Overview
Understanding the patterns and distribution of health outcomes across populations requires public health professionals to be able to examine the influence of the social determinants of health. Social epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology that focuses on the influence of social factors on individual and population level health, and grew out of the public health tradition of examining health inequalities relating to social class. This unit examines the complexities of social patterns of health and health data needed within and between populations to explore health inequities and health inequalities. This unit will strengthen your skills to identify, critique, interpret, and translate public health findings from social epidemiology. You will learn how to identify and justify social epidemiological data related to the social determinants of health, explore specific ethical principles related to Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and to respect the rights associated with First Nations Peoples' data. You will be introduced to Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science frameworks, and consider their utility in guiding the effective dissemination of social epidemiological findings to improve health outcomes globally.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Self-reflection
Students have difficulty connecting theory to practice.
Use of case studies will assist students to connect theory to practice, giving them greater understanding of real problems and what social epidemiology can tell about them.
Feedback from Student Feedback
Small group discussion has value in helping student to approach and master the material.
Students commented that small group discussion preceding whole class discussion of the tutorial material was helpful in understanding the concepts and examples and was also an interesting way for them to master the topics.
- Distinguish social epidemiology from traditional epidemiology to understand and explain its contribution to public health practice by focusing on social determinants of health
- Critique and interpret routinely used data in social epidemiology and explain the strengths and limitations according to complex adaptive systems thinking in public health
- Identify and justify different types of social epidemiological data necessary to understand individual, community and population influences on health
- Justify ethical principles related to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and respecting the rights and different ways of knowing of First Nations Peoples when using, collecting, analysing and interpreting social epidemiological data
- Utilise social epidemiological data to advocate for health promotion, protective and disease prevention approaches to public health practice
- Reflect on and evaluate uses of social epidemiological data from Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science frameworks.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Literature Review or Systematic Review - 50% | ||||||
2 - Presentation - 20% | ||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 30% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||||
2 - Communication | ||||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
4 - Research | ||||||
5 - Self-management | ||||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
7 - Leadership | ||||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
1 - Literature Review or Systematic Review - 50% | ||||||||
2 - Presentation - 20% | ||||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 30% |
Textbooks
The New Public Health
Edition: 4th (2016)
Authors: Fran Baun
Oxford University
Melbourne Melbourne , VIC , Australia
ISBN: 9780195588088
Binding: Paperback
Social Determinants of Health
Edition: 1st (2019)
Authors: Liamputtong Pranee
Oxford University press
ISBN: 9780190313524
Binding: Paperback
Social Epidemiology
Edition: 2nd (2014)
Authors: Lisa F. Berkman, Ichiro Kawachi, and Maria Glymour
Oxford University press
ISBN: 9780199395330
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Copies are available for purchase at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
l.rawal@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Basic Epidemiology and Social Epidemiology
Why Social Epidemiology?
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Honjo, K. (2004). Social epidemiology: Definition, history, and research examples. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 9, 193-199.
Krieger, N. (2001). A glossary for social epidemiology. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 55, 693-700.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
The Social Determinants of Health
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Krieger, N. (2001). Theories for social epidemiology in the 21st century. International Journal of Epidemiology, 30, 668-677.
Friel, S. and Marmot, M.G. (2011). Action on the social determinants of health and health inequities goes global. Annual Review of Public Health, 32, 225-236.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Tools of Epidemiology and Social Epidemiology
Chapter
Suggested reading:
Baum, F. (2015). The New Public Health. Oxford. Chapter 7 Epidemiology and Public Health.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Socio-Economic Status (SES) and Health Inequities
Chapter
Suggested reading:
Marmot, M.G. (2002). The influence of income on health: Views of an epidemiologist. Health Affairs, 21(2), 31-46.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Gender and Health Inequities
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Scott-Samuel, A., Crawshaw, P., and Oakley, A. (2015). Men behaving badly: Patriarchy, public policy and health inequalities. International Journal of Men’s Health, 14(3), 250-258.
Phillips, S. P. (2005). Defining and measuring gender: A social determinant of health whose time has come. International Journal for Equity in Health, 4, 11-14.
Events and Submissions/Topic
The literature review (assessment I) is due on Week 5, Friday, 10 April by 11.59 pm.
Literature Review Due: Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Mid term break: No classes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social Structure and Health Inequities
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Mackenbach, J.P. (2012). The persistence of health inequalities in modern welfare states: The explanation of a paradox. Social Science and Medicine, 75, 761-769.
Beckfield, J. and Krieger, N. (2009). Epi+demos+cracy: Linking political systems and priorities to the magnitude of health inequities. Epidemiologic Reviews, 31, 152-177.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2, Group presentation to be held during the week 6 of the term
The revised presentation to be submitted online by 24 April 11.59 pm.
