Advanced Modules

Description:

At the end of the module the student should be able to:

• Formulate an overall goal and the objectives of the project
• Design the basic aspects and/or components of a project including the budget and indicators
• Assess the advantages and shortcomings of project implementation and operations research
• Appraise the effectiveness and outcomes of monitoring and evaluation processes
• Evaluate project designs

Content:

The course will move through the various stages of designing a project:

• Setting of Goal and Objectives with special consideration to politically challenging and profit oriented environments
• Describing the project background as well as developing and communicating the rationale of the project
• Defining the methodology for implementation and outlining and illustrating the phases/stages of the project
• Developing a detailed, yet concise and intelligible budget
• The principles of good project monitoring (benefits and dangers)
• Development of meaningful indicators, as well as accurate and efficient data collection
• The concept of Quasi-Experimental Design and its role in assessing the impact of development projectse importance of project evaluation
• Expectations of donors
• A site visit to a donor/health project implementing agency

Assessment Procedure:

1. Individual project design (min. of 1500 words): The design is expected to include all the basic components and will be submitted before the end of the course. 70% contribution to overall grade.
2. An MCQ test (20 questions) will be given to assess the knowledge and skills of the students in evaluating issues of project design. 30% contribution to overall grade. 

Students must pass both parts of the assessment. The pass mark of the MCQ test is 60%.

In case of failure, students are offered to re-sit the MCQ test and/or to make one final revision of their personal project design, as appropriate. A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees.

Prerequisites:

• Registered student of the MscIH programm in Intrernational Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or enrollment in the DIPH programme,
• or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or guest student with basic knowledge and experience in health project management
• English English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6

ECTS Credit Points: 3,5

Fees:

• 962,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.203,13 Euro for DIPH and Short Course participants

Description:

Overall objective:

By the end of the module each student should be able to critically discuss, exchange and share views about health economics and health systems financing.

Specific objectives:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Appraise the meaning and limits of basic economic theory and concepts as applied to health and give relevant examples
• Use economic analysis to evaluate health systems performance in LMIC settings, to inform policy-making, and to support decision-making processes when designing interventions
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of various types of pooling and out-of-pocket payments
• Compare the pros and cons of alternative health services purchasing mechanisms
• Critically assess the impact of health financing mechanisms on performance of the health care system

Content:

Building on the knowledge provided in the Core Course, the module focuses on gaining more in-depth knowledge of economic theory and linking this with the use of finances to impact performance of the health system.

PART 1: Health Economics Theory and Practice

Appraisal of health economics, using historic and current case studies. Topics include:

• The relationship between poverty, wealth and health
• Demand for health care
• Revision of economic concepts and principles
• Case study: Introduction of MDR-TB treatment in one LMIC
• Supply of health care
• Case study: Orphan Drugs and Market Failures
• Setting funding priorities
• Costs and costing
• Economic analysis with focus on application in the real world of:
• Cost-effectiveness analysis
• Cost-utility analysis
• Cost-minimization analysis
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Discounting/ waiving
• Uncertainty
• Weighting
• Assessing health systems performance
• Population health measurements: QALYs/ DALYs/ HALYs
• Health insurance markets and different approaches to health insurance
• How do we want to organize our health systems?

PART 2: Health Systems Financing

Analysis of how those with authority think and make financial decisions to influence the level of health care services as efficiently as possible. Topics include:

• Revenue-raising
• Pooling, or not
• Principles of health insurance (e.g. tax, social, community, voluntary, private insurance)
• Out-of-pocket payments
• Purchasing of health care services, including:

• Paying Health Providers
• Fee-for-service
• Capitation payments
• Salary payments
• Performance-based payments (e.g. contracting health services)
• Paying Hospitals
• Line item budget
• Global budget
• Payment per day
• Payment per case (including Diagnostic-Related Groups: DRGs)

• Case study on managing a Sector Wide Approaches (SWAp) in an LMIC, issues regarding district and hospital financing and management, value of financing achievement of SDGs

Assessment Procedure

1. Group assignment and presentation (50%): The class is divided into groups of 4-6 students. Then the course coordinator assigns each group a document that covers an aspect of health systems financing from a particular LMIC. Each group then (1) reads the paper, (2) critically appraises the paper in the light of the teaching during the course together with other relevant country information or background topic materials, and then (3) prepares a presentation. The presentation is made to a “Ministerial” panel composed of relevant government ministry representatives and acted out by the Charité course staff/assessors to explain the main aspects of the document and to propose new or alternative ideas that could further address health system improvement.
2. Individual oral exam (50%): A short individual oral exam (20 minutes) is part of the assessment procedure. The oral exam is based on a set of questions prepared during the course covering the 2 parts of the content: economic theory/ practice and health systems financing. The objective is to assess individually acquired knowledge. In the presence of a neutral observer from the administration unit the teaching staff conducts the oral exam.

Students need to achieve the pass mark of 60% in both, the group presentation, as well as the individual oral exam. The overall mark is the average of the group presentation (50% contribution to overall grade) and the individual oral exam (50% contribution to overall grade).

In case students fail the group presentation, they will be offered a re-sit in the form of an individual essay. A second re-sit in the form of an individual essay is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as re-doing the course in the following year.

