Health Inequalities and the Social Determinants of Health

Course convenors: David McCoy and Dianna Smith



Module Description

Lead Tutors: David McCoy and Dianna Smith

Emails: d.smith@qmul.ac.uk

This module introduces students to critically examine how global social, economic and political determinants influence health and health inequalities, both between and within countries. It goes on to examine how patterns in the distribution of health, as well as their determinants, are shaped by social, economic and other public policies, which in turn are shaped by a distribution of power and economic resources globally and nationally. Finally, it examines what actions are required to address the social determinants of health and to achieve reductions in health inequalities.

 

The module will be broad in its approach, and will lead students to examine global health through the lenses of a number of different discourses and disciplines including: epidemiology; politics; human rights; philosophy; economics; and sociology. In this sense it will take an expansive approach and aim to introduce students to various bodies of knowledge and different lines of enquiry into what is a very broad ranging topic. 

Course outline

The module will consist of ten one hour lectures and ten seminars (that will last between one and two hours). The seminars will mostly be organised to enable students to discuss what they have read. Lecturers will be on hand to facilitate this discussion, but students will be expected to lead the discussion.

 

Seminars and lectures are compulsory for all students. Attendance rates will be monitored and poor attendance at seminars in particular (without a good reason) will draw the forfeit of reduced support from faculty staff outside of formally timetabled hours.

 

Students will be allocated to one of four seminar groups each of which will meet on a regular day and time.

Core Texts

Three background texts will be used in the module which all students will be expected to read within the first five weeks of the module. There will also be additional compulsory texts for each week of the module. The three background texts are:

  • CSDH (2008). Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Final Report of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Geneva, World Health Organization. (Read it here)
  • UNDP, 2011. Human Development Report 2011: Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All (Read it here)