HSC4013 - Sociological Influences on Health and Wellbeing

Objectives:

On sucessful completion of the modules, students will be able to:

1 - Identify how specific social determinants of health influence community health and wellbeing;
2 - Define what constitutes a community or a neighbourhood;
3 - Investigate and report on how health data can be used to address issues around social injustice and health inequalities arising from the social determinants;
4 - Discuss how concepts, policies, and theories relevant to social influences on health and wellbeing can shape and address issues related to health inequality in communities; and,
5 - Explain methods used to support communities to tackle inequalities and social injustices arising from these determinants of health.

Content:

The module will introduce sociological factors which influence health and wellbeing including social determinants of health and factors that influence, gender, culture, education, poverty, and employment. You will explore causes and effects of inequalities in health and social care for diverse groups such as minority groups, vulnerable adults and ageing populations, including how this may change across the lifespan and within communities. You will examine national and international policy responses to address social injustice in health and social care and how health data can inform our understanding. Major sociological theories and concepts will be discussed including social conflict theory, feminism, symbolic interactionism, and functionalism, considering how these influence the wider determinants of health for individuals and within communities. This module is the sociological part of the biopsychosocial model, which will lay the foundations for the degree in total and enable you to consider the holistic and person-centred care approaches for your future graduate roles and employment.

This module contributes to your holistic understanding of the biopsychosocial model of health.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Lectures will introduce the weekly content of the module identifying key principles/concepts supported by blended learning pre and post session activities on Moodle. The lecture content will be supported by seminars enabling small group discussion, role play, problem-based learning and case study exploration of psychological perspectives in health and wellbeing. Appropriate specialist practitioners and service users will be invited to contribute to sessions to increase the authenticity of the module and highlight employability links. Learning styles will be supported by a variety of resources including videos, reading material, discussion and debate, e-learning modules, problem solving and practical tasks. In the modules, vlogs and blogs serve as powerful tools to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and professional practice. These mediums enhance emotional recognition, digital literacy, and reflective capacity. Blogs and vlogs are increasingly used as teaching methods because they leverage 21st-century technology to promote active learning, increase student engagement, and foster critical thinking. They function as dynamic, flexible, and interactive tools that allow educators to move beyond traditional, passive lecturing, enabling a "flipped classroom" model where learners engage with content before class.

Lectures
Hours: 25
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Seminars/Workshops
Hours: 25
Intended Group Size: 20

Guided independent study
Hours: 250



Further Details Relating to Assessment

Post session activities submitted through Moodle will facilitate ongoing formative assessment opportunities via lecturer or peer feedback; these may include responses to case studies, quizzes, forum posts or blogs and self-assessment. Information about formative assessment and assessment support will be detailed in the module handbook.

Component 001- Multimedia presentation LIVE (5 minutes): You will deliver a presentation (negotiated style), your presentation will explain how to support communities to address inequalities, social injustice and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Component 002- Portfolio (1500 words): The portfolio will be based upon on several tasks requiring students to analyse a local health profile, outline how social injustice affects health inequalities in the area and explain how the wider determinants contribute to these inequalities of health and wellbeing within the community.

These assessments will allow you to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of concepts and theories relevant to social influences on health and wellbeing.

Assessment:

001 Multimedia presentation; live assessment; mid sem 1 50%
002 Portfolio; 1500 words; end sem 1 50%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 4
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 4S1

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