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Continuing Professional Development - MSc Programme Modules (London-based)

DESIGNING DISEASE CONTROL PROGRAMMES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (3457)

ORGANISERS: Dr Val Curtis, Caroline Lynch

DATES: 9 January 2012 to 8 February 2012 (9:00am Monday to 12:30pm Wednesday)


AIM
To work in groups to design a disease control programme in a developing country.  Participants use principles and approaches from lectures in the study module, other modules and from their own experience to carry out a task which reflects real-life constraints.


OBJECTIVES
By the end of this module students should be able to:

  1. identify key steps in applying theoretical knowledge to define and solve a practical public health problem in a given developing country setting, using the Logical Framework Approach;
  2. summarize and evaluate appropriate epidemiological information and stratify the health problem for the purpose of setting priorities and selecting appropriate interventions;
  3. carry out a critical appraisal of different control options and select appropriate interventions;
  4. set priorities and formulate appropriate objectives;
  5. describe how to organize a disease control programme and plan specific activities to reach set objectives and targets;
  6. describe how to build an effective monitoring and evaluation system into a disease control programme;
  7. demonstrate skills of costing and budgeting of programme activities and identify key requirements and constraints of externally funded programmes; and
  8. acquire group working skills.


CONSTITUENCY
This module is best for those who will work in disease control in developing countries.  Past participants have come from a wide variety of MScs including Public Health in Developing Countries, Control of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine & International Health, Epidemiology, and Demography & Health.


CONCEPTUAL OUTLINE
Participants work in groups, each of which will plan a single programme to solve a problem.  Past problems include: a diarrhoeal disease control programme in Malawi, STD control in Kenya, and TB control in Samara, Russia.  Each group is provided with site background, and lectures cover some practical aspects of programme planning.  Activities include: organization of group; review of plausible interventions; planning the implementation and monitoring of programme; submission of a draft report (for feedback before final submission), and an oral report.


TEACHING STRATEGY
Participants learn through the definition, study, and solution of a problem in groups.  To the extent possible, the preferences of participants for control problems are considered in choosing the groups.  Lectures are kept to a minimum (only 7 hours).  Lectures cover some practical aspects of programme planning but the emphasis is on the development of practical skills through group work. Facilitators are provided for expert consultation only when requested by the groups but they are usually not expected to spend more than one hour per group per week. Therefore, most of the organization, management, and approach of each group are determined by its participants.


LEARNING TIME
The module is made up of 150 Notional Learning Hours – 25 hours contact time, 50 hours directed self-study, 30 hours self-directed learning, and 45 hours assessment, review and revision.


ASSESSMENT
Participants are assessed on (i) their group's final document (2/3 of mark) and (ii) individual assessment by peers (1/3 of mark).  The written group report will have a maximum length of 20 pages.


FEE
£1,600 including access to LSHTM library and learning resources, study materials and assessment.

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