TM5554:03
Philosophy and Practice of Public Health
Townsville
40 hours flexible delivery. Second semester.
Staff: Dr A Hauquitz.
The development of the discipline of public health and its critical requirements will be discussed. The provision of public health services in Australia and other selected countries as well as the ethics of public health will be covered. Methodologies used by a variety of fields that contribute to the discipline will be examined including economics, environmental science, epidemiology, health promotion, information systems, management science, medical science, public policy and sociology. Current interventions against the major infectious and chronic diseases causing public health problems will be illustrated. The needs of special populations will be used to synthesise the subject’s coverage.
Learning Objectives:
- understand the philosophy, history and underlying forces that condition the discipline;
- appreciate the variety of influences on public health;
- understand how countries coordinate policies and strategies given legal and ethical frameworks;
- appreciate the wide array of methodologies basic to public health;
- ability to apply the tools of public health to current health problems with a particular focus on populations with special needs.
Assessment by quizzes (30%); examination (30%); assignment (40%).