In case students fail the first attempt of the oral exam, they will be offered a re-sit. A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as re-doing the course in the following year or using a different type of assessment.

Prerequisites:

• Successful completion of the core course.

• If not a native speaker: Internationally recognised English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0

ECTS Credit Points: 3

Fees:

• 825,- Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.031,25 Euro for DIPH and Short Course participants

Description:

At the end of the module students should be able to:

• Appraise the value of diagnostic parasitology and entomology in theory and practice (microscopy)
• Perform parasitological and entomological diagnostics
• Assess past and present efforts for control or eradication of parasitic diseases, including vector control

Content:

This module builds on core course teaching. We recommend the following textbook:
Eddleston M, Davidson R, Brent A, Wilkinson R, 2008. Oxford handbook of tropical medicine: Oxford University Press. 843 p.

This module will address aspects not yet covered in the core course of the following issues:

• Laboratory exercises (microscopy): helminths, malaria, other protozoa
• Serology in parasitology
• Medical entomology
• Disease control and eradication: E.g. soil transmitted helminths, malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, dracunculiasis

Assessment procedure

One hour written closed book examination (multiple choice questions, 60% of total grade), 1 hour microscopy examination (40% of total grade). Students must pass all parts of the assessment. The pass mark of the written examination and of the microscopy examination is 60%.

Students who fail will be offered one re-sit examination of the failed part. A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees.

Prerequisites:

• Registered student of the MscIH programm in Intrernational Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or enrollment in the DTMPH programme,
• or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or guest student with basic knowledge and experience in parasitology.
• English English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6.

ECTS Credit Points: 1,5

Fees:

• 412,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 515,63 Euro for DTMPH and Short Course participants

Description

By the end of the Clinical Management of Tropical Diseases (CMTD) course, students should be able to:

• Identify sensitive and realistic therapeutic approaches with regard to locally varying demands and possibilities
• Apply evidence-based algorithms for diagnostic work-up and treatment in resource-poor settings
• Analyse the clinical presentations of major infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and their differential diagnoses

Content

Based on the knowledge provided in the core course, the CMTD advanced module focuses on the applied differential diagnosis and case management of important diseases in resource-poor settings. The concept is to focus on the syndrome rather than on the pathogen/specific disease and to analyse potential causes and management options.

I. Major infections in resource poor settings:

1. Bacterial infections: tuberculosis, leprosy, typhoid fever, paratyphoid, cholera, meningococcal disease, rickettsial diseses, relapsing fevers, Q-fever, leptospirosis, melioidosis and brucellosis
2. Viral Infections: HIV/AIDS, Dengue-fever and DHF, Yellow-fever, Japanese encephalitis, viral hemorrhagic fevers and arthropode-borne viral infections, rabies
3. Protozoal infections: malaria, leishmaniasis, African and American trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, amoebiasis, giardiasis and other gut protozoal infections
4. Helminth infections: nematode diseases (ascariasis, hookworm infection, trichuriasis, trichinosis, enterobiasis, anisakiasis etc.), lymphatic filariases, trematode diseases (schistosomiasis, fascioliasis etc.) and cestode diseases (taeniasis, echinococcosis etc.)

II. Differential diagnoses:

Case studies and group exercises, following an inclusive syndrome-wise work-up, and applying pre-formed diagnostic algorithms: Differential diagnoses of fever, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, skin changes and neurological presentations are discussed; use of ultrasound for differential diagnosis of tropical diseases.

III. Treatment options:

Case studies, group discussions, syndrome guided work-up, and pre-formed therapeutic algorithms are used to appraise the treatment options for infectious diseases in respect to costs and settings.

Assessment Procedure

A two hour closed book multiple choice/short answer exam. The exam will cover theoretical aspects of the module.

The student passes the exam if ≥ 60% of the questions are answered correctly. If the student fails s/he can re-sit on a date agreed on with the module coordinator. A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees.

Prerequisites

• Medical degree (qualification as physician) and successful completion of the core course of the MScIH programme at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (MScIH students and DTMPH candidates)
• Medical degree and professional experience in the field of infectious diseases and tropical medicine (tropEd and guest students)
• Registered nurses, clinical officers etc. with experience in providing curative patient care may apply for a special permission to be admitted.

If not a native speaker: Internationally recognised English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.

ECTS Credit Points: 3

Fees

• 825,- Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.031,25 Euro for DTMPH and Short Course participants

Description

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• appraise the health hazards expatriates may face when working in LMIC
• appraise the legal basis of occupational health in the context of working in LMIC

Content

This module covers occupational health issues for (German) business travelers working in tropical countries. These issues include:

1. The legal basis of occupational health in the context of German employees working in LMIC
2. General principles of occupational health working methods
3. Major occupational health hazards in LMIC
4. Health promotion and prevention of occupational diseases in LMIC
5. Occupational health issues for special professions (health professionals, disaster relief workers) or individuals with pre-existing morbidity
6. Mental health of expatriates working in LMIC

Assessment procedure

The module is divided into 12 smaller sub-modules, which students can complete at their own pace. At the end of each sub-module is a short multiple choice test that needs to be passed with 60% correctly answered questions. If students fails the test at the end of a sub-module, the test can be repeated.

