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
Department of Occupational Therapy
Chief examiner(s)
Coordinator(s)
Unit guides
Prerequisites
HSC1081, IPE1011 or equivalent units.
Co-requisites
Must be enrolled in an Undergraduate Degree
Synopsis
This unit examines the key theory, frameworks and practical approaches used in contemporary health promotion to address health inequalities, prevent illness and injury, and promote health and wellbeing. Students examine a range of health promotion strategies, their strengths, limitations, evidence-base and application in clinical care and community settings for occupational therapy. Through a focus on empowerment, participation and capacity-building, students develop skills for working with individuals, community networks, new technologies and the mass media to facilitate health promotion action. This unit covers planning and evaluation of health information and behavioural interventions, health education for empowerment, community engagement, social marketing, professional communication and advocacy for healthy public policy. Students critically analyse the challenges and opportunities for integrating health promotion into occupational therapy practice.
Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- Describe the values, principles and charters that guide health promotion practice, and discuss examples of their application in Australia and international contexts.
- Critically analyse the challenges and opportunities for integrating health promotion into contemporary practice in occupational therapy and related professions.
- Analyse and evaluate a range of health promotion strategies (health information, social marketing, education for empowerment, advocacy and activism), including their theory, evidence-base, strengths and limitations, for the purpose of applying them to a selected health issue.
- Develop an integrated, multi-strategy health promotion program focused on a selected issue, population group, and setting.
- Apply community engagement, capacity-building and participatory approaches to community profiling, planning and evaluation in order to improve the quality and sustainability of health promotion.
- Develop communication materials, utilising digital technologies, that demonstrate capacity for working with a range of media and communities to influence decision-makers and healthy public policy.
Assessment
Assessment Handbook entry:
- Essay (2400) words (40%)
- Group presentation (5 minutes per student) (10%)
- Group report (3,000 words per student) (50%) (hurdle)
Workload requirements
12 hours per week including contact time (1 hour lecture, 2 hour tutorial), fieldwork and self-directed learning.
See also Unit timetable information