Ethics in Epidemiology and Public Health

Code:

MSP12_4

Acronym:

MSP12_4

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Ethics

Instance: 2021/2022 - 1S (of 13-09-2021 to 06-02-2022)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Master Degree Course in Public Health

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MSP	36	Current Studies Plan	1	-	4	36	108

Teaching language

English

Objectives

- To provide students with a solid base of knowledge with regard to ethics and philosophy of science, in particular emphasising the object of public health.

- To analyse the historical background that frames the emergency and the epistemology of ethics and philosophy of science.

Learning outcomes and competences

- To identify the ethical principles that frame public health research.

- To understand the evolution of ethical thinking across the paradigmatic stages of health research.

- To understand the philosophical and ethical foundations of science acting at the level of production of knowledge in public health.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Progress and science.


2. Historical evolution of epistemological frameworks.


3. The Popperian philosophy and epidemiology.


4. The ethical challenges.


5. The set of principles of Beauchamp and Childress: the principle of respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.


6. Human rights and ethics. The great lessons of human experimentation. The exemplary cases.

Mandatory literature

Buchanan, D.R. ; An Ethic for Health Promotion, New York OUP, 2000
Coughlin, S.S. ; Ethics in Epidemiology and Public Health Practice (2nd ed), American Public Health Association, 2009

Teaching methods and learning activities

It is estimated a total of 108 hours of student work, of which 36 are contact hours, distributed as follows:

- 6 theoretical sessions of 3h/each

- 6 practical sessions of 3h/each

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	5,00
Trabalho escrito	95,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	12,00
Frequência das aulas	36,00
Trabalho de investigação	60,00
Total:	108,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance of at least 75% of all classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

A written essay based on a topic dealt in the syllabus.