Prerequisites

• Enrollment in the DTMPH programme
• English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6.

ECTS Credit Points: This course does not award any credit points.

Fees

• 171,88 Euro

Description

On successful completion of the module the student will be able to:

• Identify and analyse current conceptualization and critiques of the global mental health movement and psychosocial wellbeing approaches with special attention to the implications of these approaches for different stakeholders
• Critically appraise the evidence for global mental health approaches and psychosocial interventions (with a special focus on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and demonstrate awareness of existing challenges
• Draw on theoretical debates and conceptual frameworks in analysing the role of culture and context in shaping the experience of mental health and wellbeing
• Critically evaluate current approaches in conflict-affected settings to the prevention and treatment of sexual and gender-based violence
• Differentiate and assess approaches to addressing stigma directed against people with mental illness in post-emergency settings
• Put practical skills in Psychological First Aid into practice and critically reflect on the experience.
• Know about staff care, and self-care practices, and be able to apply adaptive coping strategies, especially during deployments in crisis zones

Content

• Global Mental Health Movement (GMHM): its history, aims and approaches. This includes critically analysing some of the theoretical assumptions underlying the GMHM and its relevance to conflict-affected settings
• Policy, guidelines and implementation of global mental health (e.g. mhGAP). The implications of GMH practice in relation to available evidence and perspectives from stakeholders will be critically analysed.
• Conceptualising post-traumatic stress disorders and psychosocial wellbeing: theories from psychology, sociology and development studies will be used to investigate how these approaches have been applied in relation to improving wellbeing in resource-poor and humanitarian settings
• Emergency contexts and humanitarian crises: an analysis of approaches, practice and guidelines in the field as well as challenges faced by agencies seeking to implement these.
• Approaches in conflict-affected settings to the prevention and treatment of sexual and gender-based violence
• Strategies for addressing stigma directed against people with mental illnesses in post-emergency settings
• Introduction of debriefing method, case studies and exercises
• Psychological First Aid: practical skills and the theory underpinning the approach, including evaluation research conducted in various contexts.
• Staff Care: mental health of development/humanitarian workers, including theory of coping, state of the art in organizational staff care provision, and proven approaches to self-care

Assessment procedure

• An individual reflective essay on Psychological First Aid, ca. 1,500 words, formative feedback (unmarked), to be submitted at the end of week two. Students can expect a short feedback on the reflective essay via Email within a week after submission.
• The final assignment will be an individual essay on a Global Mental Health topic (case study), ca. 2,500 words, pass mark 60%.To be submitted one week after the end of the face-to-face teaching. The essay results will be communicated to the student via email. Students who fail the final assignment will be offered one resubmission, which should take place not later than one month after receipt of the fail mark. A second resubmission is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as attending the course again in the following year (no additional fees).

Prerequisites

Knowledge of unstable populations is helpful but not a precondition.

English proficiency: Internationally recognised English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6, or DAAD (A or B in all categories). tropEd students need to provide proof of registration as tropEd student at their home institution only. 

ECTS Credit Points: 3,5

Fees:

• 962,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1203,13 Euro for Short Course participants

Description

At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• Appraise the different alternative explanations to causality, and propose ways to address them; evaluate the presence of effect modification, and propose ways to interpret and report it
• Appraise the role of multivariable regression techniques to predict an outcome depending on several exposure variables, to assess interaction and control confounding
• Appraise why data from matched case control studies and from cluster surveys require special analysis techniques and demonstrate how to use them
• Propose an appropriate modelling strategy to select variables, identify interaction and linear trends, and relate results from multivariable analysis to those from table-based techniques
• Appraise how results from regression analysis are presented and discussed in the scientific literature
• Perform multivariable linear and (unconditional and conditional) logistic regression analyses using the statistical software package STATA, and interpret their results

Content

• Review: Measures of disease frequency and strength of association; inference; study designs; causality and its alternatives: random error, bias, confounding (inflation and masking), reverse causality; interaction (synergistic and antagonistic); data management with STATA; stratified analysis with STATA
• Analysis of cluster survey data
• Simple and multivariable linear regression
• Matching in case-control studies, analysis of matched data
• Unconditional and conditional logistic regression
• Model selection and variable selection
• Role of regression techniques in data analysis
• Role of regression techniques in scientific publications
• Outlook on further regression methods (regression models for count data, regression models for survival time data)

NB: The focus of the module is on linear, and even more on logistic regression.

Assessment procedure

● Three hour written closed-book examination (multiple choice and open-ended question) at the last day of the module. Exams are marked within four weeks and communicated anonymously (using the student ID as identifier) via the learning platform/Email to the students.

The overall pass mark is 60% (converts to a German mark of “4.0” or lower) Students who fail will be offered a re-sit examination, which should take place by the beginning of the following semester (October). Students who fail with a mark between 50% and 59% (converts to a German mark between “4.1” and “5.0”) are offered to have their Data Analysis Report (DAR) (see below) evaluated instead of re-sitting the written closed-book examination. If students achieve a “pass” in the DAR, the final grade will be a “4.0 – Sufficient”.

