Search Modules > GEK1900_3/GEH1049

Synopsis

TopFrom the global increase in obesity to SARS, a range of health issues and solutions will be explored in differing contexts throughout the world. Working in small groups, students debate and evaluate paths to addressing global health issues in a variety of cultural contexts. For example, lessons learned about tuberculosis in Russia may be applied to the Singaporean context, or students may examine efforts to prevent newborn deaths in developing nations. Students will develop an appreciation of how the health of an entire population impacts individuals and how complex problems can be prevented or addressed using culturally appropriate solutions.

Facilitator for this session: Ms Cecilia Teng ephtwcc@nus.edu.sg

Learning Outcomes

TopBy the end of the module, students will be able to:

Use the public health approach (problem ►cause ► intervention ► implementation ► monitoring) and the socio-ecological (SE) model as frameworks to understand and solve public health problems;
Define the epidemiological, biological and socio-economic features of a disease that provide opportunities for successful interventions or present barriers to success; and
Describe the multi-disciplinary character of public health and the contributions of the students’ own disciplines to improving health.

Schedule

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Week 4 to Week 12: See Schedule

Week 1, 2 and 13:

Week	Topic
1	Title: What is Public Health? Short Synopsis: Public health is different from clinical medicine. The focus is on the healthy: to promote their health and prevent the onset of diseases. Using the examples of colon cancer, SARS and type II diabetes, the session will explore the differences between "Public Health" and "Clinical Medicine", different levels of prevention and the evolution of Public Health. Objectives of Seminar: 1. To be able to describe the difference between "Public Health" and "Clinical Medicine". 2. To be able to differentiate between primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. 3. To be able to describe the differences between "Old" and "New" Public Health
1	Title: About this module: Assessment , Assignments & Groups
2	1. The Public Health approach: problem, cause, intervention, implementation and monitoring 2. The socio-ecological (SE) model, lead into assignment 1: “Your health and the SE model”
2	1. Identifying credible sources of information 2. Literature search (overview plus hands on search)
13	1. Module Summary 2. Announcement 3. Peer review 4. Clarifications about Assignment 2
13	Individual Assignment 2 (40%) & Peer Review Due: 18 Nov 2018 (Sun) 6pm

Weekly Readings

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Week	Date	Lecturer	Topic	Required reading(s)	Recommended Reading(s)
3	31st August 2018	Rob van Dam	Nutrition Obesity & Cardiovascular Disease	Story M., et al. Creating Healthy Food and Eating Environments: Policy and Environmental Approaches. Annu. Rev. Public Health (2008), 29:253-272	Mozzafarian D, et al. Population approaches to improve diet, physical activity, and smoking habits: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2012 (pls see library e-reserves)
4	7th September 2018	Mythily Subramaniam	Mental Health	1) Chong SA, Vaingankar J, Abdin E, Subramaniam M. The prevalence and impact of major depressive disorder among Chinese, Malays and Indians in an Asian multi-racial population. J Affect Disord. 2012 Apr;138(1-2):128-36. 2) Subramaniam M, Abdin E, Picco L, et al. Stigma towards people with mental disorders and its components – a perspective from multi-ethnic Singapore. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci.2016:1‒12 3) Pang S, Liu J, Mahesh M, Chua BY, Shahwan S, Lee SP, Vaingankar JA, Abdin E, Fung DSS, Chong SA, Subramaniam M. Stigma among Singaporean youth: a cross-sectional study on adolescent attitudes towards serious mental illness and social tolerance in a multiethnic population. BMJ Open. 2017 Oct 16;7(10):e016432.
5	14th September 2018	Lim Boon Tar Raymond	HIV Prevention Education	1) Rotheram-Borus MJ, Swendeman D, Chovnick G. The past, present, and future of HIV prevention: Integrating behavioural, biomedical, and structural intervention strategies for the next generation of HIV prevention. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2009;5:143-67. 2) Wong ML, Sen P, Wong CM, Tjahjadi S, Govender M, Koh TT, Yusof Z, Chew L, Tan A, Vijaya K. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention education in Singapore: Challenges for the future. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2012.
6	21st September 2018	Alex Cook	Dengue	Ooi Eng-Eong, et al. Dengue Prevention and 35 years of vector control in Singapore. Emerg Infect Dis 2006 Jun; 12(6): 887-893 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3373041/)
7	5th October 2018	Mark Chen	What Makes Communicable Diseases so Special?	Jones K, Patel NG, Levy M, Storeygard A, Balk D, Gittleman J, Daszak. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature. 2008. Feb; 451: 990-994.
8	12th October 2018	Seow Wei Jie	Environmental Epidemiology	SM Rappaport, MT Smith. Environment and disease risks. Science 2010. 330: 460-461
9	19th October 2018	Sri Chander s/o Tikamdas Nebhraj	Maternal & Child Health	1) Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNFrGxEp-UU "Why Did Mrs. X Die? Retold" 2) Read: Towards A New Global Strategy For Women’s, Children’s And Adolescents’ Health BMJ 351:Suppl1. 2015: Pages 1-3 3) Multi-sectoral approaches to nutrition: Nutrition-specific and Nutrition-sensitive interventions to accelerate progress. UNICEF bulletin. (https://www.unicef.org/eapro/Brief_Nutrition_Overview.pdf)	MDGs 4 & 5: Nepal Country Profile (two readings)
10	26th October 2018	Lee Jeong Kyu	Social Marketing: Principles and Applications	ANDREASEN AR (1994) Social marketing: Its definition and domain, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 13(1), 108-114	EVANS WD , PRICE S & BLAHUT S (2005) Evaluating the truth® Brand, Journal of Health Communication, 10:2, 181-192, DOI: 10.1080/10810730590915137
11	2nd November 2018	Gerald Koh	Ageing	Executive summary of: United Nations. World Population Ageing: 1950-2050. 2002. Available at http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/worldageing19502050/
12	9th November 2018	Julian Azfar	Health in/and Society	Conrad, P. and Barker, K. K. (2010). “The Social Construction of Illness: Key Insights and Policy Implications”, Journal of Health and Social Behavior 51(S), S67-S79.	Michael C. McNeill & Joan M. Fry (2010). “Physical Education and Health in Singapore Schools”, Asia-Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education, 1(1), 13-18.

