HSC2300 - Health promotion and disease prevention - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Coordinator(s)

A

Prof Ben Smith

Ms Kelly Allen

Unit guides

Offered

Caulfield

  • First semester 2017 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit introduces students to the contemporary frameworks and strategies that are used to prevent disease and promote health at the population level. Students will examine methods for primary, secondary and tertiary prevention undertaken through health agencies, and develop an understanding of the role of different health professions in this work. Disease prevention methods investigated will include behavioural education and counselling, vaccination and pharmacological interventions, health screening, chronic disease self-management, and rehabilitation in health care and community settings. Health promotion will be introduced as an approach that uses multiple strategies to empower individuals and communities and create supportive environments for health. The health promotion actions examined will include policy development, community mobilisation, health education and social marketing. The role that partnerships and capacity building play in sustaining action and health outcomes will be investigated. Learning will be facilitated with case examples and consideration will be given to how the methods examined can be applied to current public health priorities.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will:

  1. Identify frameworks and ethical principles that guide disease prevention and health promotion.
  2. Contrast primary, secondary and tertiary prevention methods and discuss examples of their applications.
  3. Discuss models of chronic disease self-management and behaviour change and discuss examples of their application.
  4. Identify guidelines and methods used in health screening, vaccination and clinical preventive services.
  5. Distinguish the role of policy, community mobilisation, social marketing and education in health promotion.
  6. Describe the role that partnerships and capacity building play in strengthening disease prevention and health promotion initiatives.

Assessment

  • In-class test (MCQs and short answers) (10%)
  • Literature review (1,800 words) (30%)
  • Oral group presentation (20 minutes) (20%)
  • Examination (2 hours) (40%) Hurdle

Hurdle:

80% attendance at tutorials and participation in online tasks.

Workload requirements

3 hour workshop, 3 hours of directed online student learning activities, plus 6 hours of self-directed study per week

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Prerequisites

One of the following: HSC1081, PHH1081, HSC1200.

Prohibitions

HSC1072, HSC2101, PHH2101.