A second re-sit is allowed but may be linked to conditions set by the Committee of Admissions and Degrees, such as attending the course the following year again (no additional fees).

● The Data Analysis Report (DAR) is a commented (and for now unmarked) self-assessment. The DAR is an individual written exercise students need to submit by the end of week three (if not otherwise agreed on). For the DAR students receive an individual data set from the course coordinator together with a number of questions that need to be answered by the DAR. Students receive a commentary on the DAR by the lecturers of the course within four weeks after the course ends.

Prerequisites

• Participants are required to have solid knowledge in epidemiology and biostatistics (including confounding, interaction, and stratified analysis), and should be interested in theory and practice of epidemiology
• If not a native speaker: Internationally recognised English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6, or DAAD (A or B in all categories)
• tropEd students need to provide proof of registration as tropEd student at their home institution only.

ECTS Credit Points: 4,5

Fees

• 1.237,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.546,88 Euro for Short Course participants
• Possibly 50,- to 200,- Euro for STATA licence

Description

At the end of the module students will be able to

• Critically discuss examples of Planetary Health and Health in All Policies implementation at the local, regional and/or global level and identify challenges in HiAP implementation
• Discuss the purpose of a policy brief in the context of policy-making
• Analyse factors that support and contribute to an effective policy brief
• Describe approaches to policy negotiation and list the major stages of the negotiation process
• Define policy and describe the stages of the policy-making cycle including identifying characteristics of a “window of opportunity” for policy change

Content

Day 1:

• Introduction to module (30 mins) 
• Concepts of Planetary and Human Health in All Policies (lecture) (1.5 hr) 
• Global Status Report on Health in All Policies (lecture) (1 hr)
• The policy-making process (lecture) (1.5 hr)
• Frame a complex health issue and identify its policy challenges and opportunities. Group work (1.5 hr) 
• Self-study (3 hr)

Day 2

• The role of government in Planetary Health and Health in All Policies /whole-of-government approaches (lecture) (1 hr)
• The role of non-government stakeholders in Planetary Health and Health in All Policies /whole-of-society approaches (lecture) (1 hr)
• Preparing policy briefs (2 hr)
• Develop and present a policy brief. Group work (2 hr) 
• Self-study (3 hr)

Day 3:

• Negotiating for health (lecture) (1.5 hr)
• Conflict analysis and resolution (lecture) (1.5 hr)
• Apply knowledge of negotiation to a role play. Group work (3 hr) 
• Self-study (3 h)

Day 4

• Planetary Health and Health in All Policies  implementation at local, regional and global levels (lecture) (1.5 h)
• Measuring progress in health (lecture) (1 h)
• The leadership role of the health sector in  Planetary Health and Health in All Policies (lecture) (0.5 h)
• Review and critique of case study; a model contemporary health ministry. Group work (3 hr)  
• Self-study (3 h)

Day 5 

• Field Visits in Berlin (3 h)

• Written exam (2 h)
• Feedback & Evaluation & Instructions for essay (1 h)

• Self study (3 hr)

Assessment procedure

1. A 2 hour closed book multiple choice/short answer exam (ca. 25 questions, accounting 33% to the overall mark)

   The exam will cover theoretical aspects of the module. The student passes the exam if ≥ 60% of the questions are answered correctly.An exam mark below 60% but ≥50% can be equalised with a good mark in the assignment (see below) if the overall mark is ≥60%

   If the student fails s/he can re-sit (up to 2 times) on a date agreed on with the module coordinator (preferably within 4 weeks after the module).

2. An assignment (1500-2500 words, accounting 67% to the overall mark).

   The assignment assesses the abilitycapability of the student to describe and analyse planetary and human health in all policies approach (e.g. on air pollution), water scarcity), and to translate and apply knowledge in a real world situation.  and to translate the content of the module into health in all policy approaches. For the assignment students are asked to select a country or region or city within a country and to:

• Describe the challenge (e.g. outdoor air pollution) and key health impacts in their chosen setting  (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
• Identify and describe examples of multisectoral collaboration and cooperation where health and other public policies across sectors that have taken into account the health implications of decisions in their respective policy development and implementation process, as well as identifying planetary and human health in all policies approach  challenge (e.g. on outdoor air pollution), any synergies with health and other sectors, as well as policy challenges and opportunities (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
• Analyse governmental and non-governmental responses at political/societal level (20% weight in the assignment’s grading)
• Propose ways to develop if absent or improve if existing the countries response through HIAP (30% weight in the assignment’s grading) and
• Identify potential barriers for implementation of the proposed interventions (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
• List challenges that the health sector faces in promoting HIAP (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
• Identify key leadership roles in the chosen setting for HIAP (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)

Prerequisites

• Registered student of the MscIH programm in Intrernational Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or guest student with solid knowledge and experience in public/international Health.
• English English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 computer-based or 80 internet-based, or IELTS score 6.

