PHPS40850 Sociology&Social Epidemiology

Academic Year 2022/2023

Social epidemiology is about looking at the distribution and determinants of states of health in populations, via social structures, institutions, and relationships that influence health and health chances. This course is designed to focus on several key sociological ideas that inform debates and research in public health. Included, shall be a sections on,

The development of medical sociology (from the 1950s) drills down considerably on these issues in terms of context, history, and cross-cultural understanding. The history and role of sociology in health care, ranging from sociological and anthropological concepts of health and illness from basic inception of health through health experiences, the role of social structure/s and on key social organisations and institutions.

Discussion health variations/inequalities and strategies that attempt to deal with social and health inequalities. This will look at research approaches and will discuss the inclusion of ethnographic fieldwork as well as look at the uses and limitations of respective research methods in this area.

It will introduce social capital. It will look at where ideas about social capital and will link these to pragmatic strategies by Western governments to democratise health.

It will look at an additional theoretical approach (critical Realism) and will introduce the work of Roy Bhaskar and the relevance of this for Public Health research.

Lectures and seminars shall include the following,
● Outline of Course: Introduction: Towards and understanding of Health and illness.
● Concepts of health and illness
● Medical Knowledge and the rise of modern medicine.
● Changing Patterns of health and Illness (social epidemiology) Globalisation.
● Identity: (Including hard to reach communities - The All Ireland Traveller Health Study)
● Social Inequalities / Health chances and Inequalities.
● Health and social capital.
● Methodology and methodologies (Including a critique of quantitative and qualitative methodologies in public health research (including ethnography). Research methods, positivism, hermeneutics - postmodernism- CR)
● Health, Realism and Critical Realism,
● Formal and informal medicine: Biomedicine CAM and Folk medicine
● The role of Social Sciences in pandemic preparation (EU PREPARE RESEARCH) http://prepare.ucd.ie/



Pedagogic/teaching methodology :

1) A series of lectures, 2) student seminars presentations/ workshop, plenary discussions and review. 3) Independent learning. Blended
Includes didactic lectures, tutorials, small group learning, workshops and independent learning includes essential reading and Self-Directed Learning.

Schedules learning includes lectures and tutorials. Several online lectures are provided to students as well. During the tutorials, articles are discussed based on predefined tasks.
Independent learning includes hours engaged with essential reading, tutorial preparation, assignment preparation and completion and self-directed study.
Brightspace is used to provide students with links to online lectures, lectures slides, links to the articles and the questions that will be discussed during tutorials and assignment details. Module support is provided via email and via Brightspace.

Show/hide contentOpenClose All

Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Learning competences / objectives ("what the student is expected to know and be able to do at the end of the module")

By the end of the course students should be able to,
● demonstrate an awareness of the problems of conceptualising health and illness and the implications of such problems;
● show an appreciation of some key theoretical approaches within sociology to the study of health, illness and health care;
● understand the relationship between states of health and social forces;
and compare and contrast sociological and anthropological perspectives of health and illness.
● Understand data and data sources viz-a-viz the measures (and utility of such measures) of socio-economic position.
● Develop a broad perspective on the social determinants of health, including social capital and cohesion, psychosocial and life-course approaches.
● Have a 'tool box' approach to research, ie, a basic working knowledge of some key Qualitative Methodologies, the use of mixed methods approaches, as well as a critical understanding of both quantitative and qualitative underlying theoretical principles of research.
● Understand the conceptual and methodological challenges of using quantitative and qualitative methodologies (and mixed methods) to investigate social determinants of health.
● Gain an appreciation of underlying theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of research methodologies including mixed methods, ie positivism (hypothetical-deductive models), and (inductive models) interpretivism (hermeneutics) and combinations- Critical Realism.
● Critically appraise research viz-a-viz role of social determinants of health that generate health inequalities and inequities.
● Analyse the policy implications of research on health inequalities and inequities.
Syllabus content. Brief overview of syllabus using bullet points.


Indicative Module Content:


This course is designed to focus on several key sociological ideas, which inform debates and research in public health.
1. It will discuss the role of sociology in health care ranging from sociological and anthropological concepts of health and illness from basic inception of health through health experiences, the role of social structure/s and on key social institutions.

2. It will discuss health variations and strategies that attempt to deal with social and health inequalities. This will look at research approaches and will discuss the inclusion of ethnographic fieldwork as well as look at the uses and limitations of respective research methods in this area.

3. It will introduce social capital. It will look at where ideas about social capital and will link these to pragmatic strategies by Western governments to democratise health.

4. The course will look at an additional theoretical approach (critical Realism) and will introduce the work of Roy Bhaskar and the relevance of this for Public Health.

5. Lectures and seminars shall include the following,
● Outline of Course: Introduction to Sociology.
● Introduction: Towards and understanding of Health and illness.
● Concepts of health and illness
● Medical Knowledge and the rise of modern medicine.
● Changing Patterns of health and Illness (social epidemiology) Globalisation.
● Religion, ethnicity Identity and health and illness. (Including hard to reach communities - The All Ireland Traveller Health Study)
● Social Inequalities / Health Inequalities.
● Health and social capital.
● Methodology and methodologies (Including qualitative methods in public health research (including ethnography). Research methods, positivism, hermeneutics - postmodernism- CR)
● Health, Realism and Critical Realism,
● Formal and informal medicine: Biomedicine CAM and Folk medicine
● The role of Social Sciences in pandemic preparation (EU PREPARE RESEARCH) http://prepare.ucd.ie/

Module level timetable - indicate the timing of the teaching sessions from the previous teaching year:

9:00-11:00, Thursdays, semester 2 (over 12 weeks)


Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

30

Tutorial

12

Autonomous Student Learning

83

Online Learning

Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

Pedagogic/teaching methodology : Didactic and interactive lectures, Group presentations and seminars
Task-based learning.

Medical Sociology 1) A series of lectures, 2) student seminars presentations/ workshop, plenary discussions and review. 3) Independent learning. Blended and Face to Face
Includes lectures, tutorials, small group learning, workshops and independent learning includes essential reading and Self-Directed Learning.

During the tutorials, articles are discussed based on predefined tasks.
Independent learning includes hours engaged with essential reading, tutorial preparation, assignment preparation and completion and self-directed study.

Brightspace is used to provide students with information as well as links to online lectures, lectures slides, links to the articles and the questions that will be discussed during tutorials and assignment details.
Module support and communication is provided via email and via Brightspace.

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Students should have completed the modules PHPS40010: Fundamentals of Epidemiology and PHPS40190: Biostatistics I


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Presentation: Seminar/Presentation. Takes place at the end of the Trimester Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

40

Essay: Essay for Sociology Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

60


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer Yes - 1 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

All materials, including reading list available on Brightspace
Name Role
Assoc Professor Ronald Moore Lecturer / Co-Lecturer