Health Sciences

This course explores public health and social perspectives on health, illness, and medicine in another cultural context. It discusses global health topics in relation to issues of health and human rights, migration, and global health equity. This course examines the concept of the social determinant of health and how these impact the health of individuals and populations.

Evidence-based healthcare has taken root as one of the central pillars of modern medicine. Arguably, the delivery of healthcare based on scientific evidence has never been more important, as we grapple with unexplained variations in practice and spiraling healthcare costs. Despite its widespread importance for rational decision making, the ideal of truly evidence-based healthcare remains elusive. This course is highly engaging and interactive and supports students in developing the necessary skills to be effective and critical practitioners of evidence-based healthcare. Students learn to apply these principles in their studies and in their professional clinical careers. Students also have the opportunity to experience a research environment by meeting researchers in the field and completing a group project under supervision and presenting the results orally.

This course is a year 2 core course within the Bachelor of Nursing with Honours (Adult). It provides students with an understanding of individuals' experience of common mental health problems and the impact that this has on their ability to engage with everyday life. Underpinned by the biopsychosocial model of mental illness, and taking a recovery-oriented approach, this course equips students to engage with people who experience mental health problems as people who are contextually situated within their particular social context. The development of relational understanding and interpersonal skills is central to this course which provides students with the opportunity to practice their communication skills in a safe environment.

This course introduces the fundamental concepts of Chinese medicine including working principles, methods for health preservation, and disease healing. It discusses the five key areas in Chinese medicine including basic theories of Chinese medicine, methods of diagnosis and treatment, acupuncture and moxibustion, Chinese medicinal materials, and Chinese herbal formulary. The course also features a half-day visit to the Chinese Medicine Clinical Research and Services Centre, Kwong Wah Hospital–The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where students observe how Chinese medicine is practiced in a contemporary context. No textbook is required for the course. Assessment: three quizzes (30%), final exam (70%).

In this course, students analyze the content and quality of their own diet and make informed decisions concerning foods, nutrients, and supplements to optimize their daily nutrient intake and physical performance. Nutrition is important for physical growth and health throughout the human lifespan, during pregnancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and senior years. It is a crucial factor in sports performance and athletic endeavors, as food is used as fuel for physical activity. Diet and nutrition affect body composition, the day to day functioning of the human body, and brain and cognitive performance.

This course introduces students to the social nature of health and illness, and to different models that inform aspects of our understanding of health phenomena. The varying experience of social groups according to demographic and economic patterning are viewed through a global perspective alongside the changing profile of health and illness.
 

This course focuses on ethical practice in the caring professions. Compassion in caring constitutes a key theme through the course. Starting from an overview of the philosophical foundations of professional ethics, students examine key debates around universality and context-dependence in professional ethics. The course explains how moral reasoning related to professional practice goes beyond the entirely rational and requires the capacity for empathic engagement with others. Students also apply the concept of professional wisdom to ethical practice. Through this exploration, students gain an awareness of their personal ethics and values. Particular ethical principles relating to care and treatment are explored, including beneficence, autonomy, self-determination, informed consent, confidentiality, human rights, dignity, respect and professional fidelity. Students will analyze the strengths and limitations of various professional ethical codes by applying them to complex ethical case studies. Ethical issues relating to the vulnerable service user/patient are examined, including ethical challenges in relation to capacity and decision-making in the context of mental health, dementia, end of life care, critical care, childhood and intellectual disability.