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Social Determinants of Health

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:9.00
Study Course Accepted:29.08.2024 11:14:29
Study Course Information
Course Code:SVUEK_111LQF level:Level 7
Credit Points:2.00ECTS:3.00
Branch of Science:Clinical MedicineTarget Audience:Information and Communication Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:Inese Stars
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:Institute of Public Health
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:Riga, Kronvalda bulvāris 9, svekatrsu[pnkts]lv, +37167338307
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)7Lecture Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Lectures14
Classes (count)5Class Length (academic hours)2Total Contact Hours of Classes10
Total Contact Hours24
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Sociology, public health, epidemiology, research methodology.
Objective:
Provide students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge of the social context of health; of the relation of social factors and health outcomes and health behaviour; acquire the skills to identify the involvement of social factors (determinants) in the formation of various health outcomes.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.TopicType of ImplementationNumberVenue
1Social determinants of health in the perspective of public health.Lectures2.00auditorium
2Examples of practical cases of social determinants of health and their analysis.Classes2.00auditorium
3Socio-economic status as a social determinant of health.Lectures2.00auditorium
4Socio-economic status as a social determinant of health: an analysis of the examples.Classes2.00auditorium
5Approach of a human life cycle in the context of social determinants of health.Lectures2.00auditorium
6Health literacy as a social determinant of health.Lectures1.00auditorium
7Communication of social determinants of health.Classes1.00auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
In order to understand research on social determinants of health, a student selects and reads one scientific article on relation of SDOH to one of health outcomes, submits and presents the summary of the article. In order to be able to combine theoretical assumptions of social determinants of health and their practical manifestations, students analyse real health-related cases and present their conclusions to the audience. Presentations are meant to make students better acquire public speaking skills, learn to formulate and express their views and justify their point of view.
Assessment Criteria:
--> participation in group works and their presentations, completion of independent work (20%) --> successfully passed the exam, which consists of a review of scientific articles and its presentation (80%)
Final Examination (Full-Time):Exam (Oral)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:On completion of the course students will enumerate various social determinants of health; describe each of them in detail; describe the potential mechanisms of the impact of social factors on health; speak about the topicality of social determinants of health nowadays, characterise their ideological position.
Skills:On completion of the course students will explain the role of social determinants of health within the context of topical public health issues; identify the presence of social factors in the origin and prevalence of various health conditions; identify factors affecting various diseases and their spread; use appropriate terminology; critically analyse literature on the effects of social structure on health and health-related disparities.
Competencies:On completion of the course students will assess social determinants of health in cases of various public health issues and offer possible solutions for the problem in accordance with the theoretical and methodological guidelines of social determinants of health; develop possible operational algorithms for reducing the negative effects of different social determinants of health on public health.
Bibliography
No.Reference
Required Reading
1Marmot, M., Wilkinson, R.G. eds. Social determinants of health, 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005.
Additional Reading
1Hellman, C.G. (2000) Culture, Health and Illness. Oxford.
2Graham Scambler (ed.) (2008) Sociology as applied to medicine. 6th ed. Edinburgh: Saunders/Elsevier.
3Social Determinants of Health. The Solid Facts. (2003) Second ed. WHO
Other Information Sources
1Commission on Social Determinants of Health (Final report). Closing the gap in a generation. Health equity through action on the social determinants of health.