, a police report (in the case of lost computers, car & household theft etc.), a letter from a Student Counsellor, Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) or Disability Liaison Officer that provides an assessment of compassionate circumstances, or a letter from an independent external counsellor or appropriate professional able to verify the student’s situation. The length of any extension granted will take into account the period and severity of any incapacity or impact on the student. Extensions of more than 10 days will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.

    Late submission
    Marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are handed in late.

    All assignments, including those handed in late, will be assessed on their merits. In the case of late assignments where no extension has been granted, 5 percentage points of the total marks possible per day will be deducted. If an assignment that is 2 days late is awarded 65% on its merits, the mark will then be reduced by 10% (5% per day for 2 days) to 55%.  If that same assignment is 4 days late, the mark will be reduced by 20% (5% per day for 4 days) to 45%, and so on.

    The School of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late.

    Assignments submitted after the due date may not be graded in time to be returned on the listed return dates.

    Students submitting examinable written work who request (and receive) an extension that takes them beyond the examination period are advised that there is no guarantee that their grades will be processed in time to meet usual University deadlines.
     
    Resubmission
    If a student is dissatisfied with an assessment grade they should follow the Student Grievance Resolution Process  <https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/grievance/process/>. Students who are not satisfied with a particular assessment result should raise their concerns with Course Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance. This must be done within 10 business days of the  date of notification of the result. Resubmission of any assignment is subject to the agreement of the Course Co-ordinator(s) and  will only be permitted for the most compelling of reasons.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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