Open University: Public Health and Vulnerable Groups, Spring 2027
- Date:
- 15.3.2027 - 21.5.2027
- Credits:
- 4 ECTS credits
- Location:
- -
- Continuous learning category:
- Social welfare and health care
- Teaching format:
- Online teaching
- Price:
- 80 € (VAT 0%)
This web course is designed to introduce the students to the causes and other underlying factors that contribute to the diminished capacities of a population subgroup, thus making it vulnerable. The course aims to illuminate the specific needs of these groups from health care and societal point of view. Specifically, students are expected to learn approaches and interventions that are relevant for public health.
Content
Introduction to vulnerable groups: Based on cultural, political and social context of any given society, specifically vulnerable groups can include elderly, disabled, women, orphans, street children, refugees, religious minorities, HIV-infected, substance abusers, unemployed etc.
Identifying the causes and risk factors: Physical vs. social vulnerability, socio-economic limitations, personal limitations, ethnicity, religion, gender, political situation etc.
Dimensions of vulnerability: Social determinants of health, socially patterned disparities, social discrimination, social networks and social support, public health issues associated with vulnerability, temporary versus permanent vulnerabilities.
Ethical issues: Basic human rights and social justice, access to health care, health equality, special consideration for specific needs in health care, priorities in policy making and research
Community-based rehabilitation:
- General: Socioeconomic rehabilitation; health promotion and education, addressing long-term wellbeing, the role of local and international actors (organizations) involved.
- Public health for elderly: Subject-specific theoretical part, identifying specific causes for vulnerability, functionality, interventions and rehabilitation.
- Public health for disabled: Subject specific theoretical part, identifying the causes for vulnerability, understanding the mechanisms of interventions and rehabilitation process
Learning outcomes
After this course, students should be able to:
- understand the principles of cultural and social segregation or discrimination that underline severe inequalities in contemporary societies
- study the factors that make certain groups more vulnerable to various hazards such as poor health, disabilities, risk of early death etc.
- evaluate the short term and long term needs of vulnerable populations
- learn strategies and best practices to get vulnerable groups empowered and thus alleviate disproportional risks
You can study this course 15.3.-21.5.2027. Registration is open 3.8.2026 - 12.3.2027.
This course is a part of intermediate studies in Public Health. Please make sure you have sufficient skills and understanding of English language.
Study methods:
This course will be conducted completely online.
- Web-based learning: the Moodle platform of the University of Eastern Finland will be used.
- Independent reading of relevant literature (textbook, articles and other online reading material)
- Central part of the web-based learning consists of in-depth discussions over the period of approximately 3 weeks for each topic.
- Successful completion of the course also requires independent studying and reading of various sources (papers, e-publications, reports etc.) that are relevant for the topic.
- Updated study material will be provided during the course.
Attendance requirements: 100% compulsory.
Study materials:
Anna C. Mastroianni, Jeffrey P. Kahn, and Nancy E. Kass (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Public Health Ethics. Published online: Jan 2019
DOI:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190245191.001.0001
Evaluation criteria:
Final grading: 0-5. The final mark will consist of evaluation of activity and quality of discussions. Threshold for passing the course: 100% attendance.
Number and method of retakes and raising a course grade: Student can redo the assignment once.
Teacher: Sohaib Khan MBBS, MPH, PhD, Assistant Professor of International Health and other staff (teaching assistants etc.) moderating discussions
Literature acquisition costs / borrowing fees are not included.
The study fee is 20 euros per ECTS credit for individual study units, and 15 euros per credit for study modules. The study fee is paid at registration.
By paying the study fee, the student receives a temporary right to study that entitles them to attend a particular course. The right to study is course-specific, and is required to complete the course as specified in the syllabus for the term, covering both teaching and course exams. If the course is continuously open for registration, the maximum time to complete the course is from 1 August to 31 July for that academic year. The right to study for a module lasts until the end of the academic year, which is, until 31.7.2027.
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