Public Health Response in Disasters, 20 credits

A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

The aims of the course are to provide competencies, to adequately prioritize, plan, implement and monitor public health interventions in disaster relief, based on needs and risks.

Module 1
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• explain how different health determinants influence vulnerability and a society's ability to cope with disasters.
• define various types of disasters and describe how they can be prevented, as well as how their negative influence on the public health can be mitigated.

Skills and abilities

• in a multistage process explain and plan how data and information about health risks and health needs can be sought, analysed and assessed in disasters.

Judgement and approach

• evaluate how various types of disasters influence public health.

Module 2.
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• explain principles of and handling of mass-casualty situations
• explain the principles of evaluation of health actions at disaster actions.

Skills and abilities

• plan for epidemiological surveillance in disasters situations.

Judgement and approach

• relate to disaster response systems, their potentials and weaknesses.
• argue for different strategies intended to meet the public health needs of the disaster.
• argue for the most important components for control of infectious diseases.

The course is divided in two modules:

Interactive lectures. Web-based assignments in groups and individual, simulation exercises and discussion seminars.

The two modules will be examinated individually In each module, compulsory parts are also included, where active participation is required.

Module 1.
The examination consists of a written assignment.

Module 2.
The examination consists of two written assignments.One of these assignments will be presented in teh student group at a compulsory seminar. This examination includes a "peer learning-part" where the students review and give feedback on each other's work.

Student who has not passed the regular examination has a right to participate at further five examinations.

The student will receive a final grade for the whole course (A-F). The final grade is an appraisal of the results in the different examinations. In order to pass the course, the student must obtain at least grade E in all examinations. In order to get a higher grade, at least two examinations require the higher grade and the third examination must not be graded less than two grades below To pass the course, one must obtain at least grade E in all examinations. To obtain a higher grade, this grade in at least two examinations is required and not more than two grades lower on the third and the fourth examination.

After each course there will be at least 6 occasions for examination within a two-year period.

Course evaluation will be carried out according to the guidelines that are established by the Board of education. The course will be given in English. The course may not be included in a higher education qualification at the same time with the overview and passed course, whose contents completely or partly corresponds to the course content.