TM5562 - Reproductive Health in Developing Countries

Credit points:	03
Year:	2007
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	Discipline of Public Health & Tropical Medicine

The health of women and neonates in developing countries remains a neglected area, and in this time of a booming humanitarian aid industry more and more health professionals from developed countries are travelling to developing countries to work. This subject aims to teach methods and skills that are appropriate and evidence based, in the areas of sexual health, health of pregnant, labouring, delivering and postnatal women, and the health of neonates. It also aims to introduce the students to some of the challenging situations they may face in the field such as illegal/induced abortion, female genital mutilation and sexual violence, and provide theoretical and practical information to assist them in the field. The subject is targeted at health professionals either working in the field or seeking to work in the field of reproductive health in developing countries.

Learning Outcomes

• discuss the cultural and contextual aspects of planning, implementation, managing and evaluation of reproductive health programs in developing countries;
• describe the use of epidemiological evidence and the current evidence based approach to planning, implementation, managing and evaluation of sexual health, antenatal, labour and delivery, postnatal and neonatal care in resource poor settings;
• demonstrate on models, skills recognised as useful to those health professionals working in the area of reproductive health in developing countries;
• discuss the determinants of women's health specific to developing countries which will impact on morbidity and mortality for those women, such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Vesico-Vaginal Fistulae (VVF);
• describe methods of knowledge transfer appropriate to the context of developing countries, including training, sources of information and training materials.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The ability to deploy critically evaluated information to practical ends;
• The ability to find and access information using appropriate media and technologies;
• The ability to evaluate that information;
• An understanding of the economic, legal, ethical, social and cultural issues involved in the use of information;
• The ability to select and organise information and to communicate it accurately, cogently, coherently, creatively and ethically;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to read complex and demanding texts accurately, critically and insightfully;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to work with people of different gender, age, ethnicity, culture, religion and political persuasion;
• The ability to work individually and independently;
• The ability to select and use appropriate tools and technologies;
• The ability to use online technologies effectively and ethically.

Availabilities
Townsville, Block, Study Period 7
Census Date 20-Jul-2007
Face to face teaching 09-Jul-2007 to 20-Jul-2007
Coordinator:	Ms Jane Connell, Professor Richard Speare
Lecturers:	Ms Jane Connell, Professor Richard Speare.
Contact hours:	60 hours lectures 8 hours practicals
Assessment:	end of semester exam (30%); group work and presentation (30%); assignments (30%); on-line quiz to be completed before the block (10%).
Restrictions:	An enrolment quota applies to this offering.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.