ECTS Credit Points: 2,5

Fees

• 687,50 Euro tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 859,38 Euro for guest students

Description

At the end of the module the student should be able to:

1. Propose an intervention/ programme/ service for a common health problem, disease or condition for a community health team
2. Discuss and debate interventions/ programmes/ services rendered by a community health team for common health problems, diseases or conditions
3. Explain the principles of Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC)
4. Describe the role and function of a community health team (“outreach team”)

Content

History of Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC)

The health team (HT)

Implementation of COPC

Principles of COPC - Information

i. the community

ii. the household

iii. the individuals

iv. Information management (e.g. e-/m-health solutions)

Principles of COPC - Equity

Principles of COPC - Comprehensive Care

Principles of COPC – Practice with Science

Principles of COPC - Person centered care

The household assessment

Health status assessment and community based interventions

- General Health & Lifestyle

- Child health

- HIV

- TB

- Reproductive Health

- Chronic/ Non-communicable diseases

- Mental health

- Cancer

- Physical & Sexual assault

Assessment procedure

1. A 1.5 hour closed book exam (50% of the overall mark): The exam will cover theoretical aspects of the module. The student passes the exam if 60% or more of the achievable points are gained. If the student fails he/she can re-sit (up to 2 times) on a date agreed on with the module coordinator (preferably within 4 weeks after the module).
2. An assessment of a 20-30 min oral presentation of a group work (ca. 4-5 people per group) (50% of the overall mark): The group work is a proposal for an intervention/ programme/ service for a community health team dealing with a specific health problem, disease or condition of choice in a setting of choice in a low or middle income country (LMIC). The presentation is passed if 60% or more of the achievable points are gained. If a group fails, each group member has to do an individual assignment (ca. 1500-2000 words) that needs to be submitted within 4 weeks after the module. The assignment will be the same task as the presentation, but each student can decide individually about the specific health problem, disease or condition and the setting he/she wants to work on. The assignment is passed if 60% or more of the achievable points are gained.

Prerequisites

• Registered student of the MscIH programm in Intrernational Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course), 
• or enrollment in the DIPH programme,
• or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or guest student with basic knowledge and experience in primary health care.
• English English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6.

ECTS Credit Points: 3

Fees

• 825,- Euro TropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.031,25 Euro for Short Course participants

Description:

At the end of the module the student should be able to:

• Explain the aetiology as well as intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors contributing to substance and alcohol use disorders (SAUD)
• Discuss treatment and comprehensive care options for people who use drugs
• Describe the epidemiology of SUD/AUD at a global level and for selected countries exemplary at national and/or regional level
• Discuss the broader health, societal and economic impact of SUD/AUD globally and in different countries and regions
• Debate health policies for (and against) people who use drugs at a global level and for selected countries exemplary at nation/region level
• Propose a strategy for a country or region of choice to improve the response to SUD/AUD

Content:

• The current understanding of reward deficiency syndrome, SUD and AUD
• SUD/AUD and psychiatric comorbidities
• SUD/AUD and somatic comorbidities
• Treatment and care approaches to SUD/AUD
• Epidemiology and societal and economic impact of SUD/AUD
• The “war on drugs” and evidence based policies
• Community empowerment of the marginalised
• "Meet the expert: people who use drugs”. Here the students get the opportunity to meet people who use drugs with different backgrounds and histories for in-depth conversations/interviews
• Guided field visits in pairs/small groups to various service and care providers for people who use drugs in Berlin

Assessment procedure

1. A 45 minutes closed book multiple choice exam (ca. 30 questions, accounting 33% to the overall mark): The exam will cover theoretical aspects of the module. The student passes the exam if ≥ 60% of the questions are answered correctly. Exams will be marked within 7 days after the end of the “module week” and immediately communicated to the students. If the student fails s/he can re-sit (up to 2 times) on a date agreed on with the module coordinator (preferably within 4 weeks after the module).
2. A written assignment (1500-2500 words, accounting 67% to the overall mark): The assignment assesses the capability of the student to analyse a real world situation and to translate the content of the module into public health approaches.

For the assignment students are asked to select a country or region within a country and to:

i. Describe the epidemiology of SUD/AUD in the particular state/region (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)

ii. Describe the Health and Societal Impact of SUD/AUD in the particular state/region (20% weight in the assignment’s grading)

iii. Analyse current responses to SUD/AUD at medical and (governmental and non-governmental) political/societal level (20% weight in the assignment’s grading)

iv. Propose ways to improve the countries response to AUD/SUD (30% weight in the assignment’s grading) and

v. Identify potential barriers for implementation of the proposed interventions (20% weight in the assignment’s grading).

Each student will receive an individual feedback on the assignment and a grade using a rubric matrix. Students pass the assignment if they gain 60% or more of the achievable points. If a student fails the assignment, s/he is allowed to revise and resubmit the assignment considering the comments provided by the marker.

Prerequisites

• Registered student of the MscIH programm in Intrernational Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or tropEd student with successful completion of the foundation phase (Core Course),
• or guest student with basic knowledge and experience in substance and/or alcohol disorders.
• English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6.

Remarks:

Participants might get in contact with people living with SUD/AUD inside and outside therapeutic programs. A non-judgmental and respectful approach to people living with AUD/SUD is therefore required.

Participants pledge themselves to the principles of medical confidentiality whenever there is contact to people living with SUD/AUD.

Preparatory reading is not required.

