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Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title Achieving Health Equity: Perspectives & Practices
Module Code NS5115 (ITS) / HEA1037 (Banner)
Faculty Science & Health School Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinatorRebecca Murphy
Module Teachers-
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 10
Pre-requisite Not Available
Co-requisite Not Available
Compatibles Not Available
Incompatibles Not Available
None
Description

The focus of this module is socio-political perspectives on health and social inclusion and the attendant responses required from health and social practitioners. Students undertaking this module will examine major sociological theories and policies regarding health and social inclusion. They will consider the influences of life circumstances and living environment on inclusion and equity and will develop their practice in addressing systemic challenges to health and social inclusion. Processes and practice of health and social collaboration and activism are foregrounded and students will identify and critique practice and policy solutions to advance health and social inclusion across a range of community contexts.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of health inequities and evaluate the socio-structural aetiologies of same.
2. Critically analyse sociological concepts and theoretical frameworks related tothe production, maintenance, and resolution of health inequities.
3. Explain and exemplify the structurally competent social/health practitioner in the strategic advancement of health equity at policy, organisational, practice, and community levels.
4. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of processes and practices of authentic community collaboration and activism for health and social inclusion, allyship, advocacy, and structural humility.
5. Synthesise and apply the theoretical perspectives, research, and policy relevant to health equity to own interest area/practice discipline.



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Lecture18On-campus lectures & group work
Assessment Feedback18Online synchronous lecture/discussions/group work
Independent Study214Module coordinator facilitated/guided learning activities, including readings and group and individual challenge-based learning activities
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

L01
• Concepts and theories of social stratification and diversity. • Health and social equity frameworks and theories. • Inclusion/exclusion at individual and societal levels; processes and effects. • Health and social policy, targets and delivery in health and social inclusion • Contexts, needs and health/social care provision regarding specific populations who are marginalised. • Idealism, realism and pragmatics in health and social care planning and provision.

L02
• Poverty – causes, experiences and impacts on health and social inclusion. • Influence of physical and sociocultural environment on health and social inclusion. • Quality, supply and equity of access regarding appropriate housing, education and employment. • Consequences and solutions for health and social wellbeing due to global movement of people and climate change. • City and rural planning; population numbers/mix, public amenities, space, personal safety. • Concepts and realities of ‘neighbourhood’ and ‘community.’ • Scope for diversity and expression of beliefs and culture, censorship, Influence of digital/social media on health and social inclusion and exclusion.

L03
• Common barriers to access and inclusion within health/social care systems • Systemic initiatives that improve access and inclusion. • Interventions that support connections with living environment, including infrastructural and technological solutions, universal design principles and examples. • Benefits and challenges of information sharing and interagency working in health and social care. • Practitioner role in contributing to and maintaining accurate and up to date health and social care information systems to achieve maximum care inclusion

L04
• Concepts, theories and frameworks of collaboration. • Community development theories. Collaboration with communities in improving community health and wellbeing. • Effective practice in community education, community facilitation and mediation, capacity building interventions and participatory approaches. • Principles and practice of collaboration within and across interdisciplinary teams, PPI, experts by experience and health social services, achieving coherent and consistent frameworks and pathways. • Effective methods of challenging dominant discourses, policies and practice that are exclusionary. • Becoming an activist and promoting responsible activism in others. Being a political/social influencer. Recognising and using opportunities for contributing to/ influencing local and national policies/strategies regarding HSI.

L05
• Contextualisation of international policy and research to specific interest/practice area • Integrating research evidence, contemporary practice and policy into specific interest/practice area

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment100% Examination Weight0%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
AssignmentA case study of a particular situation in which health and social inclusion are at stake and which involves the adoption of a systemic frame in identifying challenges and possibilities for practice, advocacy and policy pertaining to the individual student.100%Sem 1 End
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories:
Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module.
Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1
Indicative Reading List

  • Arendt, H.: 2003, Responsibility and Judgement, Schocken Books,
  • Fourie, C., Schuppert, F. and Walliman-Helmer, I.: 2015, Social Equality: On What It Means to Be Equals, Oxford University,
  • Gorz, A.: 1994, Capitalism, Socialism, Ecology, Verso,
  • Hari, J.: 2022, Stolen Focus: Why you can’t pay attention, Bloomsbury,
  • Honneth, A.: 0, The Struggle for Recognition: The moral grammar of social conflict, Polity,
  • Honneth, A.: 2007, Disrespect: The normative foundations of critical theory, Polity,
  • Honneth, A.: 2014, Freedom's Right: The social foundations of democratic life, Polity,
  • Illich, I.: 1977, Limits to Medicine. Medical Nemesis: The expropriation of health, Penguin,
  • Illich, I. and Sayay, S.: 2013, Beyond Economics and Ecology: The radical thought of Ivan Illich, Marion Boyers,
  • Marmot, M.: 2004, The Status Syndrome: How social standing affects our health and longevity, Owl Books,
  • Morozov, E.: 2014, To Save Everything, Click Here: Technology, solutionism and the urge to fix problems that don't exist, Penguin,
  • Nussbaum, M.: 2011, Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach, Harvard University,
  • Pettit, P.: 2014, Just Freedom: A Moral Compass for a Complex World, W.W. Norton,
  • Sandel, M.: 2012, What Money Can't Buy: The moral limits of markets, Penguin,
  • Sandel, M.: 2020, The Tyranny of Merit: What's become of the common good?, Allen Lane,
  • Sen, A.: 1992, Inequality Reexamined, Oxford University,
  • Sen, A.: 2009, The Idea of Justice, Penguin,
  • Stovell, T.: 2021, White Freedom: The Racial History of an Idea, Princeton University,
  • Stuckler, D. and Basu, S.: 2014, The Body Economic: Eight experiments in economic recovery, from Iceland to Greece, Penguin,
  • Wilkinson, R. and Pickett, K.: 2010, The Spirit Level: Why equality is better for everyone, Penguin,
Other Resources

None

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