Aging and Age-Related Disorders from a Biological, Epidemiological and Clinical Perspective, 15 credits

A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits in health care or medicine. Alternatively, a degree in social work. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

The overall objective of this course is to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the particularities of health and care needs in old age, encompassing diverse topics related to geriatric syndromes, life-course determinants of healthy aging, and geriatric health and social care. By exploring these areas, students will develop critical thinking skills, apply research methodologies, and gain a deep appreciation of the complexities of health in older age, enabling the advancement of knowledge and effective care practices for the aging population.

Specifically, upon completion of the course, the student should independently be able to: 

• assess the consequences of multimorbidity and polypharmacy for patients, care providers and healthcare systems, and the opportunities for the primary-to-quaternary prevention of multimorbidity
• discuss the challenges and opportunities within the field of dementia research, e.g. clinical definition of cognitive disorders, use of biomarkers
• appraise the implications of different methodologies employed in epidemiological studies to define and operationalize frailty, sarcopenia and measures of physical functioning in older adults
• evaluate the evidence from life course studies on aging, with particular emphasis on interacting effects of biological, psychological, and social factors, and their inequalities across time, space, and historical contexts
• discuss the challenges linked to the current organization of health and social care, and the extent to which it is able to respond to older people's health needs

The course consists of three parts.

Covers various topics, including chronic diseases, multimorbidity and polypharmacy (Topic 1); Cognitive function and Dementia (Topic 2); Frailty, sarcopenia and physical function (Topic 3).

Covers the topic of Life-course determinants of health, aging, and resilience (Topic 4) and Medical and social geriatric care (Topic 5). 

Consists of writing and presenting an advaced project.

The content of the course is based on recent research findings in the field, followed by different activities where students are asked to critically reflect in relation to their work/professional role. The learning activities consist of a blended learning approach with campus meetings mixed with online teaching in the form of lectures, interactive group discussions, and interactive seminars.

The course is examined through group assignments (formative assessment) and individual written examination (summative assessment). 

• Part Health challenges and geriatric syndrome in elderly (4 hp) and Life-course determinants of healthy aging and social geriatric care (3,5 hp) are examined by individual written test related to the subject areas.
• Part Advanced project (7,5 hp) is examined by writing and presenting an advanced project.

In addition, active participation in the group discussions and peer review of other students' assignments are mandatory.

The examiner decides whether, and if so how, absence from or failure to complete compulsory course elements can be made up. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in or completed compulsory course elements or compensated for any absence in accordance with instructions from the examiner. Absence from, or failure to complete a compulsory course element could mean that the student cannot retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

Late examinations will not be considered. Students who do not submit their assignment on time are referred to the re- examination. The examiner will decide whether a student has special reasons for the delay.

Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. This does not apply when the course has been discontinued or undergone major changes. Students who do not pass the examination after three completed examinations can be offered to retake parts or the entire course one more time. This option will be subject to course availability.

If there are special reasons, or a need for adaptation for students with disabilities, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus' regulations in terms of examination form, number of examinations, possibility of supplementation or exemption from compulsory educational elements, etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities must not be changed, removed or lowered.

Language: English

Course evaluation is carried out according to the guidelines that are established by the Committee for Higher Education, at Karolinska Institutet.

The course may not be credited in a degree together with another course the student has completed and passed the contents of which completely or partly correspond to the contents of this course.