James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2000

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TM1301:03

Indigenous Health Policy and Introductory Epidemiology

Townsville

42 lectures, 12 hours workshops, 4 hours other. Flexible delivery. Intensive block mode at a time to be determined.

Available to students enrolled in the Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Indigenous Health. This subject may be credited towards a Diploma in Public Health and Tropical Medicine, but not the Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Staff: Assoc. Professor J Elston, Dr A Hauquitz.

This subject reviews indigenous and non-indigenous health policy in Australia and introduces the basic principles of epidemiology in an applied manner. The subject develops two areas of knowledge, the first is Indigenous health policy and includes the following topics: antecedents to health policy, Indigenous health policy development, national health priority areas, community stakeholders and health policy, State Health Department Indigenous health policies and health finance including international comparisons. The second area of knowledge covered includes the basic principles of biostatistics and descriptive epidemiology. These topics are covered in an applied fashion with an emphasis towards improving students’ abilities to analyse and interpret health service reports. Work related reports and activities will be used to give the material a practical focus. Students will be required to attend block mode study consisting of lectures, seminars and workshops, unless enrolled as an external student.

Learning Objectives:

  1. develop an understanding of the specific cultural context in which health care systems evolve;
  2. establish an awareness of the relationship of Indigenous, national and state health policies;
  3. understand the overall level of Australia’s health expenditure, the level of public and private expenditure and how Australia compares with other OECD countries;
  4. develop an understanding of the national health priority areas and the strategies developed to address the National Goals and Targets;
  5. demonstrate an understanding of the role of community stakeholders in the development and implementation of health policy;
  6. develop an understanding of the basic definitions and concepts of biostatistics and epidemiology;
  7. demonstrate an ability to apply biostatistical and epidemiological concepts in the preparation, analysis and interpretation of health service reports.

Assessment by: Indigenous Health Policy — daily journal (15%), examination (30%); Introduction to Epidemiology — daily exercises (15%), project (20%), assignment (20%).

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