ECTS Credit points: 3,5

Fees:

• 962,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.203,13 Euro Euro for Short Course participants

Description:

At the end of the module students will be able to

• Design a qualitative research proposal
• Appraise peer reviewed qualitative research
• Apply ethical considerations including understanding the issues of bias (reflectivity and subjectivity) in qualitative research
• Demonstrate the ability to collect, transcribe and code qualitative data gained through in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions and/or participants’ observation methods and appraise qualitative research findings
• Formulate clear and succinct research questions for qualitative research applying all theoretical knowledge
• Explain main conceptual and methodological approaches in qualitative research (e.g. ethnographic, phenomenological, observational, cases study, grounded theory, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)

Content:

The course will cover the following topics:

Day 1:

• Methods: ethnographic, phenomenological and grounded theory methods, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), Participatory Action Research, case study
• Formulating aims and objectives in Qualitative research

Day 2:

• Qualitative data collection methods: in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions (FGDs) and participants’ observation methods
• Appropriate methods in qualitative data capturing
• Ethical issues in research
• Group work: Qualitative data collection methods (pre-selected simple topics with two objectives) using different methods & capturing methods (2 individual interviews/ 2 observations/ 1 FGD)

Day 3:

• Discussion or feedback from group work
• Strengthening and Assessing Rigour in Qualitative Research- how to achieve rich and high quality qualitative data (use role play as examples)
• Transcription process

Day 4:

• Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis and types of Analysis
• Overview of data collection software and traditional methods
• Group-work: Create themes/nodes or coding tree from transcripts and feedback

Day 5:

• Written class test I (Content from day 1-4) and revision lecture in the class
• Practical: Introduction to NVivo. - Setting the project from the data collected/ transcripts and data coding

Day 6:

• Reporting writing and presentation of qualitative research findings
• Writing qualitative papers for peer review
• Interpretation of research findings

Day 7:

• The role of qualitative research in global health
• Critique and discussion of peer reviewed articles
• Practical: Use NVivo software in the analysis process in writing reviews of published qualitative data

Day 8:

• Principles of formulating a qualitative research proposal
• Literature review/existing background information in proposal writing
• Formulating the problem statement, aims, research questions and objectives in qualitative research

Day 9:

• How to select the relevant methodology and sample size to answer specific research questions
• Choosing the correct data collection instrument
• Environment, Sampling and Reflexivity in Qualitative Research proposal
• Declaration of ethical issues in proposal writing

Day 10:

• Written class test II
• Q&A lecture session
• Feedback & Evaluation

Assessment Procedures:

A written assignment (1500-2500 words, accounting 100% to the overall mark).

The assignment assesses the capability of the student to design a proposal for a qualitative research project of their choice.

In addition there are two unmarked mandatory short written tests (formative assessment) at the end of each week to assess learning progress.

Pre-requisites:

• Successful completion of the core course.
• English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.
• Software NVivo (30 day trial version for free)
• Voice recording device (e.g. mobile phone)

Credit points: 3.5

Fees:

• 962,50 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 1.203,13 Euro for Short Course participants

Description

This module aims at training students in scientific writing and biomedical publishing. At the end of the module the student should be able to:

• demonstrate how to review the literature (how to identify and critically appraise relevant articles)
• demonstrate how to avoid plagiarism
• appropriately summarize, paraphrase and reference research content

Content

The module is designed to equip students with knowledge about the basics of biomedical manuscript writing, to enable them with the practical skills to review the literature and to train them how to avoid scientific misconduct. Students are requested to bring their own research question.
Theoretical part (Day 1-5):

I. Systematic literature review

• Definition of research question/eligibility criteria
• Development of search strategy
• Title/abstract/full text screening
• Data extraction/quality assessment
• Synthesis of results/meta-analysis

II. Scientific misconduct

• Forms of scientific misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, …)
• Motivation to commit scientific misconduct
• Responsibility (author, institutions, journals)

III. Scientific writing

• How to avoid plagiarism, fabrication and falsification?
• Paraphrasing, Summarizing, Referencing
• Style
• Good and bad practice examples

IV. Critical appraisal

• Guidelines to strengthen the reporting (STROBE, PRISMA, CONSORT, …)
• Checklists for different study designs

V. Biomedical publishing

• Journal landscape and selection
• Publication impact assessment (Impact factors, H-index)
• Authorship
• Submission/review process

Assessment procedure

A written narrative literature review for a pre-defined research question: 2,500 words (100%).

In addition, students are required to complete several exercises during the classroom-based activities in order to be allowed to submit the summative assignment.

Each student will receive an individual feedback on the final assignment.

A web based service will be used to detect plagiarism.

If a student receives a grading “not sufficient”, he/she is allowed to revise the assignment considering most of the comments provided and resubmit the assignment.

Master students of the TropEd programme should note that they are not allowed to use the written narrative literature review for their Master thesis.

