Introduction to
UNIT Public Health
1 Research
Introduction
Welcome to the first unit of Public Health Research, a Masters level unit which
aims to help you to develop an understanding of the nature and scope of Public
Health and how to conduct research on a Public Health problem.
At strategic points across the module we will ask you to consider questions
related to your assignments. These will help you formulate ideas for the research
protocol or proposal which forms the main outcome of this module. For any
research undertaking, it is common practice to develop an outline, which is
known as a proposal or a protocol according to a prescribed format. This is what
you will submit to the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee, or to a funding
committee if you are undertaking the research outside of the university. You will
find the format for your protocol detailed in the diagram called Stages in the
Development of a Research Protocol in the Module Introduction. By the end of
this unit, you should have identified a research problem and developed a
research question that is appropriate to address a Public Health problem, that is
you will have completed Stage 1.
Study Sessions
There are three study sessions in this unit:
Study Session 1: What is Public Health?
Study Session 2: Approaches in Public Health Research.
Study Session 3: Analysing Problems in Public Health.
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
1
,SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
2
,Unit 1 - Session 1
What is Public Health?
Introduction
This study session aims to distinguish the concept of Public Health from
individual health, and begins to provide you with different views of Public Health.
From this discussion, you should begin to formulate your own definition of Public
Health. You will also consider the interaction of Public Health practices in various
sectors such as education, environment, local government, etc., and describe the
activities of Public Health practitioners in the health and other sectors.
The session includes a substantial reading and there are several tasks which you
should complete while you read it. You will find the feedback to the tasks
integrated across the session.
Session contents
1 Learning outcomes of this session
2 Readings
3 What is Public Health?
4 Current scope and concerns in Public Health
5 Session summary
6 References
Timing of this session
There is one reading in this session, and there are three tasks to help you read
actively. The session should take you about five hours to complete, depending on
your reading speed. You should try to take time to engage with the reading
thoroughly however.
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
3
, 1 LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THIS SESSION
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
Explore the concept of Public Health.
Define Public Health.
Identify critical Public Health activities within and outside the Health Sector.
2 READINGS
There is one reading in this session.
Detels, R., Breslow, L., Walter, W., McEwen, J. & Omenn, G. S. (Eds). (1997). Current
scope and concerns in Public Health. In The Oxford Textbook of Public Health. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, pp3-17.
3 WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?
Although it may sound simple, defining Public Health is in fact quite complex and
difficult. This is because there is no universally accepted definition of Public
Health. In addition, definitions of Public Health have changed over time. This
means that within one time period, most Public Health practitioners would have
accepted (even if grudgingly) a particular definition, but ten years later, that
definition may not be acceptable to the majority. The implication is either that
Public Health practitioners are a very confused bunch, or that Public Health is
dynamic, fluid and constantly changing to meet the challenges of a given time
period.
3.1 Definitions of Public Health
In the first reading, several definitions of Public Health through the ages are
provided. Make a mind map in your notebook as you read, with the words Public
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
4
UNIT Public Health
1 Research
Introduction
Welcome to the first unit of Public Health Research, a Masters level unit which
aims to help you to develop an understanding of the nature and scope of Public
Health and how to conduct research on a Public Health problem.
At strategic points across the module we will ask you to consider questions
related to your assignments. These will help you formulate ideas for the research
protocol or proposal which forms the main outcome of this module. For any
research undertaking, it is common practice to develop an outline, which is
known as a proposal or a protocol according to a prescribed format. This is what
you will submit to the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee, or to a funding
committee if you are undertaking the research outside of the university. You will
find the format for your protocol detailed in the diagram called Stages in the
Development of a Research Protocol in the Module Introduction. By the end of
this unit, you should have identified a research problem and developed a
research question that is appropriate to address a Public Health problem, that is
you will have completed Stage 1.
Study Sessions
There are three study sessions in this unit:
Study Session 1: What is Public Health?
Study Session 2: Approaches in Public Health Research.
Study Session 3: Analysing Problems in Public Health.
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
1
,SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
2
,Unit 1 - Session 1
What is Public Health?
Introduction
This study session aims to distinguish the concept of Public Health from
individual health, and begins to provide you with different views of Public Health.
From this discussion, you should begin to formulate your own definition of Public
Health. You will also consider the interaction of Public Health practices in various
sectors such as education, environment, local government, etc., and describe the
activities of Public Health practitioners in the health and other sectors.
The session includes a substantial reading and there are several tasks which you
should complete while you read it. You will find the feedback to the tasks
integrated across the session.
Session contents
1 Learning outcomes of this session
2 Readings
3 What is Public Health?
4 Current scope and concerns in Public Health
5 Session summary
6 References
Timing of this session
There is one reading in this session, and there are three tasks to help you read
actively. The session should take you about five hours to complete, depending on
your reading speed. You should try to take time to engage with the reading
thoroughly however.
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
3
, 1 LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THIS SESSION
By the end of this session, you should be able to:
Explore the concept of Public Health.
Define Public Health.
Identify critical Public Health activities within and outside the Health Sector.
2 READINGS
There is one reading in this session.
Detels, R., Breslow, L., Walter, W., McEwen, J. & Omenn, G. S. (Eds). (1997). Current
scope and concerns in Public Health. In The Oxford Textbook of Public Health. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, pp3-17.
3 WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?
Although it may sound simple, defining Public Health is in fact quite complex and
difficult. This is because there is no universally accepted definition of Public
Health. In addition, definitions of Public Health have changed over time. This
means that within one time period, most Public Health practitioners would have
accepted (even if grudgingly) a particular definition, but ten years later, that
definition may not be acceptable to the majority. The implication is either that
Public Health practitioners are a very confused bunch, or that Public Health is
dynamic, fluid and constantly changing to meet the challenges of a given time
period.
3.1 Definitions of Public Health
In the first reading, several definitions of Public Health through the ages are
provided. Make a mind map in your notebook as you read, with the words Public
SOPH, UWC, Master of Public Health - Public Health Research- Unit 1
4
