School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Disease
  • Unit Code

    HST2185
  • Year

    2017
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Jacques de Villiers OOSTHUIZEN

Description

Diseases that are associated with exposures of populations to environmental pollutants, such as air pollution or chemicals in the workplace, are responsible for a significant proportion of disease morbidity and mortality in modern society. In this unit students will be introduced to these non communicable diseases and their toxicological process. Epidemiological assessments of causality will be explored.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe disease surveillance and environmental health monitoring methods.
  2. Describe methods available to determine the environmental health risk communities are exposed to.
  3. Describe the mechanisms of environmental disease and injury.
  4. Determine exposure routes and exposure levels and calculate absorbed dose of toxic substances.
  5. Discuss the role of a range of environmental agents in producing disease.
  6. Make recommendations for intervention to protect the health of communities.

Unit Content

  1. A brief review of the discipline of environmental medicine.
  2. Determination of environmental health risk.
  3. Disease surveillance and environmental epidemiology.
  4. Exposure assessment and determination of absorbed dose.
  5. Mechanisms of environmental disease and injury (carcinogenic agents, mutagens, congenital abnormalities and the effects on specific organs).
  6. Monitoring of environmental agents / hazards.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On Campus students

The unit combines lectures, case studies and discussion to present the learning material and to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving skills in the field of environmental health disease assessment.

Off Campus students

The unit uses specially prepared notes, readings and tutorials to present the learning material and to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving skills in the field of environmental health disease assessment.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentLiterature review 20%
ProjectCase study30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentLiterature review20%
ProjectCase study30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

HST2185|1|1

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Disease
  • Unit Code

    HST2185
  • Year

    2017
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Jacques de Villiers OOSTHUIZEN

Description

Diseases that are associated with exposures of populations to environmental pollutants, such as air pollution or chemicals in the workplace, are responsible for a significant proportion of disease morbidity and mortality in modern society. In this unit students will be introduced to these non communicable diseases and their toxicological process. Epidemiological assessments of causality will be explored.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe disease surveillance and environmental health monitoring methods.
  2. Describe methods available to determine the environmental health risk communities are exposed to.
  3. Describe the mechanisms of environmental disease and injury.
  4. Determine exposure routes and exposure levels and calculate absorbed dose of toxic substances.
  5. Discuss the role of a range of environmental agents in producing disease.
  6. Make recommendations for intervention to protect the health of communities.

Unit Content

  1. A brief review of the discipline of environmental medicine.
  2. Determination of environmental health risk.
  3. Disease surveillance and environmental epidemiology.
  4. Exposure assessment and determination of absorbed dose.
  5. Mechanisms of environmental disease and injury (carcinogenic agents, mutagens, congenital abnormalities and the effects on specific organs).
  6. Monitoring of environmental agents / hazards.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On Campus students

The unit combines lectures, case studies and discussion to present the learning material and to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving skills in the field of environmental health disease assessment.

Off Campus students

The unit uses specially prepared notes, readings and tutorials to present the learning material and to stimulate critical thinking and problem solving skills in the field of environmental health disease assessment.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentLiterature review 20%
ProjectCase study30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentLiterature review20%
ProjectCase study30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam50%

Core Reading(s)

  • Kacew, S., & Lee, B. (2013). Lu's basic toxicology : fundamentals, target organs, and risk assessment (6th ed.). New York, NY: Taylor and Francis.

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

HST2185|1|2