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of the core course.
• English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.
• The students are requested to install the reference manager software “Endnote” on their private notebooks and to watch the “Pubmed” and “Mesh terms” tutorials on “pubmed.gov” website.
• In addition, they need to select a research topic and define a research question before the start of the course (this will be communicated to the students in detail when they receive confirmation of participation)

ECTS Credit Points: 2

Fees

• 550,- Euro TropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 687,50 Euro for Short Course participants

Description:

At the end of the module students will be able to

• Develop an appropriate strategy for a country or region of choice to improve the response to the growing burden of cancer diseases
• Debate health policy strategies to meet the challenges of the growing cancer burden at a global level and for selected countries
• Describe the basic concept of oncology treatments, prevention and palliative care and analyse necessary prerequisites for the establishment of cancer care in low resource settings
• Describe epidemiological data of cancer diseases in low resource settings and debate the broader health, societal and economic impact of cancer diseases globally and in different countries and region

Content:

The course takes on a health systems perspective and focuses on the medico-technical, managerial and policy requirements particularly for diagnosis and treatment of cancer particularly in low- and middle income countries.

The course will cover the following topics:

Day 1:

• Introduction to the course and topic of Global Oncology
• Basic Introduction to Oncology – entities, diagnostics, staging, treatment modalities
• Cancer epidemiology and “big data”
• Differences between tropical and non-tropical malignancies

Day 2:

• Role of Health Education and Prevention
• Diagnostics and Treatment impediments – barriers to access
• Telemedicine (online-tumour boards, telepathology)
• Infection and Cancer diseases
• Radiotherapy in developing countries

Day 3:

• Pharmaceuticals in low resource setting: procurement, approval, availability
• Minimum standard for handling of cytostatic medications
• Role of pharmaceutical companies, prizing and access to markets
• Access to medicine programmes
• Implications for staff and management in new treatment facilities

Day 4

• Economic burden of Cancer diseases for developing countries
• Health policy strategies to Cancer diseases
• Universal healthcare coverage and cancer and public private partnership
• Palliative care in low resource settings

Day 5

• Presentations of the group work
• Cancer research in low resource settings
• Future Perspectives for Global Oncology in Academia
• Preparation of assignments for the course

Assessment Procedures:

A written assignment (2000-3000 words, accounting 100% to the overall mark).
The assignment assesses the capability of the student to analyse a real world situation and to translate the content of the module into public health approaches.
For the assignment students are asked to select a LMIC country or region within a LMIC country and to:

1. Describe the epidemiology of Cancer diseases in the particular state/region
2. Discuss the Health and Societal Impact of Cancer in the particular state/region
3. Analyse current responses to Cancer at medical and (governmental and non-governmental) political/societal level
4. Develop a strategy to improve the countries response to Cancer and
5. Identify potential barriers for implementation of the proposed interventions

Each student will receive an individual feedback on the assignment and a grade using a rubric matrix. Students pass the assignment if they gain 60% or more of the achievable points. If a student fails the assignment, s/he is allowed to revise and resubmit the assignment considering the comments provided by the marker.

Pre-requisites:

• Successful completion of the core course.
• English TOEFL test 550 or 213 computer-based or 79/80 internet-based or IELTS band 6.0.

ECTS Credit points: 2

Fees:

• 550 Euro for tropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 687,50 Euro for Short Course participants

Sponsor:

Takeda Pharma Vertrieb GmbH & Co. KG

Description

At the end of the module the student should be able to:

1. Apply WHO framework for social determinants of health to a complex problem to illustrate the interconnectedness and interdependence of sustainable livelihoods;
2. Illustrate how lifelong learning can enable the policy and social dialogue and coalition building processes for developing sustainable livelihoods;
3. Relate and analyse the interdependence of people, planet and prosperity employing Planetary Health, One Health, One Earth concepts;
4. Propose how to measure and understand a complex problem using a social determinants of health approach  
5. Create a plan for sustainable livelihoods that promotes health equity through addressing the social determinants of health
6. Identify sources of health

Content

Introduction to Module and Q&A

Block 1: Sustainable Development and UN 2030 Agenda / 17 SDGs

• Introduction to etymology of sustainable development and social determinants of health
• Introduction to United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, outcome document entitled "The future we want'
• Redesigning planning, governance, and policies to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals

Block 2: Sustainable Development and complex challenges of 21st century

• Wicked problems; understanding the meta-narratives of sustainable development
• Introduction to UN Development Programme Sustainable Livelihoods
• Social Dimensions of Resilience in Social-Ecological Systems

Block 3: Equity and sustainability

• Orientation; what gets measured, get done
• Introduction to Indigenous knowledge and concepts of sustainability
• Reflections on global health security, solidarity and sustainability.
• Social Reflections on global health security, solidarity and sustainability
• Introduction to Global Citizenship
• Impact of Cultural and Citizenship Education on Social Cohesion

Block 4: Equity and the social determinants of health

• Framing the action for social determinants of health: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Systems thinking to promote health equity through action on the social determinants of health
• Universal health coverage SDG 3.8 and the social determinants of health
• Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED): Transforming and Sustaining our World through Learning.

