Frontiers of Global Health
| Module title | Frontiers of Global Health |
|---|---|
| Module code | CSC4013M |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor William Gaze (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
A global perspective on health and medical provision is becoming increasingly important when considered in the context of population dynamics such as traveling, immigration and increasing urbanisation (and possible links to new or known diseases (re-)emerging). In the future there will be health and wellbeing challenges that will be trans-national and different from current challenges. Many of these issues concern infectious diseases that can spread rapidly at the international level, and/or are related to zoonoses (diseases that can be passed from animals to humans), while many chronic diseases are increasing in the developing world with increased life expectancy and urbanisation.
We will examine emerging issues in this field using specific examples from a range of nations in the context of international efforts to improve world health as measured by life expectancy, quality of life and childhood mortality. The international healthcare workforce, its effectiveness and sustainability will be studied along with the changing lifestyle, outbreaks and disease control.
This is an optional module suitable for all Medical Sciences / Biological Science / Environmental Science / Human Sciences students and has no pre-requisites.
Module aims - intentions of the module
In this module you will look at case studies relating to global trends in the distribution of infectious diseases, including person-to-person contact, emergence from wildlife reservoirs and zoonoses originating in livestock. This will include aspects of ecology, virology, pathogenesis, bacterial genetics; antibiotic resistance and chronic disorders. In addition, you will study urbanisation and economic development that have led to an increase in non-communicable disease such as obesity and type 2 diabetes; these will be the subject of case studies. The role of the WHO, UNICEF and other international bodies in Global Health will also be examined alongside developments in the pharmaceutical industry.
Issues that are of global origin or are exacerbated by international movements of people and food will become increasingly commonplace in the UK. Already medical science in the UK is confronted by infectious agents that have evolved abroad under unfamiliar conditions. This module will give insights into globally important trends in health and wellbeing, which will be valuable to anyone intending to follow a career in a medical science related area and would also benefit individuals with an interest in working in roles facing global challenges that are becoming the major issues of our time
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Critically evaluate the drivers of emerging infectious diseases in developed and developing countries
- 2. Through an understanding of the key determinants of population health, hypothesise where health inequalities are most severe and what can be done to alleviate them
- 3. Show detailed understanding of current trans-national efforts to manage emerging infectious diseases on a global scale though analysis and reporting
- 4. Evaluate global drivers of chronic and non-communicable diseases
- 5. Discriminate between national and international health challenges
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Evaluate complex socio-economic, ecological and biological data in an integrated manner.
- 7. Demonstrate the linkage between the increasing incidence of diseases resulting from global urbanisation.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the importance of risk assessment.
- 9. Consider problems in a holistic way, noting of the drivers of health and wellbeing
- 10. Critically engage with research evidence drawn from sources such as books, journals, and the internet.
Syllabus plan
This module will cover study of zoonoses and infectious diseases, emerging global health and wellbeing challenges, chronic and non-infectious disorders, urbanisation, people and food movements, pharmaceutical and biotech industries and also include dry and wet laboratory sessions. Lab sessions will include work on antimicrobial resistant bacteria isolated from polluted natural environments
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | 129 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled teaching / learning sessions | 11 | Lectures |
| Scheduled teaching / learning sessions | 4 | Field Trip |
| Scheduled teaching / learning sessions | 5 | Laboratory practical session |
| Guided independent study | 129 | Preparation for data analysis session exam revision and practical. Background reading. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 1 | Module induction and feedback |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical report on field trip outcomes and data analysis of antimicrobial resistance exposure risk assessment | 500 word | 1, 5, 8 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 70 | 30 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination including essay, short answer question | 70 | 2 hours | 1-10 | Written |
| Individual poster production and presentation | 30 | 10min including Q&A | 1-5, 8 | Written and oral |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination including essay, short answer question (70%) | Examination including essay, short answer question (2 hours) | 1-10 | Ref/Def |
| Individual poster production and presentation (30%) | Individual poster production and presentation (10 min including Q&A) | 1-5, 8 | Ref/Def |
Re-assessment notes
DEFERRAL: Students who are granted a deferral by the Board of Examiners, as recommended by the UEMS Mitigation Committee, will be permitted to sit any missed piece of assessment or its equivalent (see ref/def table, above) in the referral/deferral period as an uncapped first attempt.
REFERRAL: Students who fail the module overall, either by failing a piece of assessment that is a pass requirement or by achieving an overall module mark of less than 40%, will be permitted a second attempt at the assessment or its equivalent (see ref/def table, above) in the referral/deferral period as a capped (40%) second and final attempt
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Oxford Textbook of Zoonoses. Biology, Clinical Practice, and Public Health Control. Second Edition: S.R. Palmer, Lord Soulsby, Paul Torgerson, and David W. G. Brown.
Global Change and Health by Kelley Lee and Jeff Collin
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE
Web based and electronic resources will be available
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
An up to date reading list of journal articles will be provided
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 22/09/2014 |
| Last revision date | 25/01/2019 |