Undergraduate - UnitHSC3041 - Disease prevention and control

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Synopsis

This unit focuses on prevention and control of communicable diseases. Topics include principles of infection, outbreaks, public health control measures, and current issues in disease prevention and control.
Public health control measures discussed may include surveillance, modelling, immunisation, antimicrobial therapies, infection control, vector control, screening and risk factor management.
These topics are illustrated using relevant examples of communicable diseases such as vaccine-preventable diseases (e.g. influenza); vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria), food-borne diseases (e.g., salmonella) and sexually transmitted infections (e.g., HIV). Epidemiological, social, and political perspectives are considered.

Outcomes

1. Identify the distinguishing epidemiological features of infectious diseases
2. Explain how communicable infections are spread
3. Interpret epidemiological data on disease surveillance and disease outbreaks
4. Apply principles of communicable disease prevention to a range of scenarios, and identify which public health prevention and control strategies are appropriate for different diseases
5. Design and evaluate disease surveillance and control programs
6. Appreciate the role of social and political factors in disease prevention and control

Assessment

Written assignment 35%
Group presentation 15%
Tutorial exercises 15%
Final exam 35%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Kathlyn Ronaldson

Contact hours

3 contact hours per week plus 9 hours per week private study

Prerequisites

HSC2141