Group presentation Due: Week 6 Friday (24 Apr 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
The Living Environment and Health Inequities
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Baum, F. (2015). The New Public Health. Oxford. Chapter 15 Urbanisation, population, communities and environments: Global trends.
Ompad, D.C. et al. (2007). Social determinants of health of urban populations: Methodologic considerations. Journal of Urban Health, 84,1, i42-i53.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Collecting Data in Social Epidemiology
Chapter
Suggested reading:
Harper, S. and Lynch, J. (2006). Health inequalities: Measurement and decomposition. In Oakes, J. M. and Kaufman, J.S., eds., Methods in Social Epidemiology, Jossey-Bass, 91-131.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Interpreting Data in Social Epidemiology
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Baum, F. (2015). The New Public Health. Oxford. Chapter 12 Patterns of health inequalities in Australia.
Diez Roux, A.V. (2008). Next steps in understanding the multilevel determinants of health. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 62, 952-959.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Ethical Issues in Social Epidemiology
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Baum, F. (2015). The New Public Health. Oxford. Chapter 4 Ethics, politics and ideologies: The invisible hands of public health.
Kass, N.E. (2004). Public health ethics: From foundations and frameworks to justice and global public health. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, 32, 232-242.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
Translating Social Epidemiological Study into Public Health Policy
Chapter
Suggested reading:
Marmot, M.G. and Allen, J. (2014) From science to policy. In Berkman, L. F., Kawachi, I. and Glymour, M.M., eds. Social Epidemiology, Oxford, 562-576.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial class and group discussions
Module/Topic
The Application of Social Epidemiology in Real Communities
Review of topics
Chapter
Suggested readings:
Syme, S.L. (2004) Social determinants of health: the community as empowered partner. Preventing Chronic Disease: Pubic Health Research, Practice and Policy, 1 (1), 1-5.
Kaplan, G.A. (2004). What’s wrong with social epidemiology and how can we make it better? Epidemiologic Reviews, 26, (1), 124-135.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3, Report is due on Friday 5 June, by 11.59 pm
Written assessment Due: Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Review week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Submission of final assessments
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Teaching team and their contact details:
Sydney Campus:
Dr. Lal Rawal, MEd. (Health Ed.) MIRB, MPH, PhD
CQUniversity, Sydney Campus
400 Kent Street, 2000
Level 11, Room 02, Phone: (02) 293245703
Email: L.rawal@cqu.edu.au
Melbourne Campus:
Dr. David Fanany, BSc / BEng (Hons), MComm, PhDCQUniversity, Melbourne Campus
Level 4, 120 Spencer Street, Melbourne 3000 Email: D.fanany@cqu.edu.au
Cairns Campus:
Dr Jenny Kelly, BN, RM, Grad DipEd, MA, MPH, PhD
CQUniversity, Cairns Campus
Cr. Abbott and Shields Streets4870,
Email: J.kelly@cqu.edu.au
1 Literature Review or Systematic Review
The first assessment task for the unit is a literature review that provides an overview of the social epidemiological aspects of your topic. You must: 1) outline the relevant social, environmental and economic contexts that relate to your condition and discuss the factors that influence those contexts; and 2) critique previous national and international epidemiological data and research with particular emphasis on the gaps that may exist in our understanding of the impact of social factors on your condition. It is important to note various views and approaches contained in the literature and to choose works to include without bias or preconceived ideas. This is an INDIVIDUAL assessment. A literature review summarizes broad trends in the literature on your topic and highlights important points in selected articles. A critique requires that you discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the data that underlies the literature you discuss and show how these strengths and weaknesses relate to the outcomes of any relevant interventions and strategies.
