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Non Communicable Disease & Global Health (POPH90247)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
June
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: MSPGH Website
- Email: Enquiry Form
Overview
| Availability | June |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
Globally, non communicable disease (NCD) accounts for 65.5 percent of all deaths, and 54 precent of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) . While NCD has sometimes been assumed to impact only wealthy countries, globally it is a major health and development challenge. Around 80 percent of NCD-related deaths occur in low and middle incomes countries. Nations with the highest NCD burden include some of Australia’s closest neighbours, particularly island states in the Pacific where over 70 percent of mortality is now due to NCD resulting in falls in life expectancy in some countries. The growing NCD burden is of critical importance to global health and development because it impacts economic growth and levels of poverty, leads to premature death, and has major social and fiscal implications for governments and communities.
Participants of this subject will gain practical understanding of the epidemiology, determinants, consequences and global health responses to the NCD epidemic. The subject will promote participants’ exploration of the nexuses between NCD and disability, NCD and infectious diseases, and NCD and the broader public health and international development agenda. The subject will contribute to enabling a new generation of public health professionals to address NCD through policy and programmatic responses in Australia and globally.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of this subject students will be able to:
- Consider and appraise the major social, political, environmental, cultural and economic factors driving NCD globally, particularly in low and middle-income countries;
- Describe the historical evolution of the NCDs epidemic, including major political and social changes and how these compare with communicable diseases;
- Explore and apply global, regional and national strategies to address NCD;
- Compare and evaluate key methods for NCD surveillance, monitoring and evaluation;
- Consider and compare the current and forecasted burden of NCD globally and among development groups, regions and subregions;
- Distinguish between the major global and regional NCD ‘players’ and their roles, including government, NGO and intergovernmental bodies.
Generic skills
Knowledge
Upon completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Describe and appraise public health systems, structures and policies in Australia and other countries, as they apply to NCDs, and be able to distinguish a population-based approach from individual based approaches;
- Articulate the ways in which age, gender, ethnicity and Indigenous status, society, culture, geography, the environment and socio-economic status influence NCDs and public health practice.
Skills
Upon completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Describe how the concept of equity applies to public health practice;
- Identify and access public health evidence, and appraise and synthesise this evidence to inform public health decision making with regard to NCDs;
- Explain and/or plan strategies to prevent disease (and injury) and to protect and improve health (i.e. health promotion, screening, legislation and policy).
Application of knowledge and skills
Upon completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Apply a comprehensive knowledge of a public health, with reference to NCDs, to develop solutions to complex public health problems;
- Design and manage a detailed investigation of a NCD-related issue, with a high level personal autonomy.
Last updated: 3 November 2022