THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences : Global Health

Postgraduate Course: Public Health Informatics (GLHE11037)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThe course will be divided into 5 sessions, each lasting a week. Most sessions will contain written materials and presentations, accompanied by guided reading in the form of links to journal articles with problem-based learning questions.
Discussion of the content and reading materials will be posted to an online forum, along with students¿ answers to the PBL questions.
Students will be expected to produce a 2500 word essay by the end of the course.
Course description Public health informatics is the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice, research, and learning. This course provides a broad overview of the field, taking account of classic public health information delivery, core principles of epidemiology, health inequalities and health behaviour change, as well as the implications of massive linked datasets for research and policy, and the value of emerging mobile and social technologies for health surveillance. It will discuss the issues from an international perspective, with reference to global public health needs and the emergence of innovative digital systems and analytics
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs Students will be responsible for their computer equipment and internet access
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Block 2 (Sem 1)
Course Start Date 30/10/2017
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 5, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 1, Online Activities 35, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5, Formative Assessment Hours 5, Revision Session Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 46 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Collated forum postings: 30%

Essay: 70%
Feedback Formative feedback will be given throughout the course through the discussion boards. Summative assessment feedback is also provided via LEARN at the end of the course.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Identify the main global public health challenges faced by health systems today
  2. Recognise the value of digital information management systems for supporting healthcare systems, and their role in the monitoring and evaluation of public health.
  3. Discuss the political, economic and technical challenges to health systems integration.
  4. Critically discuss the current and future role of the internet and social media in public health
  5. Examine ethical dilemmas related to digital information, tools and services
Reading List
Book: O-Carroll et al (2010) Public Health Informatics and Information Systems. Springer http://www.amazon.co.uk/Public-Health-Informatics-Information-Systems/dp/1441930183#_

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics. http://ojphi.org/index

Paul M.J. & Dredze M (2011) You Are What You Tweet: Analyzing Twitter for Public Health. Proceedings of the Fifth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media http://www.aaai.org/ocs/index.php/ICWSM/ICWSM11/paper/viewFile/2880/3264

Yasnoff, W.A., O¿Carroll, P.W., Koo, D., Linkins, R.W. and Kilbourne, E.M. (2000) Public health informatics: improving and transforming public health in the information age. J Public Health Management Practice, 6(6), 67-75. http://www.uic.edu/sph/prepare/courses/ph420/resources/PHInformatics.pdf

Up-to-date articles and web links will be selected each time the course runs.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Understands where eHealth/health informatics and Public Health intersect and is able to explain this to others

Is familiar with core concerns of public health and the core principles of epidemiology

Is aware of the value of information infrastructures for improving the capacity of public health systems to manage patients and improve outcomes

Can describe innovative uses of digital media for public health communication, health behaviour change and health monitoring.

Understands the need for and challenges of public health informatics in the 21st century.
Special Arrangements Delivered via online distance learning
Study Abroad No study abroad option
KeywordsGlobal eHealth
Contacts
Course organiserDr Claudia Pagliari
Tel: (0131 6)50 9464
Email:
Course secretaryMs Gayle Fitzpatrick
Tel: (0131 6)50 9236
Email:
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