POPH192 Population Health

Overview

An introduction to the science of epidemiology, the study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease in human populations, and to different ways of understanding health.

About this paper

Restriction

HEAL 192, PUBH 192

Schedule C

Arts and Music, Science

Contact

poph192@otago.ac.nz

Teaching staff

Course Co-Conveners:
Dr Christiane Leurquin (Modules 1 & 2)
Dr Helen Harcombe (Modules 3 to 6)

Modules 1 & 2:
Teaching Fellows: Dr Julia Wilson, Dr Molly George, Molly McCormick and Tautemaria Silva.

Modules 3 to 6:
Senior Teaching Fellows: Janine Tansley and Jess Meiklejohn
Teaching Fellow: Dr Melissa Purnell.

POPH 192 also has a number of guest lecturers who are specialists in their fields presenting lectures.

Paper Structure

POPH 192 is structured into six modules with a tutorial associated with each module:

• Module 1: Medical humanities: Introducing the cultural foundations of health
• Module 2: Enablers of Well-being: How Indigenous cultural and belief systems relate to health
• Module 3: Disease Detectives: Measuring health in populations
• Module 4: Study Designs: Establishing causes, consequences and evaluating interventions
• Module 5: Critical Thinking: Questioning assumptions and evaluating the evidence
• Module 6: Using the Evidence: Evidence-based approaches to monitoring and supporting the health of individuals and populations

 

Teaching Arrangements

Students are expected to attend three 50-minute lectures a week. There are a total of 38 lectures over the semester. Lectures are also recorded, and audio podcasts and PowerPoint presentations are made available to students via Blackboard after the lecture.

Students are also expected to attend six tutorials (2 hours and 50 minutes in length) during the course of the paper. Attendance at these tutorials is a terms requirement.

POPH 192 runs a help-desk service called "tutor hours". This service will be run online, via Zoom. Please check Blackboard for a list of times that tutor hours are available, and for information about how to access tutor hours. During tutor hours, POPH 192 teaching staff are able to answer specific questions about paper content and concepts that you would like clarified. We strongly encourage students to use this opportunity to add to your learning.

Textbooks

For Modules 3-6 the required text book is:

Webb, P., Bain, C., & Page, A. (2024). Essential Epidemiology: An Introduction for Students and Health Professionals (5th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Research.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the paper students will be able to:

1. Understand how health and disease in Aotearoa New Zealand and other countries are described
2. Understand how the major influences on the health of populations and individuals are determined
3. Understand and apply epidemiological methods to assess the quality of health information in scientific literature and mass media
4. Appreciate the complexity of health and well-being

Assessment details

• Progress Test 1: 15%
• Progress Test 2: 15%
• Exam: 70%

Timetable