Foundation Of Public Health

This unit exists as a general introduction to public health. Fundamental to public health is the understanding of the various concepts of health that exist, together with the models and approaches and principles of public health/health promotion. In this unit, students explore how health is viewed, what concepts this is based on and what philosophies are supported; they are encouraged to view this from their own perspective and from published evidence/literature. Students will also start to explore the role of ethics and ethical practice in public health.

The aims of this unit are to:

• Develop knowledge and understanding of key concepts of public health, principles, and policies of public health that shape the way in which public health issues might be addressed.
• Consider the domains of public health (improving health, protecting health, and improving services) in practice.
• Understand key strategies (tackling inequalities, participation, partnership, and empowerment) and priorities (social determinants of health, lifestyles, and behaviours) for public health and health promotion

Study Skills For Public Health

Constructive oral and written communication, and the effective and ethical management and presentation of knowledge and information, are essential for both academic work at degree level and professional public health practice. This unit will enable students to develop their understanding of the skills and conventions of academic study in higher education and within their discipline, and recognise their transferability to and relevance for work with service users and professional colleagues. Students will be encouraged to identify their own academic strengths, areas for development, and strategies to support their academic growth.

By the end of the unit, students will have gained an understanding of key academic skills such as assessment planning, how to effectively use BREO, searching for and sourcing academic material, learning to reference, and how to construct essays, presentations, and consideration of the differences between academic work and professional report writing.

Introduction To Community Health Assessment

Public health professionals or practitioners in the real world need to be able to assess the health needs of a population, plan a program of appropriate interventions, and monitor and evaluate such programs. This unit will systematically guide students through the planning cycle, from health needs assessment to program evaluation. It will provide students with an understanding of the main approaches to and methodologies for conducting health needs assessments, as well as monitoring and evaluation. It will also equip them with an understanding of the key approaches and interventions available to address identified health inequalities.

Key Concepts In Health Promotion And Behaviour Change

This unit aims to explore the concepts of health promotion, behaviour change, and critical theory, and their relevance to health promotion strategies. Taking a life course approach, students will be able to examine prevention and management strategies from the perspectives of professionals, patients, and the public, as well as from a health system and societal perspective. By examining evidence from communicable and non-communicable diseases/conditions and from healthy start to healthy aging, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of what works and what can work in health promotion. Examples from the UK and internationally will be used to illustrate these concepts.

Primary Health Care: Theory And Practice

This unit aims to enable students to understand the concept and importance of primary care, how it integrates into current models of healthcare delivery, and how it can be evaluated. This unit is designed for those currently involved or will be developed in the delivery of primary health care services. It is also suitable for public health practitioners, specialists, healthcare administrators, managers, health service researchers, and those who want to find out more about primary health care and why it matters to policy planners, decision-makers, researchers and practitioners, and most importantly to service users (e.g. patients). This unit aims to encourage students to learn about the principles of primary health care but equally to think about how they can and should be applied in practice in different countries and contexts. This unit links well with public health, health management, and policy and strategies. 

Inclusivity And Diversity In Health

This learning unit aims to provide students with a better understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion in public healthcare. Students will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to identify and address systemic barriers that impact health outcomes for marginalised communities. The relevance of this learning unit lies in the fact that health disparities persist among populations that experience marginalisation and oppression, and healthcare providers have a responsibility to promote health equity and social justice. By the end of the learning unit, students will have the ability to promote equitable healthcare practices, enhance cultural competence, and develop evidence-based strategies that address health disparities.

Global Public Health

The aim of this unit is to establish a context for study in the field of global health through an analysis of current principles and approaches to issues of healthcare development and research.

This unit broadly seeks to address the questions of: what is global health, and how does this link to health (public) development in low- and middle-income countries, and to the health needs of poor and disadvantaged people? There are also the subsidiary questions: what are the opportunities and major challenges of global health in low- and middle- income countries?

This unit examines overarching themes - why should we care about the health of other people, especially those of other nations? Why should health from global health perspectives matter to those who live in both developed and developing nations? There are a number of reasons why public health concerns are growing, particularly health in the global/international contexts.

Public Health Policy And Strategy

The aim of this unit is to examine and analyse the context in which policies are developed, decisions are made and resources are allocated. The focus is on examining and analysing, in a theoretical context, the effect of policies on global public health practice.

This unit broadly seeks to address the questions of: what are global health policies and where do global health policies stand now? It intends to provide a broad framework convention of global health which will enable students to critically consider current debates around health and health policy nationally and internationally, and relate that to global public health. Students are encouraged to share their own experience from their own practice and engage in some lively discussion about the topic.

Maternal, Infant And Child Public Health

The unit provides an introduction to issues relating to the health and wellbeing of mothers, babies and children in both developed and developing countries. It addresses the main causes of maternal, infant and child ill-health and deaths and the socio-cultural factors affecting them. Some of the key aspects relating to maternal, infant and child health (MICH) such as the social and cultural determinants, inequalities in health experiences and outcomes, malnutrition, obesity, breastfeeding, and the perinatal period are examined in detail, as well as important infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV and diarrheal diseases. The unit builds students' skills to examine the social, political, and economic determinants of MICH, with special attention to power relations and gender. The impact of public health programs addressing these diseases is also explored.

