Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

Or Health and Society if taken in 2017-18 or before

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module provides students with in-depth theoretical and research-informed understanding of social determinants of health, their contribution to health inequalities and the basis for developing policies and interventions to address them. Emphasis is placed on research-led teaching by leading authorities in the field including short topic-based presentations on highly contemporary research.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will cover the following topics:

•       What do we mean by the “social determinants of health”?
•       How can we better understand how social determinants of health impact health
inequalities?
•       How do national and global policies and institutions affect social determinants of health?

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:

•       Understand the importance of various social determinants of health in contributing to health outcomes
and health inequalities
•       Understand the nature of the research evidence on social determinants of health and how this evidence
can be used to develop and evaluate public policies
• Be able to apply that understanding to specific examples of health inequalities
•       Understand the significance for health of public policies outside the health sector, and choices made by
private actors outside the health sector.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:

•       Critically assess research evidence on the social determinants of health
•       Look ‘upstream’ to consider health beyond any given health service
• Apply those skills and understandings to the discussion of health inequality using an outcome and
context of their own choosing in the form of work that meets high standards of scientific
quality and clarity.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Most of the learning outcomes relate to critiquing and/or analysing the subject. Presentation will be structured to be as interactive as possible, with in-built opportunities for facilitated group work and peer interaction. To bring all the students to a similar level of comprehension, students will be asked to read and prepare for group work sessions prior to the lectures. The module talk will take the form of an optional formative surgery on the assessment, in which students will be given the opportunity to discuss queries about the summative assessment, either submitted in advance or provided on the day, no written feedback is provided.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment will
a)       test students’ ability critically to assess explanations for health inequalities that are organised around social determinants of health, and
b)       invite them to apply this knowledge and skill set by focusing on a specific health inequality using an outcome and context of their own choosing.

General Notes

N/A