SFOK18001U Stress and Health from a Life Course Perspective

Volume 2018/2019
Education

MSc in Public Health Science - elective course

MSc in Global Health - elective course

MSc in Health Informatics - elective course

MSc in Human Biology - elective course

MSc in Health Science - elective course

BSc in Public Health Science - elective course

 

 

 

Content

This elective course in oriented towards students who would like to expand their knowledge regarding the role of psychosocial factors in health. The course brings together the disciplines of psychology, neurophysiology and epidemiology to familiarized students with the latest work on stress in childhood, adulthood and older age. The goal of the course is to introduce basic theoretical concepts underlying stress and health research and review empirical evidence regarding the role of stress in health across the life span. The course will cover such topics as poverty, traumatic life events in childhood and adult life, work and family stress and their effects on morbidity and mortality. In addition, factors that may protect individuals from negative effects of stress will be discussed.

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the students are expected to be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand major theories underlying stress and health research.
  • Reflect upon various measures and types of stress throughout the life course.
  • Understand the basics of neurophysiological stress response (e.g. the role of the central and autonomic nervous system and the neuroendocrine system).
  • Understand empirical findings regarding the role of stress in health and ageing.
  • Name and discuss some of the protective factors that make individuals less vulnerable to stress.
  • Reflect upon the significance of stress for public health.

 

Skills

  • Find relevant research articles on health consequences of stress.
  • Critically evaluate existing research on health consequences of stress.
  • Assess to what extent the existing evidence confirms theories regarding stress and health.

 

Competence

  • identify gaps in current knowledge regarding consequences of stress and identify possible future directions.
  • Propose a study design that will adress one or more limitations of existing research on stress and health.
Experience reading and understanding scientific articles in public health, epidemiology, psychology or related field is required to participate in the course.
The course combines lectures and seminars in which students will have an opportunity to discuss and criticize research articles.
This course is open for external students with a completed BSc/BA in public health, epidemiology, psychology or related discipline.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 30
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Preparation
  • 242
  • Total
  • 275
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester

Student get feedback during the seminar work within the discussion of the seminar assignments.

Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours
Multiple choice/short answer written sit-down exam at Peter Bangs Vej.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed

Students will be allowed to make a "cheat sheet" that fits on 1 A4 page and use that at the exam.

USB key is not allowed for this exam.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Exam period

Please see the exam schedule at KUnet 

Re-exam

Please see the exam schedule at KUnet 

The exam form in the re-examination may differ from the ordinary exam. Should this happen, students registered for the re-examination will be informed as soon as possible.

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the grade 12, the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • Demonstrate the understanding of major theories and empirical findings within stress and health research.
  • Reflect upon various measures and types of stress throughout the life course.
  • Reflect upon the significance of stress for public health.

 

Skills

  • Crtitically evaluate existing research on health consequences of stress.
  • Assess to what extent the existing evidence can be applied in interventions