Outline

Overview

The increasing need to address the health of Indigenous populations is not a new phenomenon. This Unit of Study teaches students, from an Indigenous Australian lens, about delivering services to Indigenous populations to address health and wellness. The semester journey takes into account the strength of Indigenous ways of doing, knowing and being that have enabled Indigenous people to address the social, political and cultural determinants of health. Students will be engaged in understanding the complexities surrounding the collection and recording of accurate Indigenous population health data that has led to Indigenous disadvantage and the gap in life expectancy that Australia still struggles to close. Students will be engaged in strategies for effective cultural communication with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals and patients/ clients. Ethical approaches required for researching Indigenous peoples and communities will also be explored.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Health Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	HSBH1007 or HSBH2007 or BACH1161 or HSBH1003
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	NURS2008
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Vanessa Lee, vanessa.lee@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Vanessa Lee, vanessa.lee@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Online task	Online Quiz Online Quiz	4%	Week 02 Due date: 05 Sep 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 05 Sep 2020	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Case Study Report Case Study Report Style	40%	Week 05 Due date: 26 Sep 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 26 Sep 2020	1500 words, excluding in-text references
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Online Quiz Online Quiz	4%	Week 06 Due date: 03 Oct 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 03 Oct 2020	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Online Quiz Online Quiz	4%	Week 08 Due date: 17 Oct 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 17 Oct 2020	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Critique Diary Diary entries	40%	Week 09 Due date: 31 Oct 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 31 Oct 2020	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Online Quiz Online Quiz	4%	Week 11 Due date: 14 Nov 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 14 Nov 2020	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Online Quiz Online Quiz	4%	Week 12 Due date: 20 Nov 2020 at 22:30 Closing date: 20 Nov 2020	30 minutes
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Details about the assessment are below:

Online Quiz: There are five quizzes in total and each quiz is worth 4%.
Case Study Report: The purpose of this case study report style of writing is for students to use research to demonstrate their understanding of their learnings from the lectures and tutorials. For this assignment, you are required to identify a current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program that is being delivered by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organisation in a rural, urban or remote setting. In your writing you will need to demonstrate your understanding of what defines the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organisation and how culture is being utilised in service delivery. Secondly, you are required to provide a context to the case study by critiquing the literature surrounding the program. Thirdly, to bring the report together and show your understanding of this unit of study you will need to provide an evaluation of the program itself, including how the literature informs the aims and objectives, how is the program being delivered, why is the program effective and is the Aboriginal community controlled organisation or service achieving the outcomes towards closing the gap.
Critique Diary: The aim of the critique diary is to provide you with the opportunity to critique one different topic of your choice from the lecture each week. Each critique requires you to identify a topic in each lecture of which to critique and provide constructive arguments based on unbiased thoughts and facts in 250 words, equalling a total of no more than 1 500 words (with 10% allowance per critique). This assignment is due in Week 9 and you are required to complete a minimum of six different topics and accompanying critiques from six different lectures (for HSBH3001) with a minimum of two references per critique (one for and one opposing argument). Each diary critique entry requires the date, title of the lecture and the topic that you are critiquing; this heading is not included in your word count (a template is provided on the Canvas site under assessments). The APA 6th edition in-text references are not included in your word count. As you do this assignment, remember to look at the marking matrix (on the Canvas site under assignments) and learning outcomes for this Unit of Study.

