PUB HLTH 1004 - 21st c. Infectious disease epidemiology & control

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2024

Infectious diseases continue to be a major public health concern in developed and developing countries. This introductory course will examine the factors that can influence the emergence, re-emergence and spread of infectious diseases, and how these can be key determinants of health for individuals and in populations. Through an outbreak investigation and case examples, students will explore infectious diseases, how they arise, are monitored and controlled. Students will be introduced to epidemiological principles and methods to understanding the issues, to characterise human health risks and the application of interventions in the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code PUB HLTH 1004
    Course 21st c. Infectious disease epidemiology & control
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact This course requires up to 3 hours per week of face-to-face attendance; students are not able to complete it online.
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Assumed Knowledge PUB HLTH 1001
    Quota A quota of 75 applies
    Assessment Quiz, essay, group work
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Adriana Milazzo

    Course Coordinator: Dr Adriana Milazzo
    Phone: +61 8313 0199
    Email: adriana.milazzo@adelaide.edu.au  
    Location: Level 4, Rundle Mall Plaza, Rundle Mall, Adelaide

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    Details of the timetable is located in MyUni.
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Describe the challenges of contemporary and emerging local, national, and global infectious diseases
    2 Apply epidemiological principles and methods to the investigation and control of infectious diseases
    3 Describe how social, environmental, cultural and ecnonomic determinants of health influence the distribution of infectious diseases
    4 Apply approaches to the prevention and control of infectious diseases
    5 Describe the conceptual framework of infectious disease prevention, preparedness and management
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1-5

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    2, 3-5

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    1-5

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    N/A

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    1

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    1, 3

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    2, 3

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1-5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    There is no set textbook for this course. All resources, including links to journal articles and reading lists, will be disseminated via MyUni.
    Recommended Resources
    N/A
    Online Learning
    The primary means of communication outside of formal contact hours will be via MyUni. Announcements and discussion boards will be the main method of communicating with the student cohort. Course material will be supported by online resources via MyUni. Material will be sequentially released in line with the teaching and learning activities in each week.



  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course will introduce students to the concepts and principles of infectious diseases within a population health framework. A blended learning approach will be adopted whereby students will engage in on-line interactive activities on key concepts and principles. Students will participate in collaborative and experiential learning in class to draw on this content in order to synthesise, analyse, apply and evaluate approaches for assessing and controlling infectious diseases that affect the health of populations.

    The course will be delivered in 3 hours per week consisting of pre-recorded lectures and weekly face to face workshops, including presentations from guest speakers.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Contact hours: 3 hours of contact per week (2 hour in person workshop and 1 hour pre-recorded lecture/s) plus readings, assignments and other preparation.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Lectures/seminars and workshops will cover the following topics:
    • contemporary and emerging infectious diseases
    • epidemiology
    • risk assessment
    • global burden of infectious diseases
    • social determinants of health
    • infectious disease surveillance
    • infectious disease control strategies
    • human-animal interactions and health implications
    • environmental and social impacts of climate change on human health
    • disaster preparedness and management
    • infectious diseases and law


    Guest speakers from government and non-government organizations will be invited to present.


    Specific Course Requirements
    N/A
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Assessment Type Weighting Learning course objective(s) being addressed
    Video (public health importance of a notifiable disease) Summative 20% 4
    On-line content
    Workshop participation
    Formative
    Summative
    0%
    10%
    1-5
    Quizzes Summative 10% 1-5
    Group work (outbreak investigation) Summative 20% 2-4
    Essay Summative 40% 1-5
    Assessment Detail
    Video (20%)
    Students will produce a video (10 minutes) on the public health importance of a notifiable infectious disease.

    Workshop participation (10%)
    Attendance and interaction with peers in the workshops and with on-line content.

    Group work (20%)
    Students will participate in an infectious disease outbreak investigation and will contribute to a range of activities including hypothesis generating questions, and analysis of data. Students will be provided with important information and clues in order to solve the outbreak, and will be required to provide written answers to each clue.

    Quizzes (10%)
    Quizzes will aid students in monitoring their understanding of key concepts and principles for the topic areas.

    Essay (40%)
    A written essay (1800 words) concerning a major infectious disease issue either in Australia or globally.
    Submission
    Extensions
    All extensions for assignments must be requested, at the latest, by the last working day before the due date of submission.   Extensions will generally be granted only on medical or genuine compassionate grounds.  Supporting documentation must be  provided at the time a student requests an extension.  Without documentation, extensions will not be granted.  Late requests for extension will neither be accepted nor acknowledged.

    Only the Course Co-ordinator(s) may grant extensions.

    Supporting documentation will be required when requesting an extension. Examples of documents that are acceptable include: a  medical certificate that specifies dates of incapacity, a police report (in the case of lost computers, car & household theft etc.), a  letter from a Student Counsellor, Education and Welfare Officer (EWO) or Disability Liaison Officer that provides an assessment of  compassionate circumstances, or a letter from an independent external counsellor or appropriate professional able to verify the  student’s situation.  The length of any extension granted will take into account the period and severity of any incapacity or impact  on the student.  Extensions of more than 10 days will not be granted except in exceptional circumstances.

    Late submission
    Marks will be deducted when assignments for which no extension has been granted are handed in late.

    All assignments, including those handed in late, will be assessed on their merits.  In the case of late assignments where no  extension has been granted, 5 percentage points of the total marks possible per day will be deducted.  If an assignment that is 2  days late is awarded 65% on its merits, the mark will then be reduced by 10% (5% per day for 2 days) to 55%.  If that same  assignment is 4 days late, the mark will be reduced by 20% (5% per day for 4 days) to 45%, and so on.

    The School of Public Health reserves the right to refuse to accept an assignment that is more than 7 days late.

    Assignments submitted after the due date may not be graded in time to be returned on the listed return dates.

    Students submitting examinable written work who request (and receive) an extension that takes them beyond the examination  period are advised that there is no guarantee that their grades will be processed in time to meet usual University deadlines.
     
    Resubmission
    If a student is dissatisfied with an assessment grade they should follow the Student Grievance Resolution Process <https://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/grievance/process/>. Students who are not satisfied with a particular assessment result should raise their concerns with Course Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance. This must be done within 10 business days of the date of notification of the result. Resubmission of any assignment is subject to the agreement of the Course Co-ordinator(s) and will only be permitted for the most compelling of reasons.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.