PUB HLTH 7028 - Infectious disease epidemiology prevention and control

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2023

This course provides an introduction to core concepts and principles in infectious disease prevention and control. Students will gain skills in epidemiology, study design and understand the burden of infectious diseases. Students will be introduced to epidemiological methods to understand infectious disease surveillance data, disease transmission, and outbreak investigation, with a demonstrated understanding of the approaches for disease control of emerging infectious diseases. The framework underpinning this course is the understanding and application of the interactions within and between the agent, host and environment. This course provides options to participate online for students unable to attend in person.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PUB HLTH 7028
    Course Infectious disease epidemiology prevention and control
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Semester 1
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours; This course provides options to participate online for students unable to attend in person.
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Adriana Milazzo

    Course Coordinator: Dr Adriana Milazzo

    Phone: +61 8 8313 0199
    Email: adriana.milazzo@adelaide.edu.au
    Course Timetable

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

     
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Analyse the public health impact of existing, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases within Australia and globally;
    2. Demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between agent, host and environment and the factors impacting the ability to control infectious diseases;
    3. Demonstrate knowledge of methods and principles of infectious disease surveillance and capacity to evaluate surveillance
    systems;
    4. Apply epidemiological principles and methods to the investigation, management and control of infectious diseases;
    5. Interpret, analyse and synthesise infectious disease data using epidemiological methods.




    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)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1-5

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    4-5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    4

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    5

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    N/A

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    3, 4

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    N/A
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    On-line textbook: Sonja A. Rasmussen and Richard A. Goodman (Editors),The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual, 2018.
    Recommended Resources
    All resources, including links to journal articles and reading lists, will be disseminated via MyUni.
    Online Learning
    On-line learning
    Students who are unable to attend in person may enrol on-line with the expectation that students participate in the weekly 3 hour workshops on-line - Zoom or mixed cohort learning will be available for this.

    Computers
    General information about University computer laboratories is available at
    https://www.adelaide.edu.au/technology/your-tools/academic/student-computer-suite 

    MyUni
    As an enrolled student, you will have access to the University’s on-line teaching facilities. This is an implementation of the Canvas system called MyUni. MyUni is accessible from the University of Adelaide’s home-page: www.adelaide.edu.au

    You will need your student login name and a password.

    If you do not have access, then either you are not enrolled or the administrators of MyUni do not know of your enrolment. Please call Ask Adelaide on 8313 5208 (University extension 35208) or the IT help desk on 8313 3000 (University extension 33000) for assistance with MyUni difficulties. 

    Course materials will be placed on MyUni. Note also that Announcements about a course are often made on the relevant page of the MyUni site for the course. For example, notifications of a change in lecture venue, updates on availability of course material etc. will be made on the MyUni site.

    Email
    We assume that students access  e-mail and that their address is the University of Adelaide student address that was assigned on  enrolment. This is of the form: firstname.lastname@student.adelaide.edu.au A notice to a student by e-mail is considered to have been received and read by the student unless there is a transmission error and the postmaster bounces the message back to us. As discussed above, the Announcements page of the MyUni site for this course will also display relevant notices from time to time, so it is essential that students check their student e-mail and to log on to MyUni
    regularly.

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course will introduce students to the concepts and principles of infectious diseases within a population health framework. The core material including lecture and workshop activities is delievered in a 3-hour weekly workshop aimed at collaborative and experiential learning in order to develop students’ capacity to synthesise relevant information and ideas. The workshops will include presentations from guest speakers.
    Workload

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


    In general, we recommend that students spend 3 hours of independent study for every contact hour. This includes reading the set text, wider reading, preparing answers to workshop questions, and making progress with assignments. 

    Learning Activities Summary
    Topics include:

    Infectious disease transmisison and characteristics
    Epidemiological triad
    Social determinants
    Surveillance
    Infectious disease modelling
    Outbreaks
    Study design
    Control measures
    Emerging issues
    Health communicaton
    Specific Course Requirements
    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

    Course learning outcomes being addressed

    Quizzes Summative 15% 1-5
    Participation Summative 10% 1-5
    Surveillance system Summative 20% 3-5
    Feedback from coordinator prior to receiving next clue to ensure groups are correctly following steps in the investigation Formative 0% 1-5
    Outbreak investigation - Group assignment Summative 20% 1-5
    Health report Summative 35% 1-5
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Students are expected to actively participate in workshops.

    Assessment Detail
    On-line quizzes (15%): Quizzes will aid students in monitoring their understanding of key concepts and principles for the topic areas.

    Participation (10%): Participation with peers in workshops and on-line activities.

    Outbreak investigation group assignment (20%): Students will participate in an infectious disease outbreak investigation and will contribute to a range of activities including hypothesis generating questions, and analysis of data. Students will be provided with important information and clues in order to solve the outbreak – students will receive real time feedback from the course coordinator prior to receiving next clue to ensure that they are correctly following the steps in the investigation – this is formative assessment.

    Surveillance system (20%): Describe the surveillance system of a notifiable disease (1000 words).

    Health report (35%): Prepare a report – the task is to reconsider existing control measures or strategies for an emerging disease (1,800 -2,000 words).
    Submission
    The quizzes will be completed online via MyUni. Assignments will be submitted and marked on-line through MyUni. The outbreak investigation will be conducted on-line but in the face to face workshop with scaffolding of clues from the course coordinator.
    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.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.