Module: Health & Social Engagement across the Lifespan

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Health & Social Engagement across the Lifespan
Module Code	NS5116 (ITS) / HEA1038 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinator	Liam Macgabhann
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

This module takes a lifespan approach to the important concept of health and social engagement with an exploration of biological, psychological and sociological factors which influence health and social engagement across the human life course. Students will develop knowledge and skills in promoting health and social engagement with culturally diverse individuals and groups across the lifespan; from childhood to old age. Students will also develop expertise in supporting person-centred inclusion with people traditionally at risk of social/health marginalisation. In this module, students will reflect upon practitioner attitudes and behaviours which influence health and social engagement in self and others.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically appraise biological, psychological and sociological theories concerning health and social engagement
2. Discuss methods of promoting health and social engagement across the lifespan, lifestyle and culture
3. Evaluate the relationships between social systems (family, cultural, institutional) and health and social engagement
4. Identify engagement interventions for use among people who are 'hard to reach' or at risk of health/social disengagement
5. Scrutinise practitioner attitudes and behaviours which influence health and social engagement in self and others

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	18	On-campus lectures & group work
Assessment Feedback	18	Online synchronous lecture/discussions/group work
Independent Study	214	Module 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

Critically appraise biological, psychological and sociological theories concerning health and social engagement
• Effects of physical/biological functioning on health and social engagement across the lifespan. How biological factors such as biomolecules, physiological and neurological systems, genome and epigenetic factors are affected by social environments and vice versa. Biological measures of assessing the quality of social environments and health and social engagement outcomes. • Psychhological theories of attachment, cognition, motivation, human agency, and help seeking behaviour. •Social engagement as a concept and a process. Social theories; social appetite and social attractiveness. Social skills. Influence of social milieu and social systems; opportunities and challenges - global and online engagement, influences of social media and technology on health and social engagement.

Discuss methods of promoting health and social engagement across the lifespan, lifestyle and culture.
• Biopsychosocial Interventions to assess and support engagement, positive self-identity, agency and resilience. • Supporting people to articulate, assert and achieve lifestyle and cultural preferences/rights. • Principles and processes of public engagement in health and social care; public and patient involvement (PPI), co-design and co-production in health and socialcare interventions.

Evaluate the relationships between social systems (family, institutional) and health and social engagement
• Family as primary source and experience of inclusion and exclusion • Family systems theory - family functioning, family community engagement. • Biopsychosocial issues affecting family function and societal engagement - acute/chronic illness, disability, poverty, past/present trauma/abuse/neglect. • Interventions to support effective family function and engagement. • Relationships between individual/family engagement and wider societal/institutional systems and structures

Identify engagement interventions for use among people who are 'hard to reach' or at risk of health/social disengagement
• Effects of exclusion and self stigma on social engagement and help seeking behaviour • Accessing and engaging with marginalised/ hard to reach individuals and groups. • Working with resistance and damaged trust, motivational interviewing, trauma informed care. • Life skills and social skills support • Strengths based interventions that support personal agency, self-advocacy, recovery, resilience and social connectedness

Scrutinise practitioner attitudes and behaviours which influence health and social engagement in self and others
• Examination of personal health and social engagement levels, influences, beliefs and behaviours. Personal and professional style of engaging with others • Exclusionary and defensive practices in health and social care • Interventions and professional development to strengthen sensitivity, knowledge and skills in working helpfully with diverse populations • Methods of reflective practice and practice supervision that focus on relational aspects of health and social care

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Group project	Critical Case Study Analysis	100%	Other

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

Basanta Kumara, B., Prasad, R. & Behera, S.: 2022, Healthcare Strategies and Planning for Social Inclusion and Development: Volume 2: Social, Economic, and Health Disparities of Rural Women, 1, Academic Press, 978-032390447
Bryant Smalley, K., Warren, J. & Fernandez M. I.: 2022, Health Equity: A Solutions-Focused Approach, 1, Springer, 978-082617723
Crisp, B. & Taket, A.: 2021, Sustaining Social Inclusion, Routledge, 978-103223631
Government of Ireland: 2017, Committee on the Future of Healthcare: Slaintecare, Government of Ireland, Dublin,
Government of Ireland: 2019, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: A five year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024, Government of Ireland, Dublin,
Nettleton, S.: 2021, (2021) The Sociology of Health and Illness, Polity Press, United Kingdom,
Rose, P.: 2020, Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Context, Controversies, and Solutions, 2, Jones and Bartlett, 978-128419779
Nussbaum, M.: 2011, Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach, Harvard University,

Other Resources

None