While the assignment is individual, the topic will be assigned to your group and will also be the topic of your assessment 2 (group) and 3 (individual). In other words, all members of a group will work on the same topic for both their individual and groups assignments. You may not work together on individual assignments. Each group, consisting of five members, will be assigned one of the following topics:
Antimicrobial resistance
Air pollution and it's effect in health
Cardiovascular diseases
Diabetes
Novel Coronavirus epidemic and global threat
HIV/ AIDS epidemic
Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (1 May 2020)
Assignment 1 will be assessed by the following criteria:
Selection of relevant, current and appropriate items from the scholarly literature: 20%
Thorough and accurate summary and critique of the selected literature: 20%
Discussion of social, economic, and environmental context and the factors that influence them: 20%
Presentation of various views represented in the literature and discussion of their strengths and weaknesses: 20%
Use of clear, concise language and linear presentation of argument: 10%
All work submitted is the student's original words and ideas and all information from sources is properly cited, including direct quotations: 10%
- Distinguish social epidemiology from traditional epidemiology to understand and explain its contribution to public health practice by focusing on social determinants of health
- Critique and interpret routinely used data in social epidemiology and explain the strengths and limitations according to complex adaptive systems thinking in public health
- Utilise social epidemiological data to advocate for health promotion, protective and disease prevention approaches to public health practice
- Reflect on and evaluate uses of social epidemiological data from Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science frameworks.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Presentation
The second assessment task for this unit is a 10-minute presentation that presents the social epidemiological background of your condition and a critique of the data that was part of your literature review (assessment task 1). The presentation must explain how social factors influence your condition and identify and critique the social epidemiological data. You must also specifically identify the high risk groups and show the way in which social factors are believed to affect this risk. Vulnerable groups might include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, individuals with low income, older adults, or other specific groups that would be impacted by strategies to address the chosen topic in the community of interest. This is a GROUP assessment. Each group will prepare a single presentation. Each student will be required to prepare the material for one slide in the presentation which must be identified with the student’s name. The presentation must include the following slides: 1) Title – must include the condition and the full name and ID number of each student in the group; 2) Nature and proximal cause of the condition; 3) Social epidemiological factors that affect the development and progression of the condition; 4) Mechanisms by which social factors contribute to the condition; 5) Life course factors that affect the condition; and 6) Critique of existing social epidemiological data, including strengths and weaknesses of these data. The presentation must also include a slide containing the references cited on all slides. As noted, each slide will be prepared by a different member of the group. Each student will prepare the text for presentation for his or her slide which should be written out in the notes area for the slide along with the student’s name.
Week 6 Friday (24 Apr 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
The revised powerpoint slides must be submitted online following the presentation
Week 7 Monday (27 Apr 2020)
Feedback will be provided during the presentation and after the evaluation of the slides
Assignment 2 will be assessed by the following criteria:
Epidemiological data relevant to the topic is presented and summarized: 20%
Critique of data is presented: 20%
Needs of vulnerable groups relevant to implementing a strategy to address the assigned condition are outlined and discussed: 20%
Student's individual contribution is significant and shows understanding of the topic as well as of the element presented: 20%
Language of the presentation (oral and written) is clear and easily understood: 10%
All work reflects the students' own thinking and words, referencing is correctly and accurately done, and any direct quotations are properly identified according to academic convention: 10%
- Distinguish social epidemiology from traditional epidemiology to understand and explain its contribution to public health practice by focusing on social determinants of health
- Critique and interpret routinely used data in social epidemiology and explain the strengths and limitations according to complex adaptive systems thinking in public health
- Identify and justify different types of social epidemiological data necessary to understand individual, community and population influences on health
- Justify ethical principles related to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and respecting the rights and different ways of knowing of First Nations Peoples when using, collecting, analysing and interpreting social epidemiological data
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
3 Written Assessment
The third assessment task is to write a report that could be presented to a local health department that is responsible for planning initiatives to address your condition. This report must: 1) review and critique the social epidemiological data that is currently available that could be used to inform public health practice on your topic; 2) outline what additional social epidemiological data would need to be collected as well as how and why it would be needed prior to, during, and after any strategy was implemented; and 3) outline how the social epidemiological data would be used to inform other practitioners, researchers and policy makers. This is an INDIVIDUAL assessment.
In preparing this assessment task, it is important to keep in mind that your intended audience is a local health department. You will need to balance the technical demands of the topic with the needs of this audience, with the understanding that that the aim of such a report in real life would be to inform practitioners working in the field and underpin policy development. In other words, you will need to focus on the aspects of your topic that are most relevant in the development of new strategies and policy and the evidence from the literature that would support this activity.
However, this is a formal report and must use appropriate language and referencing. Additional information about the report is contained in the study guide.
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2020) 11:59 pm AEST
Assessment must be submitted through Moodle
Exam Week Friday (19 June 2020)
Feedback file will be uploaded in Moodle
Assessment 3 will be marked according the following criteria:
The epidemiological data relevant to the topic is summarized and critiqued: 20%
Requirements for additional data or outlined and justified: 20%
The ways social epidemiological data would inform policymakers and practitioners is discussed: 20%
Insight into any specific issues related to the topic and linkage of these issues to available data is presented and discussed: 20%
Clear, concise language is used and presentation of argument is linear: 10%
All work reflects the student's pwn thinking and words, all information from courses is properly cited, and any direct quotations are identified according to academic conventions: 10%
- Identify and justify different types of social epidemiological data necessary to understand individual, community and population influences on health
- Justify ethical principles related to Indigenous Data Sovereignty and respecting the rights and different ways of knowing of First Nations Peoples when using, collecting, analysing and interpreting social epidemiological data
- Utilise social epidemiological data to advocate for health promotion, protective and disease prevention approaches to public health practice
- Reflect on and evaluate uses of social epidemiological data from Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science frameworks.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.