Unit Code: PBH503

Unit Name: Introduction to Pacific Society, Culture and Health

Description: This course will examine social context of health explaining health in the social system. The view of health and illness in the social realm will be discussed and this will look at current perspective & emerging concerns from social Integration. Course content will look at social pathways to health, social inequalities in health, illustrations of the influence of social change on disease, social difference in morbidity and potential explanations of social inequalities in health. Concepts of medical anthropology, concepts & context of culture and cultural significance in health are also part of this course. In terms of cultural significance in health, the focus is on influences of culture on health, cultural approach to determinants of health, examples will be discussed in alignment with: culture and diet, culture and stress and culture and pain. Role of ethnicity in health will be also be analyzed. Other topics in this course include cultural factors in epidemiology, where the relationship of culture and diseases is discussed in references to case studies. The content also promotes how to develop strategic approaches about society, culture and health.

Learning Target Outcomes: On successful completion of this course, the students will be able to : 1. Describe Social Context of Health and Social Pathways to Health 2. Discuss Social Inequalities in Health 3. Explain the scope of medical Anthropology 4. Discuss cultural Frame: Context and Meaning in the Construction of Health 5. Explain the Role of Culture in Health 6. Explain the Cultural Approach to Determinants of Health 7. Discuss Culturally appropriate health programmes 8. Identify Cultural Factors In Epidemiology 9. Discuss strategies in Society & Health - the 3RS of social Sciences,policies & strategic action plans

Prerequisite: NA

Prerequisite Sentence: N/A

Credit Point: 15

Offered In: Semester 1