Research Methods

This unit aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills, and understanding to conduct research across three critical domains: health protection, health improvement, and health services. Through this unit, students will develop the key competencies needed to initiate and independently carry out research, generating solutions to problems that affect population health.

The unit places a strong emphasis on research philosophies and paradigms, introducing students to the range of methodologies, methods, and techniques for conducting research. Students will gain knowledge in both quantitative and qualitative research design and implementation, as well as research ethics, ensuring that their work is conducted with integrity and in compliance with ethical guidelines.

Public Health Monitoring, Protection, And Disease Prevention

The aim of this unit is to introduce the key concepts and principles of public health protection, monitoring, and emergency preparedness, and to enable students to acquire essential knowledge and skills to examine the public health impact of infectious diseases and environmental hazards, and apply prevention and control practices using local, national, and global case studies, supported by relevant research and scholarship.

Specific objectives of the unit include:

• Developing knowledge about a variety of recent and current emerging infectious diseases and environmental hazards, such as natural hazards (geophysical, hydrological, climatological, meteorological, biological) and technological or human-made hazards (globalisation).
• Describing the developmental process of prevention and control strategies applied in the management of public health threats.
• Investigating current strategies, including policies, regulations, and protocols used at local, national, and international scales.
• Examining the governance, structures, and roles within health protection.

Mental Health Matters

Mental health conditions and psychological distress often co-exist with physical illness and impact negatively upon quality of life and health outcomes. For example, 35% of patients admitted to general wards have a dementia diagnosis while 15-20% of patients admitted to general hospitals exhibit delirium. Depression and anxiety are very commonly associated with physical ill health but are often missed during the assessment and treatment process. People with co-morbid mental health problems have poorer physical health outcomes than those without and stay longer in hospitals with increased mortality and poorer quality of life. This unit broadly seeks to answer the question: “what knowledge and skills do non-mental health professionals (for example, public health) require to confidently meet the mental health needs of people they encounter in their workplace?” No prior knowledge of mental health is required.

Working In Public Health: Context And Practice

This unit has been designed to be applicable and relevant to a wide spectrum of roles within public health, regardless of their job roles or professional affiliation, and whether they will work within the statutory or voluntary sector. Upon graduating from the course, students will have demonstrated a range of public health skills and knowledge (see UK PHR) in order to work towards registration as public health practitioners. This unit aims to equip students with familiarity of the breadth of public health roles and functions.

Understanding Epidemiology And Biostatistics

The unit aims to give students a basic understanding of epidemiological methods, their applications, strengths, and weaknesses, and current methodological issues. You will also understand some basic statistical principles and techniques, including how to use these techniques to assess risk and disease impact.

Determinants Of Health And Health Inequalities

This unit aims to develop a thorough understanding of the social aspects of health, illness and health healthcare using the determinants of health approach. Using local, national, and international examples, you will be able to:

• Understand how sociological perspectives of health, illness and healthcare are fundamental to an understanding of contemporary society
• Provide an introduction to and the social categories that are used to understand health, illness and healthcare (social class, gender, ethnicity, age)
• Understand the origins of health inequalities, the social determinants of health, and socioeconomic gradients in health – exploring appropriate concepts, theories, methods, policies, and research on reducing inequalities in public health
• Discuss the wider role of public health in tackling health inequalities in practice

Leadership And Management In Public Health

Reviews of public health provision in both developed and developing countries have drawn attention to the need to strengthen leadership in public health both in national as well as local authorities. The public health practitioner is called to not only to pass on public health knowledge but also to work effectively at influencing others at a range of levels – individuals, groups, organisations and committees. The philosophy of the course recognises that public health work deals with complex and dynamic issues, determined and influenced by a range of socio-political, economic, environmental and individual factors. 

The aims of this unit are to: 

• Provide a thorough understanding of the major Provide a thorough understanding of the major contemporary issues in connection with leadership in public health, in working with a range of public health teams and contexts.
• Examine and develop self-management and personal leadership skills, considered a precursor to exploring your role in leading and managing others. 

Public Health Project

Public health practitioners are increasingly required to undertake a variety of research and developments as part of their role. Such work is increasingly common with the drive towards evidence-based practice. In this unit, you will learn how to lead and manage your own project in a health-related, discipline-relevant topic of your particular interest, and write a report on the findings. You will also learn how to apply key project management skills for the timely completion of your project and how to analyse the contributions that an area of research makes to the existing knowledge base.

The unit aims are:

• To enable students to develop and conduct an individual research project using primary or secondary research methodologies.
• To enhance literature search and critical appraisal skills.
• To develop the ability to critique relevant research methodologies and study design.
• To identify and analyse an area of interest and demonstrate the integration of knowledge from a variety of sources within your own sphere of practice.