Course Coordinator: Mohammad Afzal Mahmood
Phone: +61 8313 4637
Email: afzal.mahmood@adelaide.edu.au
Location: Level 8, Hughes Building

Learning and Teaching Team
Phone: +61 8313 2128
Email: undergrad_enq@adelaide.edu.au
Location: Level 7, 178 North Terrace

1	Define the major contemporary international public health and health system issues, particularly those affecting people in developing countries
2	Discuss factors that contribute to poor health internationally
3	Describe salient features of some of the health care systems across the world, and discuss factors that influence the quality of care, and access and equity
4	Discuss the facilitating and inhibiting factors for implementation of public health programs internationally
5	Analyse the factors influencing quality of care, particularly within the context of developing countries’ health system; and present findings based on case study discussions
6	Critique developmental, public health and health systems related actions that are being taken to address that issue.

An electronic copy of the International Health Course Handbook is provided to all students at the start of the course. A pdf version is made available on MyUni before the course starts. The Handbook lists the journal articles and other resources for each topic. The URL to these readings are provided with the list (Course Readings are appended at the end of this profile).

The following books provide useful readings on various important health issues affecting populations in developed and developing countries, and describe the health systems and their components in necessary detail.

Merson MH, Black RE, Mills AJ (eds.) 2006. International Public Health: Disease, Programs, Systems, & Policies. 2nd Edition. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Sabudy, Massachusetts.

Jamison DT, Breman JG, Measham AR, Alleyne G , Claeson M , Evans DB, Jha P, Mills A, Philip Musgrove (eds.) 2006. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries (2nd Edition). Oxford University Press, New York (available at: http://www.dcp2.org/pubs/DCP ).

Assignments and end of examination related information is available on MyUni. The students are encouraged to use MyUni discussion board. The links to online resources including relevant videos on YouTube are provided as part of the reading list within the Course Handbook.

The course lectures provide factual information, introduce public health concepts and provide an opportunity to the class for discussing the concepts in an interactive lecture setting. Lectures are supported by interactive tutorials designed to develop and clarify topics covered in lectures. Case Studies and associated presentation provide opportunities to use a problem-oriented approach to identify and discuss (first in small group and then with the whole class) the key concepts. Assignments provide an opportunity to undertake in depth analysis of some key concepts of the course.

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements. International Health course is a three full days and four half days intensive course. It is estimated that about 140 hours of study are required to fully comprehend the concepts introduced through lectures and case studies, and to complete the assignment and prepare for the end of semester examination. Lectures, tutorial, project work 32 hrs, pre-course readings for lectures 10 hours, preparation for tutorials 8 hrs, readings during the one week intensive 15 hours, presentation 6 hr, summation tests 4 hours, essay 60 hours.

This course is a one week intensive covering the following topics:

FORMAT	TOPIC
Lecture	Introduction to the course, objectives, assignments
Lecture	International health context current issues
Lecture	Current international health issues
Tutorial	Tutorial / Case Study
Lecture	Health System of the World - Organisation
Tutorial & Case Studies	Health System of the World - Organisation Case Studies
Lecture	Global Communicable Disease Burden
Lecture	Communicable Disaeases: Determinants
Tutorial	Communicable disease determinants
Lecture	Communicable disease prevention
Lecture	Non-Communicable disease burden
Case Studies	Organisation, Access, Equity, Quality
Lecture	Non-communicable disease determinant
Lecture	Cultural Context of Health & Health Care
Tutorial	Health Promotion / Case Studies
Lecture	Health System of the World - Acces & Equity
Seminar	Rural/Aboriginal Health Services
Case Studies	Organisation, Access, Equity, Quality
Lecture	Health systems of the world: Quality
Lecture	Health systems of the world: Finance
Tutorial	Health systems of the world
Lecture & Discussion	Maternal Health: Scope, Significance, Factors Influencing mother's helath, Programs
Case Study	Organisation, Access, Equity, Quality
Lecture	Health Care in Urban and Rural Areas
Lecture	Role of UN, NGOs and CBOs
Presentation	Students' Presentations

