Equal health and healthcare - theoretical perspectives and tools for change, 7.5 Credits

Contents

The course examines the question of inequalities within and between different social categories and groups. The course deals with issues including gender, ethnicity, migration, class, sexuality, urban/rural areas and young people's health and access to healthcare. Inequalities are dealt with at different levels of society and from different theoretical, ethical and normative perspectives, as well as for different kinds of health outcomes and different kinds of healthcare. The course provides participants with opportunities to reflect on how different social determinants of health affect the health of individuals and groups, and to reflect on how these may possibly, within their profession, contribute to maintaining or counteracting inequalities. Course participants are also provided with tools, both theoretical and practical, that can be used in healthcare and practical public health work in order to strive for greater equality.

Expected learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student shall be able to:

• Describe central concepts such as sex/gender, intersectionality and social determinants of health. 
• Describe different types of inequalities in health and access to healthcare.
• Describe theories and current research on inequalities and improved equality.

Skills and abilities
After completing the course, the student shall be able to:

• Identify the ways in which they can benefit from theoretical and practical tools in their professional work in order to improve health and access to care for marginalised groups.
• In the light of the theoretical perspectives and inequalities highlighted during the course, identify how health and access to healthcare can be distributed more equally in the population. 

Judgement and approach
After completing the course, the student shall be able to:

• Discuss and reflect on how knowledge of inequalities in healthcare can be translated into tangible measures to increase equality in health and access to healthcare. 
• Reflect and analyse orally and in writing on normative and ethical aspects of inequalities in health and access to care. 

Required Knowledge

Applicants for the course as a freestanding course require at least 90 ECTS, of which a minimum 30 ECTS are within one of the following: Health Sciences, Environmental Health or Social Sciences. English proficiency equivalent to English B/6 from Swedish Upper secondary education.

Form of instruction

The teaching consists of online lectures (recorded and live), online seminars and written assignments with peer feedback. Participation in seminars is mandatory. Instructions for online seminars are provided in the course instructions. Language of instruction: English.

Examination modes

The course is examined through 

• a) Written individual and group-based assignments including feedback assignments.
• b) Active participation in mandatory online seminars 
• c) Written individual examination/assignment. 

For written individual and group-based assignments, as well as mandatory online seminars, the grades are fail (U) or pass (G). For the individual written examination, the grades are fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG).
 
To achieve the grade pass (G) for the whole course, the student must have passed all the examination elements of the course. To achieve the grade pass with distinction (VG) for the whole course, the grade pass with distinction (VG) is also required for the examination.

In the event of absence from or a failed grade in mandatory sessions, the examiner decides on a replacement assignment or whether the student must repeat the session.

For students who have not passed examination assignments, depending on the assignment, it may be possible for an individually adapted complementary assignment or a new assignment in order to achieve the criteria for a pass.  A new assignment must be offered no sooner than two weeks after students have been notified of the examination results and no later than two months after the regular examination. It is not possible to get a higher degree than "pass" for complementary assignments.

The student is entitled to five examinations. A student who has completed two examinations for a course or part of a course without achieving a pass has the right to have a different examiner appointed, unless special reasons dictate otherwise (Chapter 6, Section 22 of the Higher Education Ordinance). A request for a new examiner is submitted to the Programme Council of the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health.
 
Deviations from the course syllabus' examination may be made for a student who has been subject to a decision granting pedagogical support due to a disability. Individual adaption of the examination form shall be considered based on the student's needs. The form of examination is adapted within the framework of the expected study results of the course syllabus. At the student's request, the course coordinator shall promptly decide, in consultation with the examiner, on the appropriate form of examination. The decision shall then be communicated to the student.

Further instructions regarding examinations and the awarding of grades are issued by the course coordinator at the beginning of the course.