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HL50613: Identifying public health solutions

[Page last updated: 03 August 2022]

Academic Year: 2022/23
Owning Department/School: Department for Health
Credits: 7.5 [equivalent to 15 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 150
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Literature Review with Evidence Appraisal (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: Identify and interpret evidence on public health approaches and policies, including population level behaviour change interventions
Design and conduct systematic reviews and meta-analysis on public health related topics
Critically evaluate and appraise the scientific literature including interpret findings and critique the strengths and limitations of the literature
Demonstrate an understanding of the hierarchy of evidence and the evaluate the suitability of different study designs for public health research
Show awareness of the importance of interval validity in public health study design, including but not limited to population sampling, randomisation and allocation, sample size and clustering
Recognise and discuss the utility of mixed method approaches and the importance of external validity for public health research.

Aims: The aim of this unit is to teach students how to identify and critique possible policy and programme approaches for tackling public health problems on a local, national and global level.

Content: This unit will provide students with the methods to review the available evidence in order to identify possible solutions, in the form of public health approaches and policies, to the types of population health problems identified in Unit 2. The students will learn how to make an informed decision based on the evidence of effectiveness and economic viability of public health solutions. This will include searching, identifying and critically appraising a range of evidence, including both academic and grey literature. The unit will also consider the application of the generally accepted medical hierarchy of evidence and apply it to public health research, discussing the importance of context in choosing an approach that suits the public health question and the context in which the work is being done. This will involve understanding the impact of study design, including sampling and analysis, on the strength of the evidence being presented along with the importance of internal and external validity.

Programme availability:

HL50613 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department for Health

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2022/23 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2023/24 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2022/23.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.