Block 5: Introduction to Lifelong Learning (Macro level)

• Lifelong learning and Health
• Lifelong learning from a social justice perspective
• Lifelong learning and learning cities
• Lifelong learning competencies and skills for sustainable development and global citizenship

Block 6: Lifelong Learning and sustainable livelihoods (Meso, micro level)

Block 7: Planetary Health, One Health, One Earth

• Introducing main concepts of planetary health / One Health / One Earth
• Planetary boundaries; sustainable livelihoods and water scarcity
• Introduction to One Health
• One Earth and global pollution

Block 8: Introduction to Social Determinants of Health

• Closing the Gap in a Generation, an introduction to Social Determinants of Health
• Introduction to the analytical framework WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health
• UN High Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth

Block 9: Social determinants of health and health services

• Systems thinking to promote health equity through action on the social determinants of health
• Introduction to WHO integrated people-centred health services.
• Innov8 Approach for Reviewing National Health Programmes to Leave No One Behind.
• Understanding the Economics of Investments in the Social Determinants of Health
• Root causing mapping

Block 10: Taking action on the Social Determinants of Health

• Preparing for taking action in daily practice.
• Engaging people and communities in action to address the social determinants of health
• Introduction to social accountability

Block 11: Social Determinants of Health, measuring and understanding the problem

• Measure and understand the problem
• Taking action in daily practice; health examples
• Assessing the impact of action

Block 12: Multisectoral action and Governance

• How multisectoral collaboration and action can promote transformative change for health and sustainable development
• Importance of the health sector taking steps to build capacity for multisectoral efforts for health as part of Universal Health Coverage
• Coalition building and process strategies

Block 13: Multisectoral action and Partnerships

• Intersectoral planning for health and health equity
• Identifying sources of health data and policy advice for multisectoral action
• Minamata Convention on Mercury to address mercury pollution

Delivery & Study Investment Time

The module will take place over 2.5 months with a total SIT of 180 hours (151 teaching and learning activities).

Study Investment Time:

• Synchronous live / virtual face to face teaching with a moderator via webinar; 35.5 hrs
• Asynchronous / independent study using material provided via web based learning platform ; 115.5 hrs including core reading
• Of the total of 151 (35.5 + 115.5) teaching hours: Cases Studies 26 hours, Exercises 15 hours, Group work 6 hours
• Written assignment 29 hours
• NB; Time has been built into the module there is provision for 6 hrs of moderator dedicated 1:1 time with participants via live web conferencing.
• Asynchronous web based learning elements have MCQs. This will allow for monitoring participant progress and enable the moderator to follow up by email. Email exchange will be available at participants request. The moderator will dedicate ca. 10 hrs per participant for 1:1 contact and/or email exchange including but not limited to addressing questions on course content, preparation for webinars, individual tasks. This communication channel and facility aims to be responsive and agile in addressing problems that course participants may have.

Assessment procedure

1. MCQ Tests: The content units, individual exercises and group work will build the scaffolding for the final assignment i.e. designing interventions for sustainable livelihoods. MCQs will be required for each individual content unit in each teaching block. MCQ results will be monitored to assess participants progress through the course, and allow moderator and participants to tailor additional support as needed and as required. The facility for email exchange / zoom calls will used to connect the moderator and individual participants in a time efficient and effective manner. Similarly, the participant can request 1:1 time with the moderator. The MCQs will form 25% of the overall module assessment mark.
2. Report/Diary: Participants will be required to submit a report / diary detailing their learning reporting over the module, accounting 15% to the overall mark.
3. Written Assignment: A written assignment (2500-3500 words, accounting 60% to the overall mark). The assignment assesses the capability of the participant to i. identify, measure and analyse a public health issue using WHO analytical framework of WHO Commissionon the Social Determinants of Health, ii translate the problem into local community action that links the UN 17 SDGs with interventions to promote sustainable livelihoods. They will demonstrate how they have / would engage with the community to understand the different perspectives of the identified problem.

For the assignment participants are asked to select a city or town within a country and to:

1. Identify a complex health problem in a community, using analytical framework of WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health making note of, i. intermediary determinants of health, and ii. structural determinants of health inequities, (20% weight in the assignment’s grading)
2. Describe the social dialogue and coalition building processes for developing sustainable livelihoods and interaction with key local community leadership (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
3. Apply the results of problem analysis (1) to UNDP model for Sustainable Livelihoods with specific reference to the health damaging exposure/s, vulnerable groups and communities (20 % weight in the assignment’s grading)
4. Using 3. identify leverage points for action and propose pathway/s for resilient and sustainable livelihoods (30% weight in the assignment’s grading)
5. Identify potential drivers, assumptions, risks and stakeholders in these pathways (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)
6. List and describe the challenges that project might face and how they could be overcome (10% weight in the assignment’s grading)

Each student will receive an individual feedback on the assignment and a grade using a rubric matrix. Students pass the assignment if they gain 60% or more of the achievable points. If a student fails the assignment, s/he is allowed to revise and resubmit the assignment considering the comments provided by the marker (in resit, the grade of the failed first attempt is not considered anymore).

Prerequisites

• Basic competencies in social determinants of health (e.g.  successful completion of a core course of a tropEd Master’s Programme)
• English proficiency certificate equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 internet/80 online, or IELTS score 6

ECTS Credit Points: 6

Fees

• 1.650,- Euro TropEd MScIH students and alumni
• 2.062,50 Euro Guest students