Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this assessment and this module, you will have demonstrated your ability to:

1. Discuss and critically reflect on how key public health initiatives may impact on the wider determinants of health to control or remove health effects.

2. Propose further recommendations to an identified global health issue.

Module Overview

Although there have been improvements in public health across the globe there still remain great inequalities within regions and countries of the world. Social, environmental and medical determinants of these inequalities impact on the health of communities and environment. Public Health activities play a key part in improving the health of families, communities and neighbourhoods. Students will gain a critical understanding of health surveillance, key public health initiatives, health protection, governance and legislature. Discuss and critically reflect on how key public health initiatives may impact on the wider determinants of health to control or remove health effects. Students will explore and examine the issues that relate to public health through an international lens in terms of determinants of health and through reflection on their own practice. Using essential elements of public health as a framework, students will be able to compare activities between regions and countries to apply their own knowledge in relation to their own area of public health.

Summative Assessment [Graded Assessment]

Summative Assessment [Graded Assessment] Guidelines

There will be only ONE health issue e.g. diabetes prevention, vaccination uptake, diabetes treatment, HIV prevention.

There will be two regions or countries discussed. There will be recommendations for one of these. The below are just examples: any regions or countries can be used as long as the below format is followed.

Example 1: Discussing activities or programmes in Mumbai and Kerala. Making recommendations for Kerala.

Example 2: Discussing activities or programmes in the UK and Malta. Making recommendations for Malta.

Example 3: Discussing activities or programmes in Germany and Ontario. Making recommendations for Ontario.

Example Structure and Further Guidelines for the Summative Assessment [Graded Assessment]

There should be no headings as this is an essay.

The health issue (obesity) presented here is just an example: any health issue can be addressed.

Introduction

(approximately 10% of word count.)

The definition of public health that will be used for the essay. Then (example):

Obesity is chronic medical condition (Spear et al., 2007). The use of the term chronic has been a source of debate in recent years but its use is aimed at highlighting that the disease is a long-standing one with a high chance of relapse and that if obesity is treated, the high risks for developing associated conditions will be eliminated. Discuss and critically reflect on how key public health initiatives may impact on the wider determinants of health to control or remove health effects. Overweightness or obesity is present in nearly 20% of children worldwide (Global Health Observatory, 2016).

This paper will explore childhood obesity in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (US) where recommendations will be made for the US.

In 2014/15, it is reported that NHS England spent £5.1 billion in overweight and obesity-related ill-health such as type 2 diabetes (Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), 2017).

Discussion

Discussing and comparing activities or programmes to improve public health (example):

In April 2018, the UK government implemented a levy on producers and importers of high sugar content drinks such as soft drinks (HM Revenue & Customs, 2017). This was aimed specifically at reducing childhood obesity by encouraging the reduction of sugar content in drinks as this is a main risk of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, 2015). The generated revenue is being invested back in programmes to decrease childhood obesity (DHSC, 2017).

Developing and implementing policy can be challenging and arguably one needs to address each of: preserving consumer choice, applying restrictions and risk of being labelled a nanny state.

A similar/contrasting approach is taken by the US… The US employs a different system, that of having multiple states with different legislations…

These also need to be compared and discussed here:

v  Public health systems and structures for the two countries

v  The underpinning public health values and approaches for the two countries (see Naidoo and Willis (2005) (Unit 4)).

v  The public health model that may be dominant for the two countries and why (see the different models presented in Unit 4).

Recommendations

(The suggested word count for this part is approximately 10%-25% of word count as necessary.)

Recommendations to one region or country

One needs to be careful when making recommendations to the US after reflecting on the strategy implemented in the UK due the identified differences between them. Following the arguments presented in this work, the following recommendations are being made:

Recommendations which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and provide a time-frame as necessary.

• Recommendation 1
• Recommendation 2
• More recommendations can be provided as necessary.

Conclusion

(approximately 5% of word count.)

Summarising the whole work. No new material should be included here.

In conclusion…

Formative Assessment

In preparation for the summative assessment all students will be required to engage in the activities in the different units of the ‘Study Materials’.

Rubric

On the following page you will find the rubric that your tutor will use for marking. The rubric will help identify different areas of strength and those areas in need of further improvement. Your tutor will also provide personalised feedback and feedforward in relation to your achievement of the Learning Outcomes for this module.