All assessments must be submitted in order to be eligible to pass the unit otherwise an AF (Absent Fail) grade will be awarded.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The late penalties apply as per the University policies.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Overview and administration. 2. Library referencing (last 30 mins). 3. No Tutorial.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	1. Kanyini and the social, cultural and political determinants impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 2. Quiz 1 due. 3. Tutorial.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	1. Health systems in Indigenous contemporary society. 2. Tutorial ‘Kinship Module’ https://sydney.edu.au/about-us/vision-and-values/our-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-community/kinship-module.html	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	1. Health service delivery and the three C’s - communication, community, and culture. 2. Tutorial.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	1. Self-identification Vrs Indigeneity. 2. Tutorial. 3. Case Study Report due.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	1. Mental health vs Social and Emotional Wellbeing - co-design with Indigenous people. 2. Tutorial. 3. Quiz 2 due.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	1. Close the Gap or Closing the Gap in First People’s health. 2. Quiz 3 due. 3. Tutorial	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	1. Effective service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with a disability. 2. Tutorial	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	1. Service delivery in rural Australia: what does it take? 2. Tutorial. 3. Assessment item 3 'Critique Diary' due.	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	1. Community engagement in health promotion with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 3. Tutorial	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	1. Understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community- based research. 2. Tutorial. 3. Quiz 4 due	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Course review	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance Requirements: This Unit of Study will be delivered on-line and your attendance and particpation is required for on-line lectures and tutorials and will be recorded for this course. In line with the Faculty of Medicine and Health policy, you are required to have an attendance record of 90%. Your attendance and participation record will be considered when allocating final grades at the end of the semester. If you are unable to attend classes and you are unwell you will need to submit a special consideration with your Professional Practitioner Certificate.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All recommended readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library.

Carson, B., Dunbar, T., Chenhall, R., & Bailie, R. (Eds.). (2007). Social determinants of Indigenous health. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Couzos, S., & Murray, R. (Eds.). (2008). Aboriginal primary health care. An evidence-based approach (3rd ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Smith, J. (Ed.). (2007). Australia's rural and remote health: A social justice perspective
(2nd ed.). Victoria: Tertiary Press.

Walter, M. (2019). Social Research Methods (4th edition). Docklands Victoria: Oxford University Press

