Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
PUBH100 Foundations of Public Health OR PUBH102 Foundations of Health Promotion
Teaching organisation
150 hours of focused learning
Unit rationale, description and aim
The analysis and management of emergencies and disasters is an important aspect of public health practice, both in the domestic and international environments. The enormous disruption to physical, personal and social systems has significant impacts on population health. This disruption needs to be managed effectively to deal with immediate health needs and prevent further negative health consequences. Students will be introduced to the major considerations required to manage the public health aspects of large scale emergency situations. A particular focus will be placed on access to shelter, water and sanitation, and adequate food and nutrition in developing country settings. The aim of this unit is to provide a comprehensive understanding of public health considerations in emergency situations and a framework for developing competent public health planning across a diverse range of emergency and natural disaster situations.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Demonstrate an understanding of ethical, political and regulatory considerations in emergency response | GC1, GC2 |
| LO2 | Apply the principles of emergency planning, response and preparedness in the context of health protection. | GC1, GC2, GC11 |
| LO3 | Advocate for strategies to enhance community preparedness for natural disasters. | GC1, GC7, GC11 |
| LO4 | Plan and conduct community needs assessment relevant to emergencies | GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC11, GC12 |
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of humanitarian and other non-government agencies in assessing, managing and preventing international and domestic emergencies
- Ethical, political and legal frameworks for disease control and prevention in emergencies
- Public health issues related to compromised water and sanitation systems, and strategies for remediation
- Public health issues and consequences of forced migration
- Principles of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that are respectful and support self-determination in the face of emergencies.
- Identification of food insecurity and malnutrition, and development of effective prevention and response strategies
- Information gathering, analysis, control and communication, and use of the media in emergencies and disasters
- Health emergency management and planning
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Teaching and learning strategies addressing basic concepts and frameworks will involve lectures, tutorials, and small group discussions. Specialised topics will rely on video links with experts in various settings related to domestic and international case studies. Since the management of public health in emergencies and disasters involves collaboration within multidisciplinary teams away from base, students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively within group activities.
The design of this unit is based on the constructivism approach, which supports active learning that encourages students to engage in a range of learning activities to facilitate the construction of new knowledge. This unit used constructive alignment in the design process, meaning that learning activities and assessment tasks are designed to address the intended learning outcomes directly. First, students will be introduced to the underlying major issues characteristic of most emergency situations to enable the achievement of factual and conceptual knowledge. Then, students will develop skills by applying their knowledge through various activities during tutorials and online activities via Canvas. To accommodate different learning styles, this unit will engage students in a variety of face-to-face, online and self-directed activities. These will include the exploration of case studies, readings, online and in-class discussions, and accessing video content.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The first assessment addresses the issue of media communication, which is an important consideration in emergency contexts. The assessment tests students’ ability to identify the appropriateness and effects of media activity in such contexts.
The second assessment evaluates students’ ability to apply emergency management principles to the analysis of a previous public health emergency.
The final assessment, a group presentation and individual written paper, examines students' knowledge and application of emergency management principles and theories by designing an emergency management plan.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Written and oral media analysis To assess the ability to deconstruct media communications related to emergency contexts | 20% | LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2: Written case study To assess the ability to analyse a specific emergency intervention in relation to principles of emergency management | 30% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 3: Group presentation and individual written paper To assess the ability to evaluate and synthesise knowledge and application of principles and theories relevant to managing emergencies | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Chan, E.Y. (2021). Health Emergency Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM). (2nd ed.). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.
Chan, E. Y. (2017). Public health humanitarian responses to natural disasters. Routledge.
Department of Home Affairs. (2019). Health and Disaster Management Handbook. (2nd ed.). Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
Haddow, G. D., Bullock, J. A. & Coppola, D. P. (2017). Introduction to emergency management. (6th ed.). Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann.
Hopkins/lFRC. Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. (2019). Health and Disaster Management Handbook (online)
Kapucu, N. & Özerdem, A. (2013). Managing emergencies and crises. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Katz, R. & Banaski, J.A., Jr. (2019). Essentials of public health preparedness and emergency management. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Sellwood, C. & Wapling, A. (Eds.). (2016). Health emergency preparedness and response. CABI.
UN, UNISDR. (2015). Sendai Framework for Risk Reduction 2015-2030. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.