Assessment Task	Assessment Type	Weighting	Learning Outcome(s) being addressed
Participation	Summative	10%	2, 3, 5
Case studies & Presentation	Summative	10%	2, 3, 5
Assignment 2 Quiz	Summative	15%	2-6
Assignment 3 Quiz	Summative	15%	2-6
Essay (description)	Summative	20%	1-6
Essay (critique)	Summative	30%	1-6

Assignment 1. (Participation and Presentation) The participation in lectures, tutorials, case study discussions carries 10% marks (each individual student). Presentation carries 10% marks. Students are required to review and discuss, in small groups, the case studies that are provided. They are then required to present (in small groups) the salient features of the health systems with particular reference to access to primary care and preventative and health promotion services/inputs. Each small group of students will present for about 15 minutes. The presentation will highlight the dimensions of the health issue, and health system and public health program concerns as presented in the case studies. The presentation could be made using flip charts or electronically. In total, participation and presentation carries 20% marks (which include the marks for active participation [10%] in all tutorials and case studies discussions, correct insights into the extent and dimensions of the problem, relevance to the academic objectives of the case-study, and clarity.


Assignment 2 & 3 (Quiz) Students will be required to complete online quiz (multiple choice, and short one paragraph answers). The questions will test knowledge about the principles and concepts of international health, including the principles of prevention and health promotion within the national/international development and health system context, epidemic control, factors affecting access to case, sustainability and health financing. Each of the two quizzes includes short answer questions, and carries 15% marks.
Due Date Assignment 2: 14 July
Due Date Assignment 3: 14 July

Assignment 4. (Essay): Write a 3000 word essay describing the situation in one country with regard to a significant health issue affecting a large number of people in that country. The students are required to critique developmental, public health and health systems related actions that are being taken to address that issue. The critique should be based on relevant international literature and should include discussion about the determinants, relevant social, cultural and health system factors, approaches and measures to manage the issue, and strengths and weaknesses of the measures to manage that issue. The students should structure their essay with headings and sub-headings such as background, context and extent of the problem in your chosen country, recommended strategies to address that issue, actions taken, and strengths, barriers and weaknesses. The assignment 4 has two sections: (1) Description, of about 1000 words, of the situation with regard to the public health issue and the health system in the chosen country/community. This description should highlight, briefly the extent and dimensions of the issue, important determinants, and the relevant health system and/or public health program. This section carries 20% marks. This section should reflect students’ understanding about the health systems and public health organisational concepts; and (2) Critique, of about 2000 words, as mentioned above. The critique carries 30% marks.
Due Date: 22 August

Statement of Acknowledgement of Original Work
By submitting any assignment in this course you are agreeing to the following:

I declare that all material in this assessment is my own work except where there is clear acknowledgement and reference to the work of others. I have read the Academic Honesty and Assessment Obligations for Coursework Students Policy http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/230/.

I give permission for my assessment work to be reproduced and submitted to other academic staff for the purposes of assessment and to be copied, submitted and retained in a form suitable for electronic checking of plagiarism.

You should be aware that your assessment work may be submitted for electronic checking of plagiarism.

Electronic Submission of Assignments
All students must submit the assignment 4 electronically, unless otherwise specified by the module coordinator.
In addition, students are expected to check each assignment in this course for plagiarism before submitting it for assessment.
You should ensure that you keep a copy of each assignment just in case it gets lost within the system.
No assignment will be accepted by mail or fax without prior written agreement from the relevant module coordinator.
Marked assignments will be returned to students within 4 weeks of completion of the task so that students can take advantage of the feedback.
Marked assignments will be returned to students within 4 weeks of completion of the task so that students can take advantage of the feedback
Written feedback will be provided on the marked assignments. Assignments can be collected from the Discipline of Public Health front office on the return date
It is not possible to resubmit, redeem or substitute work once assignments have been submitted.