module specification

This online module explores one of the major domains of Public Health, that of Health Protection. This module will introduce students to Health Protection, and the principles and practice of this domain of Public Health. This module will have both an international and UK focus, and will give students an understanding of communicable diseases and how they are controlled, environmental public health, and emergency, preparedness, resilience and response. This module will also look at emerging health protection issues, as-well-as giving students an understanding of health protection tools.

This module aims to: -
• Provide a broad understanding of Health Protection
• Allow students to develop competency in applying basic terminology, definitions, and principles of key health protection issues
• Identify and critique infectious disease protection and control measures
• Develop knowledge, understanding, and application of the principles of Health Protection through the use of case study examples

This module covers the following areas: -

• • The basics of health protection, including what it is, who is involved and an introduction to infection microbiology LO1
• The epidemiology and control of selected communicable diseases LO1, LO2, LO3
• The immediate and long-term impacts of selected disaster situations and measures to mitigate and overcome these situations LO3, LO4
• Environmental public health LO3, LO4
• Selected health protection tools. LO5

Students will engage with weekly online lectures, readings, quizzes and discussion group tasks. The module focuses on the application of concepts, methods and principles to practice-related contexts, integrating learning into real world scenarios. This approach to teaching aims to develop students’ ability to think critically about data and evidence, and to draw appropriate inferences in accordance with the stated learning outcomes.

The above teaching methods will be complemented by students’ independent study on the module. Students will be required to read, on a weekly basis, recommended chapters in the core textbooks, or to access other relevant educational material. The module will be using the virtual learning environment WebLearn; guidance will be given during the module about how to best use this.

On completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of the key concepts, principles and practice of Health Protection
2. Discuss the societal and structural determinants of communicable diseases
3. Evaluate prevention and control measures of communicable diseases and environmental hazards
4. Apply approaches to emergency preparedness, resilience, and response to different scenarios, making sound judgments and communicating decisions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
5. Critically assess the use of health protection tools in different scenarios

Completion of the online tasks, set over 10 weeks, accounts for 10% of the module mark (1% per week). There are two additional scheduled summative assignments on this module. The module is passed on the aggregate score of the three assignments.

The first assignment is an online test worth 30% of the overall module mark.  The test, which lasts for 1 hour, consist of multiple choice and/or short answer questions to test students’ knowledge of health protection principles and practice.

The second assignment is to development website content, an information booklet, or a policy briefing document (3000 words in total) in relation to a health protection scenario. Students can decide on which of these approaches that they would like to take and the audience for their website or information booklet (the policy briefing document, if selected, should be written for national or local policy decision makers in a country of the students choosing). Students can choose from a communicable disease scenario, an emergency response scenario, or an environmental public health scenario. Students are expected to describe the public health problem and health protection issue, the immediate and long-term impacts on health with selection, evaluation, and application of relevant health protection tools. (online - 1 hour)

Core
Ghebrehewet, S., Stewart, A.G., Baxter, D., Shears, P., Conrad, D., Kliner, M. (2016). Health protection: principles and practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Hawker, J., Begg, N., Blair, I., Reintjes, R., Weinberg, J., Ekdahl, K. (2012). Communicable disease control and health protection handbook. (3rd edition). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

Online resources:
http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/pht/comdisease/en/
https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/home
https://www.gov.uk/topic/health-protection
https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/health-protection
https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/category/hp/
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/health-protection