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Population and Public Health

Module description

Population and public health acknowledges there are socio-economic and other determinants of health and disease. With intervention, much can be done to support patients in reducing their risk of ill-health. This module will enable you to explore these determinants and to consider the interventions that can be implemented at an individual and societal level. You will cover communications techniques that promote patient education, activation and self-care. In addition, you will cover the relevant clinical assessment and management options that can be offered in practice.
This module is relevant to healthcare practitioners who wish to engage patients or develop services in population and public health.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to develop knowledge and skills for delivering on public health agendas. Although we all know that ‘prevention is better than cure’, living a heathy lifestyle can be challenging. Therefore, as practitioners we need to ensure that every contact counts and that we take opportunities to screen, offer and engage patients in relevant health care services. This module will cover a variety of conditions e.g. smoking cessation, obesity management, substance misuse, sexual health etc. that are commonly seen in practice. You will develop your competence and confidence for approach these areas with patients so that effective partnerships can be formed and healthcare outcomes improved.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Assess the risk of patients’ lifestyle choices and situations that are detrimental (or may be detrimental) to their health
• 2. Use evidence-based knowledge and skills to consider options and interventions that may be offered to patients to promote health and wellbeing

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Engage patients to self-care and adopt healthy lifestyles by using communication techniques
• 4. Use pharmacology knowledge in the public health related services

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Use communication techniques that promote effective relationships with patients
• 6. Use local and national resources in implement clinical practice

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

• Socio-economic and wider determinants of health and disease
• Introduction to public health agencies
• Promotion of healthy living by education, encouraging self-care and behaviour change
• Sexual health advice, screening and treatment
• Optimal ways to engage patient to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Management of smoking cessation, mental health issues and substance misuse
• Principles and practice of vaccination services

To ensure flexibility and resilience over the coming academic year, the following changes may be made to the module if needed:

-          Face-to-face scheduled lectures may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos for each topic (15-20 minutes) and/or brief overview lectures delivered via MS Teams/Zoom, with learning consolidated by self-directed learning resources and ELE activities.

-          Small-group discussion in tutorials and seminars may be replaced by synchronous group discussion on Teams/ Zoom; or asynchronous online discussion, for example via Yammer or ELE Discussion board.

-          Workshops involving face-to-face classroom teaching may be replaced by synchronous sessions on Teams/Zoom; or Asynchronous workshop activities supported with discussion forum.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

In the event of referral, students should submit a revised version of their original submission, taking into account marker’s feedback.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Public Health and Epidemiology at a Glance Paperback - 5 Aug 2016 by Margaret Somerville et al.

Foundations for Health Promotion. (Public Health and Health Promotion) Paperback – 14 Apr 2016
by Jennie Naidoo et al.
Psychology and Sociology Applied to Medicine: An Illustrated Colour Text, – 16 Apr 2009
by Beth Alder et al
Sexual and Reproductive Health at a Glance Paperback – 25 Sep 2015 by Catriona Melville

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

TARGET (Treat Antibiotics Responsibly, Guidance, Education, Tools) Antibiotic Toolkit

http://www.rcgp.org.uk/targetantibiotics/ 

NHS Patient support for losing weight

https://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/weight-loss-guide/Pages/weight-loss-guide.aspx 

Assessing and preventing cardiovascular disease

https://qrisk.org/

https://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/cardiovascular-disease-prevention

Immunisations against infectious disease

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book