SFOK19002U Sexual Health and Public Health

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc in Public Health Science - elective course

MSc in Health Informatics - elective course

MSc in Human Biology - elective course

MSc in Global Health - elective course

MSc in Health Science - elective course

Content

Sexual health is integral component of overall health involving not only the absence of disease but also physical and psychological well-being relating to sexuality. This course aims to acquaint students with the theoretical and empirical aspects of the study of sexual health, and their application to public health practice. We will discuss:

Conceptual foundations of sexuality

Conceptual and theoretical aspects of sexual health

Sexual health outcomes: sexual function & dysfunctions across life course, sexually transmitted infections and sexual violence

Risk and vulnerability

Interventions to improve sexual health

Measuring and assessing sexual health status

Learning Outcome

After completing the course the student is expected to:

Knowledge

  • Describe biological sex, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, sexual health and its key components
  • Describe who is most at risk of poor sexual health and why
  • Understand the impact social influences on sexual behavior and health, and their implications
  • Describe the impact of specific issues relating to the classification and measurement of sexual attitudes and behavior, including political, ethical and research issues.
     

Skills

  • Critically analyze social influences on sexual behavior and health, and their implications
  • Discuss on how public health practitioners, researchers and institutions should address sexual health issues
  • Assess diverse public health interventions designed to improve sexual health
     

Comptencies

  • Translate theoretical knowledge and principles of sexual health to public health educational intervention initiatives.
  • Communicate the relevance of sexual health in public health contexts.

Wellings, K., Mitchell, K., Collumbien, M. (2012) Sexual health : a public health perspective McGraw Hill ISBN 9780335244812

Class work will include student presentations, group work and plenum discussion of readings, with short lectures by the course leader.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 40
  • Exam
  • 225
  • Preparation
  • 10
  • Total
  • 275
Written
Individual
Collective
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
The exam will be final research and educational intervention proposal project of 5-8 pages. Students will research a sexual health topic from a public health perspective and write a paper that proposes an educational intervention campaign/project to address the issue.

Extent of written assignments:
Students are obliged to disclose the number of characters of the submission of written assignments with maximum length. A standard page contains 2,400 characters including spaces. The individual pages can consist of fewer or more than 2,400 characters, but the total number of characters must not exceed 2,400 characters x max. number of pages. On the tasks and projects, which is a maximum length of the number of standard pages of 2,400 characters with spaces, the front page must contain an indication of number of characters in the assignment, excluding table of contents, abstract, tables, figures, bibliography and appendices, but including footnote or endnotes. It is allowed to attach attachments if it is agreed with the supervisor. Appendix, as a student wishes to be included in the overall assessment shall be identified and counted in the number of pages. If assignments exceed the permitted number of pages/characters, this must affect the assessment.

Management of receipts:
Any documents can be added at the end of the assignment file. For written take-home assignments, the student must be aware that in special cases might require appendices, such as audio files, central computer printouts, etc., if the examiner or co-examiner requires it. The student has an obligation to keep relevant material, until the assignment is assessed.

Group assignments:
Requirements for individualisation of written assignments means that the student must account for the students who have been the main responsibility for which section. This division must follow a meaningful division of the assignment, e.g. in sections and subsections. Up to 1/3 of the assignment may be prepared with collective responsibility, which obviously can include the introduction and conclusion. The division of responsibility is displayed on a separate page, which is included in the task, but does not count towards characters, so that the assignment of roles and responsibilities is a single file that can easily be submitted in digital exam.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
More internal examiners
Exam period

Please see the exam schedule

Re-exam

Please see the exam schedule

Criteria for exam assesment

The project will be assessed according to the learning goals of the course:

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

Knowledge

  • Identify and describe the target population in terms of biological sex, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender expression.
  • Describe why the target population is at risk of poor sexual health and why
  • Understand the impact social influences on sexual behavior and health, and their implications  
     

Skills

  • Critically analyze social influences on sexual behavior and health, and their implications in the target population
  • Discuss on how public health practitioners, researchers and institutions should address sexual health issues
  • Organize and propose a public health intervention designed to improve sexual health
     

Competencies

  • Translate theoretical knowledge and principles of sexual health to public health educational intervention initiatives.
  • Communicate the relevance of sexual health in public health contexts.