Leader: Dr B Rumbold

Offered

Alfred Hospital Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

Social, political and scientific role of public health in the modern health care system. Topics include the origins of the public health movement; the changing focus of the public health movement in the last two centuries; the role of public health in the Australian health care system in the present time; the stance of public health with respect to social inequalities in health, scientific and technological change; economic forces and issues of professionalisation; the relationship with other health-related disciplines including preventive as opposed to curative health care.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. describe the historical and social context of public health in Australia;
2. describe the structure and organisation of Australian society;
3. describe the health care system in Australia.

Assessment

Critical appraisal exercises
Essay

Contact hours

2 contact hours per week