Title:	Disease Control: Strategies and Policies
Keywords:	Non-communicable diseases Disease prevention, control and elimination Communicable diseases
Country:	Germany
Institution:	Germany - Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg
Date start:	2025-02-10
Date end:	2025-02-21
About duration and dates:	2 weeks
Classification:	advanced optional
Mode of delivery:	Face to face
ECTS credit points:	3 ECTS credits
SIT: 90 hours Contact: 60 hours, Self study: 30 hours
Language:	English
Description: This course focuses on the diseases control policies including the communicable, and non-communicable diseases as well as mental disorders, students are exposed to several case studies to enhance their critical analysis of relevant policies. By the end of this course participants will be able to: • Analyse and critically discuss policies and principles, to the control of various communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as related approaches and strategies such as primary health care, inter-sectoral collaboration, multidisciplinary approaches, and community participation • Analyse the role of formal and informal health services in disease control
Assessment Procedures: Class attendance is mandatory (minimum 80% attendance). Participants are expected to contribute actively to class discussions and group work. The final grade will be based on a written assignment (essay, 1.500-2.000 words); participants can choose from topics provided by the course coordinator. Topics are provided in form of statements (such as: Cholera is no longer of global public health importance; Non-specific effects of vaccines are a neglected topic in global health) which can be either supported, denied or discussed from a general perspective). The assignment is due 2 days after course end. If the student fails to reach the passing grade of 60%, s/he will be provided a new topic to be submitted not later than 3 weeks after receiving the assessment result (re-sit not capped, so full 100% result possible).
Content: 1- Introduction of disease control; principles, policies and strategies of disease control: - The role of primary health care (PHC) in control strategies. - Health Behavior Models in Diseases Control. - Harm reduction. - One Health, Addressing a complex zoonosis. - Disease control and human resources, and the role of formal and informal health services in the health system. - International Health Regulations, Risk communication and Infodemiology management during outbreaks. 2- Health Information Systems in disease control: - The principle and Importance of Health Information Systems in disease control. - The application of disease surveillance and early warning systems. - Monitoring and evaluation in disease control programmes. 3- Communicable disease control: - Diseases eliminationand eradication:Polio, measles. - The impact of the epidemiological transition for disease control programmes in developing countries. - Outbreak control. - Control of infectious diseases in marginalized populations. - The Role of vector control and environmental factors in Infectious disease prevention. - Case studies; Dengue control, Malaria control, HIV/AIDS control, NTDs and TB control. 4- Non-communicabledisease (NCD): - policies and control and the role of health promotion in control strategies. - Risk factors control in NCD and Tobacco control. - Case studies; Diabetic Miletus, cancers, heart diseases.
Methods: This course fosters a participatory learning environment combining input lectures (40%), case studies (20%), group work (30%) and individual work (10%).
Prerequisites: English: TOEFL test 5.5 or IELTS 6.5 or equivalent language skills
Attendance: Maximum number of students (including tropEd students): 25
Selection: First come, first served
Fees: tropEd students: 1.250 EUR General admission: 1.750 EUR
Scholarships: None available
Major changes since initial accreditation: No major changes in course structure; amount of group work has been increased
Student evaluation: -Content was fantastic - I literally learned a tone! -The different speakers were very enthusiastic about their topics which sweeps you up with them makes learning new things all the more fun and easier + this way the (even in just two weeks) the breadth and depth of the subjects explored was deeper and more intense. -Session on Infodemic and harm reduction were interesting. Infodemic management tools could be introduced next time
Lessons learned: Overlap with the core course has been reduced to a minimum.
tropEd accreditation: Accredited in Bordeaux in January 2007. Re-accredited in October 2012, October 2017, and September 2022. This accreditation is valid until September 2027.
Remarks: This course is part of the residential MScIH at Heidelberg. Limited seats are available for tropEd students or other external participants. Exact number of available seats is known by October. Earlier registration is possible. Building on the basic knowledge of major diseases and specific experience in their control as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods which were acquired during the core course, this advanced module further deepens the understanding of principles and strategies in disease control and equips participants with the skills to successfully establish, strengthen, and systematically review disease control programmes in low- and middle-income countries. The course uses global, regional, and local examples to analyse strengths and weaknesses of strategies and policies. A special focus is put on multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration as well as community and patient involvement.
Email Address:	anne-kathrin.fabricius@uni-heidelberg.de
Date Of Record Creation:	2012-01-10 03:04:56 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release:	2012-01-10 09:14:23 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked:	2018-06-10 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified:	2024-10-16 07:40:43 (W3C-DTF)