Disease, Illness And Society
- Health Sciences
- 700 level
- 3 credit units
- 83 pages
- 12 units
This course introduces students to the concepts of disease, illness, and society. It explores the determinants of health, medical beliefs, and practices in both traditional and modern medicine. Students will learn about the structure of modern hospitals, responses to disease, patient-doctor relationships, and the cost and financing of healthcare in Nigeria. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of health issues within a societal context.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 40 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of HEM703, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
- Unit 1: Disease, Illness and Society: Basic ConceptsPage 16
- UNIT 2: DISEASE, ILLNESS AND SOCIETY: INDICATORS OF HEALTHPage 20
- UNIT 3: DISEASE, ILLNESS AND SOCIETY: ILLNESS AND TREATMENTPage 26
- UNIT 4Page 29
- UNIT 5: DISEASE ILLNESS AND SOCIETY EXPERIENCE WITH HEALTH A CARE PROVIDERSPage 35
- UNIT 6: DISEASE, ILLNESS AND SOCIETY: DETERMINANTS OF DISEASE, ILLNESS AND HEALTHPage 39
- UNIT 7: DISEASE, ILLNESS AND SOCIETY: MEDICAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINEPage 44
- UNIT 8Page 50
- UNIT 9: ILLNESS AND SOCIETY: STRUCTURE OF MODERN HOSPITALPage 58
- UNIT 10Page 62
- UNIT 11Page 70
- UNIT 12Page 75
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
HEM703 · Unit 1: Disease, Illness and Society: Basic Concepts
After reading through the course guide, you will have a general understanding of what this unit is all about and how it fits into the structure of this course. This is a Foundation unit in the programme, Diploma in HIV/AIDS Education and Management. The Unit focuses on the definition of disease, illness and health.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the concepts of disease, illness, and health.
- Identify and interpret key health indicators.
- Describe the nature of illness and treatment options.
- Discuss the factors influencing the choice of healthcare providers.
- Analyze the determinants of disease, illness, and health.
- Outline the systems of medical beliefs and practices.
- Describe the social structure of a modern hospital.
- Outline responses to disease and illness.
- Discuss patient-doctor relationships.
- Identify the cost of financing health care.
What it prepares you for
- Healthcare Administrator
- Public Health Officer
- Health Educator
- Social Worker
- Community Health Worker
- Healthcare
- Public Health
- Social Services
- Community Development
- Government
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 6: Determinants of Disease, Illness and Health
Unit 6: Determinants of Disease, Illness and Health
Understanding the complex interplay of age, sex, environment, and social class requires critical analysis of societal factors.
- Module 8: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Modern Medicine
Unit 8: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Modern Medicine
Grasping the historical development and philosophical underpinnings of modern medicine requires synthesizing information from various sources.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Basic Concepts
Unit 1: Basic Concepts · 2 hours
Read the unit introduction and objectives.. Define disease, illness, and health.. Discuss the similarities and differences between disease, illness, and health.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 2Module 2: Health Indicators
Unit 2: Health Indicators · 2 hours
Explain the major indicators of health.. Discuss the variations between rural and urban areas, and between educational groups.. Apply the knowledge to your immediate environment.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 3Module 3: Illness and Treatment
Unit 3: Illness and Treatment · 2 hours
Explain the nature and length of illness.. Discuss the place where treatments are normally received.. Identify the person or persons who often made treatment decisions and paid for it.. Understand the cost of treatment.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 4Module 4: Choice of Health Care Providers
Unit 4: Choice of Health Care Providers · 2 hours
Explain the major determinants of choice of health care providers.. Discuss the differences between the various health care providers.. Identify the type of health care providers in their immediate environment.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 5Module 5: Experience with Health Care Providers
Unit 5: Experience with Health Care Providers · 2 hours
Explain the encounters which health-seekers have with health care providers.. Discuss the duration of encounters.. Examine the supply and cost of medicine.. Understand treatment outcome.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 6Module 6: Determinants of Disease, Illness and Health
Unit 6: Determinants of Disease, Illness and Health · 2 hours
Explain the major determinants of disease, illness and health.. Discuss the variations from one society to another.. Apply the knowledge to their immediate environment.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 7Module 7: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Traditional Medicine
Unit 7: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Traditional Medicine · 2 hours
Understand the approach to traditional medicine.. Explain the philosophy of traditional medicine.. Identify and explain the various forms of traditional medicine in Nigeria.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 8Module 8: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Modern Medicine
Unit 8: Medical Beliefs and Practices of Modern Medicine · 2 hours
Understand the development of modern medicine in Europe.. Explain the philosophy of modern medicine.. Discuss the development of modern medicine in Nigeria.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 9Module 9: Structure of a Modern Hospital
Unit 9: Structure of a Modern Hospital · 2 hours
Understand the general goals of modern hospital.. Explain the features of a modern hospital.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 10Module 10: Responses to Disease and Illness
Unit 10: Responses to Disease and Illness · 2 hours
Understand the perceptions of diseases and illness.. Explain the sick-role.. Determine variations in response to disease and illness.. Identify and explain the stages of illness behaviour.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 11Module 11: Patient-Doctor Relationships
Unit 11: Patient-Doctor Relationships · 2 hours
Understand the main features of the patient-Doctor relationship.. Explain the context in which the relationship takes place.. Assess the impact on response health-seeking behaviour, recovery and rehabilitation.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 12Module 12: Cost and Financing Health Care in Nigeria
Unit 12: Cost and Financing Health Care in Nigeria · 2 hours
Understand health policy and administration in Nigeria.. Determine the quality and adequacy of health care services.. Understand the factors responsible for increase costs.. Explain the approaches to health care financing.. Complete the exercises at the end of the unit..
- Week 13Module 13: Final Revision
Final Revision · 4 hours
Review all units and assignments.. Prepare for final examinations..
Preparing for the exam
- Review the definitions of disease, illness, and health in Unit 1 and understand their interrelation.
- Focus on the health indicators discussed in Unit 2, paying attention to rural-urban and educational differentials.
- Create a table summarizing the different types of healthcare providers (Unit 4) and their advantages/disadvantages.
- Understand the determinants of disease (Unit 6) and how they vary across different populations.
- Compare and contrast traditional and modern medical beliefs (Units 7 and 8), noting key philosophical differences.
- Outline the structure of a modern hospital (Unit 9) and the roles of different healthcare professionals.
- Review the stages of illness behavior (Unit 10) and how individuals respond to disease.
- Understand the different models of patient-doctor relationships (Unit 11) and their impact on treatment outcomes.
- Focus on the challenges of healthcare financing in Nigeria (Unit 12) and potential solutions.
- Practice answering essay questions related to the course objectives to improve your writing skills.
Questions students ask about this course
What is HEM703 about?
This course introduces students to the concepts of disease, illness, and society. It explores the determinants of health, medical beliefs, and practices in both traditional and modern medicine. Students will learn about the structure of modern hospitals, responses to disease, patient-doctor relationships, and the cost and financing of healthcare in Nigeria. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of health issues within a societal context.
How many units does HEM703 have?
HEM703, Disease, Illness And Society, has 12 units across 1 module, over 83 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is HEM703?
HEM703 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Health Sciences.
Is HEM703 hard?
HEM703 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does HEM703 take to study?
About 40 hours of study, spread across its 12 units.
How is HEM703 assessed?
HEM703 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with HEM703?
Healthcare Administrator, Public Health Officer, Health Educator, Social Worker and Community Health Worker.