Syllabus

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Week	Date	Speaker	Topic	Remarks
1	17 Aug 2018	Chia Kee Seng	What is Public Health? About this module: Assessment, Assignments and Groups
2	24 Aug 2018	Jeannette Lee	Frameworks
3	31 Aug 2018	Rob Van Dam	Nutrition, Obesity & Cardio Disease
4	7 Sep 2018	Mythily Subramaniam	Mental Health	Peer Review 1 opens 7 Sep 2018 (Fri)
5	14 Sep 2018	Raymond Lim	HIV
6	21 Sep 2018	Alex Cook	Dengue	A1 due 23 Sep 2018 (Sun) 6pm Peer Review 1 closes 23 Sep 2018 (Sun) midnight
7	5 Oct 2018	Mark Chen	Communicable Diseases
8	12 Oct 2018	Seow Wei Jie	Environmental Epidemiology
9	19 Oct 2018	Sri Chander	Maternal and Child Health
10	26 Oct 2018	Lee Jeong Kyu	Social Marketing
11	2 Nov 2018	Gerald Koh	Ageing	A2 opens 4 Nov 2018 (Sun) 6pm
12	9 Nov 2018	Julian Azfar	Health in/and Society	Peer Review 2 opens 9 Nov 2018 (Fri)
13	16 Nov 2018	Cecilia Teng	Q & A about Assignment 2 Wrap up lecture	Peer Review 2 closes 18 Nov2018 (Sunday) midnight A2 due 18 Nov 2018 (Sun) 6pm

Teaching Modes

TopFrom Week 3 onwards (See Syllabus):

One of our expert guest lecturers on a topic that changes from week to week.
Students will be asked to work in their assigned groups on a question given in class. A short report of what the group discussed should be prepared.
Students to upload their reports via IVLE by the time-given..
Students have a break of 10 minutes.
Students to be seated by the time-given.
Thereafer, a class discussion of the topic covered in the lecture and break out sessions.

Assessment

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The module is assessed 100% by continual assessment. There is no final exam for this module.

Continual assessment has the following components:
Quizzes: 5%

From Week 3 onwards. Information will be given during the lectures

Individual Assignment 1: 25%

Essay, due 23 September 2018, 6PM (submit in Word Document format via Turnitin enabled IVLE folder.
Include name and matriculation number in the Turnitin submission title

Individual Assignment 2: 40%

Two essays, each counting 20%, due 18 November 2018, 6PM (submit in Word Document format via Turnitin enabled IVLE folder.
Include name and matriculation number in the Turnitin submission title

For individual assignments
Late submission:
For students who submit late:
< 6 hours late: 10% deduction
> 6-12 hours late: 20% deduction
>12 hours late: 50% deduction

Plagiarism:
1-2 sentences poorly cited or not indicating that a direct quotation was used: -1 point from total score
Up to 15% of material poorly cited or not indicating use of direct quotations: -4 points from total score
Up to 25% of material poorly cited or not indicating use of direct quotations: -7points from total score and warning
>25% to meet with module coordinators and/or Vice Dean (Education) for investigation

Group Discussion: 30%

Weekly from Week 4 onwards, covering the work done inclass (via Turnitin enabled IVLE folder)
Include group number in the Turnitin submission title
This will be moderated based on a peer review score as described in class. Trial group work on week 3.
Complete Peer Review by 18 November 2018, 6PM (refer to information and details given via announcement)

Prerequisites

TopNil

Preclusions

TopNIL