| Semester 2, 2023 Ipswich On-campus | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Health and Medical Sciences |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Overview
Public health practitioners require critical thinking skills to foster decision making and ensure that an evidence-based approach is applied. This course aims to integrate theory, research and practice in order to translate classroom-based knowledge to understanding and applying evidence which aims to improve public health programs and outcomes. Using a case-based approach with real world scenarios, this course will provide students with the knowledge related to critically appraising programs, including designing a research / assessment plan. The course content and outcomes are informed by the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions of Australia (CAPHIA). Please note, that while CAPHIA does not provide accreditation for courses, they represent universities that offer public health programs and aims to promote high academic standards in public health education and practice.
The course is the last of the four integrated courses. It builds upon the integrated approach to public health presented in previous The focus of this course is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to critically evaluate public health programs, using an evidence-based approach. Upon completion of this course, students should have identified the topic and drafted a research proposal for their research to be conducted as part of the Master of Public Health degree.
This course contains four (4) workshops.
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- Interpret mixed method research findings relevant to a population鈥檚 health including those generated through qualitative methods.
- Evaluate a population-based disease prevention / control strategy.
- Analyse and discuss key elements of evidence-based approaches to environmental risk management and hazard control.
- Discuss key standards and apply appropriate assessment tools and methods to determine factors that affect health in a given community or population, using this information to design and evaluate evidence-based health promotion initiatives.
- Analyse and prioritise health problems for specific populations using an evidence-based approach.
- Evaluate an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health promotion program in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and health services.
- Evaluate a population health program / project outcomes relative to performance standards, objectives and negotiated specifications.
- Plan an independent research project focussed on a public health-related topic.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Critically appraising public health initiatives | 10.00 |
| 2. | Evidence-based approach to public health | 10.00 |
| 3. | Reviewing literature | 10.00 |
| 4. | Research methods and evaluation | 10.00 |
| 5. | Determinants of health | 10.00 |
| 6. | Research proposal | 50.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation (ind, grp, mltmd) | No | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |
| Literature review | No | 35 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Research (project) | No | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |
| Online forums | No | 15 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |