Communicable Disease Control and Health Protection

Code

EPID4003

School

School of Medicine

Level

4

Credits

10

Semesters

Spring UK

Summary

•  Describe the organisation of communicable disease control and health protection in the UK and globally
•  The course focuses on aspects of communicable disease control and health protection including the dangers to health from infections, chemicals and radiation hazards
•  Taught topics and guided reading cover surveillance, principles of outbreak management of communicable (infectious) diseases (e.g. investigation and methods of control), immunisation, vaccination, a range of communicable (infectious) diseases (e.g. respiratory, gastrointestinal, blood-borne, sexually transmitted, vaccine-preventable, healthcare associated), theory of chemical hazards and radiation hazards and their impact on human health, and principles of chemical and radiation incident management (e.g. investigation and methods of control)
•  The course problem-based scenarios which involve dealing with a range of commonly encountered communicable (infectious) disease outbreaks (e.g. vaccine-preventable, gastrointestinal, respiratory) and chemical incidents
 

Target Students

Primarily postgraduate students on the Master of Public Health, Master of Public Health (Global Health) and Master of Public Health (Research Methods). Places will be available to new staff and PhD students in School of Medicine who require training as part of their research role.

Classes

• One 2-hour lecture each week for 12 weeks

Lectures and case study sessions are included in this course. The case study sessions are each based on a problem based scenario which involves dealing with either a commonly encountered communicable (infectious) disease outbreak or chemical incident.

Assessment

• 100% Coursework 1: Coursework (2,500 words)

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding. Students must be able to demonstrate:

• knowledge and understanding of some communicable and relevant non-communicable diseases arising from exposure to infections, chemicals and radiation and their impact on public health

• knowledge of the conceptual frameworks, values and principles embedded within understanding and controlling outbreaks and incidents

Intellectual skills. On successful completion of the course all students will have:

• a rigorous and systematic approach to acquiring knowledge involving the ability to identify, locate and retrieve relevant material in paper or electronic format

• a comprehensive understanding of, and ability to synthesise, knowledge acquired across the field of study, and to demonstrate critical awareness of knowledge and insights gained within the context of health protection issues being complex problems in public health practice

• originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how a range of research methods and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge about health protection

• a comprehensive conceptual understanding of techniques applicable to published research in health protection

• the ability to use current research, theories and concepts about health protection in advanced scholarship.

Professional practical skills. On successful completion of the course all students will be able to:

• synthesise the material, identifying key points for evidence-based actions

• make informed critical judgements about the merits of evidence and arguments, generating original efficient and effective solutions or making reasoned choices about presented solutions, as appropriate

• interpret the meaning or original research, evaluations or audit, leading to realistic recommendations for practice

• understand and employ terminology from health protection activities

• work in multidisciplinary settings and in multidisciplinary teams relevant to public health practice

• work independently and to deadlines

• use word processing and other computer packages and the Internet

Transferable (key) skills. On successful completion the course will have contributed towards students being able to:

• exercise initiative, integrity and personal responsibility in conducting their professional role within a multi-disciplinary environment

• systematically search for and amass relevant information relevant to assessing and addressing public health issues

• systematically evaluate written or numeric information drawing justified conclusions from the evidence to enhance evidence-based practice

• make decisions individually and within a group to address complex issues. 

Conveners

• Professor Joanne Morling
• Professor Emma Wilson