PHH4102 - Contemporary and global public health issues - 2019

This unit aims for students to develop critical and analytic skills as applied to contemporary global public health and health science research. It provides students with advanced knowledge in specific areas of public health and health science from a global context. Seminars will focus on topics such as current public health thinking and practice and global dimensions of local health, as well as on skills in evidence appraisal and systematic searching. Students will be active learners through the presentation of two seminars to the class during the semester, and will lead the discussion that follows. Students will provide a written review of a topic that is related to their specific research project that demonstrates advanced theoretical understanding of the issues and research relating to that topic.

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Discuss contemporary global public health issues.
2. Analyse the relationship of health policy matters to public health.
3. Develop a systematic search strategy on a specific topic based on a research question, encompassing the development of inclusion-exclusion criteria, a search strategy and table summaries of selected studies.
4. Critically review the scientific literature relative to a defined research question.
5. Prepare a report on a public health issue using critical analysis.
6. Mobilise quantitative and qualitative research skills to analyse public health issues.

• Assignment (20%)
• Class presentation (20%)
• Report on a contemporary public health issue (60%)

Seminar and/or online learning activity (3 hours).

See also Unit timetable information

• Self-directed learning activity (3 hours)
• Preparation of research report (1 hour)
• Unit assessment / assignment / presentation / report (4 hours).

Public health - South Africa