This course is designed to introduce students to the social and socio-structural factors influencing the health of individuals and populations, along with social theories which explain how health and health inequalities are shaped over the lifespan. The first portion of the course will centre on how to measure, interpret, and holestically understand common metrics of health, such as measures of morbidity, illness, disability, and life expectancy. A life course perspective will be used to understand and incorporate measures of morbidity and illness as individuals age over time. Subsequently, we will explore human health from a historical perspective, learning about the primary factors that have driven massive health improvements over the past century. Emphasis will be placed on the similarities, and differences, in these health transitions across high-, middle-, and low-income contexts. We will then explore the social and structural factors underlying health disparities both across populations and between individuals, including the roles of gender, wealth, educational attainment, occupation, ethnicity, and immigrant status. We will discuss emerging trends that threaten these continued improvements—obesity, cardiovascular disease, smoking, drug overdose, and dementia. In these discussions, we will focus on the role of social relationships in affecting health, and the ways that inequality, social stigma, and biases can perpetuate detrimental health behaviours.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- calculate and interpret quantitative measures used to measure health, illness, disability, and death.
- identify and explain the primary determinants of population health in varying socioeconomic contexts;
- combine quantitative measures and social theories to explain the origins and development of health inequalities across the human lifespan;
- to critically reflect on how social and biological factors combine to create health inequalities; and
- to explore barriers to realising health equities, along with policies and interventions which may ameliorate their social causes.
Indicative Assessment
- Weekly reflection and question for final exam (10) [LO 1,2,3]
- Tutorial presentation (10%) and participation (5%) (15) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Policy brief proposal and annotated bibliography (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Policy brief (approx.1750 words) (40) [LO 2,3,4,5]
- Final exam (25) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 12 hours of tutorials, and 24 hours of online content such as recorded lectures, performances, videos, podcasts, and other online materials;
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Mel Bartley. Health Inequality: An Introduction to Concepts, Theories and Methods, 2nd Edition. ISBN: 978-0-745-69110-7
A number of required readings will come from this text, which is available as an e-book.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.