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. (critically) evaluate the impact of history and policy on the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
LO2. analyse the complexities in collecting and recording accurate population health data of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in comparison with non-Indigenous people
LO3. describe the challenges for health professionals when confronted with the health inequalities experienced by Indigenous Australians, and provide examples of how to overcome these challenges
LO4. critique the literature on the media commentary surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health
LO5. identify what is considered as ethical and culturally competent when communicating with Indigenous peoples and/or communities
LO6. describe the most appropriate model of health care, as per the evidence, to address the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and explain why this model and approach of service delivery is so effective
LO7. analyse Indigenous health while recognising and avoiding cultural bias, and considering the social and cultural contexts of health issues.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1		Describe the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians pre-colonisation and identify key events since colonisation that have impacted the contemporary health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (N)
1.2		Analyse the impact of historical events on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health service access, and the implications of these events on building trust and relationships with individuals, families and communities in health practice (I)
1.3		Incorporate strategies for delivering health care that builds trust and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities (ETP)
10.1		Identify current demographic, health indicators and statistical trends for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and compare these to trends for non-Indigenous peoples in Australia over time (N)
10.2		Analyse strengths and limitations of data used as key indicators of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, and also key policies and strategies designed to improve health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (I)
11.1		Examine own cultural worldview and values and describe implications for health care practice (N)
11.3		Design practical strategies to enable ongoing self-reflexivity in a professional context (ETP)
12.1		Discuss the history of Australia’s dominant Western cultural paradigm and how this characterises the contemporary health system (N)
12.2		Examine the culture of chosen health professions, and analyse the impacts of this professional culture and the broader health system on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service experiences (I)
12.3		Develop strategies for mitigating the potential challenges of different cultural values and behaviours between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and mainstream health care practice (ETP)
13.1		Identify different forms of racism and prevailing stereotypes about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia and how they impact equitable health service access and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (N)
13.2		Demonstrate internal strategies to examine and monitor personal responses to cultural and social differences (I)
13.3		Generate strategies for incorporating anti-racist and affirmative action approaches in health care practice (ETP)
14.1		Discuss the concept of White Privilege and other social privileges and how this affects health care and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (N)
14.2		Examine one’s own positioning in terms of White Privilege and other social privileges (I)
14.3		Debate the implications of White Privilege and other social privileges on delivering equitable health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (ETP)
15.1		Identify factors that can impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities having equal access to health services, in the context of the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples and other human rights instruments (N)
15.2		Analyse strengths and limitations in health care with reference to the UN Declaration of Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples and other human rights instruments in terms of equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (I)
15.3		Develop strategies for redressing inequity in health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities (ETP)
16.1		Discuss the concept of social determinants and the impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health (N)
16.2		Determine strengths and challenges in delivering health care with respect to the social determinants of health (I)
16.3		Devise strategies for diagnosing and treating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients from the perspective of the social determinants of health (ETP)
17.1		Describe the role of individual leadership in effecting positive change within the health system and identify key leadership capabilities (N)
17.2		Illustrate strategies to develop personal and professional leadership qualities, including resilience to work with possible health system challenges in delivering culturally safe health care (I)
17.3		Advocate for equitable health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (ETP)
2.1		Describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture pre-colonisation to the present (N)
2.2		Examine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander key concepts of health and wellbeing and the influence of culture, family and connection to country in health practice (I)
2.3		Design strategies to incorporate knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and concepts of health and wellbeing into health care practice to enhance cultural safety (ETP)
3.1		Describe the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and languages, and illustrate examples (N)
3.2		Examine key elements attributed to cultural beliefs and practices within the local context (e.g. kinship, reciprocity) (I)
3.3		Design strategies for delivering culturally safe health care with respect to individual, cultural and linguistic diversity (ETP)
4.1		Articulate the concept of cultural humility as a process of lifelong learning (N)
4.2		Demonstrate cultural humility and explain behaviours and values required to engage in lifelong learning (I)
4.3		Design professional strategies that enable continued learning and development of cultural capabilities in health practice (ETP)
5.1		Identify key terms and definitions in the context of delivering culturally safe health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (N)
5.2		Analyse the strengths and limitations of key terms and definitions in the context of culturally safe health practice (I)
5.3		Propose examples for applying key terms and definitions in health practice (ETP)
6.1		Describe the impact of effective verbal and non-verbal communication as well as miscommunication and how this links to health outcomes (N)
6.2		Analyse differences between own verbal and non-verbal communication and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, and the implications for health care (I)
6.3		Incorporate knowledge and skills of culturally safe communication when interacting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and family members (ETP)
7.1		Describe the concept of strengths-based knowledge and communication and how this is used to balance problem-based perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and peoples (N)
7.2		Analyse how knowledge of improvements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mortality/ morbidity can be used in strengths-based communication (I)
7.3		Formulate strategies for incorporating strengths-based communication approaches into health practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (ETP)
8.1		Describe the historical development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector initiatives, including community controlled health services and role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals (N)
8.2		Analyse the contemporary role of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals, organisations and communities in delivering culturally safe health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (I)
8.3		Establish strategies to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals, organisations and communities, and devise a plan to respectfully acquire cultural information (ETP)
9.1		Identify issues in diagnosing, treating and preventing disease and illness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients (N)
9.3		Apply local epidemiology and population health data in diagnostic thinking, and develop strategies for community-wide approaches to prevention (ETP)

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Following student feedback, assessment 2 has been reviewed and no longer requires students to contact an organisation about the their program. Due to the broken link for the the cultural competence on-line training that prerequisite has now been removed.

Additional information

More information about this unit of study can be found on Canvas.

If you would like to discuss any aspects of this Unit of Study, I can be reached via email vanessa.lee@sydney.edu.au for an on-line appointment.

Site visit guidelines

Site visits to Aboriginal community controlled services or medical services are not a requirement for this Unit of Study. Therefore there are no site visit guidelines.

Work, health and safety

There are no specific WHS requirements for this unit.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

HSBH3001: Health and Indigenous Populations

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect