Public Health Surveillance is the collection, analysis and interpretation of health or related data for public health action. This course aims to teach students about public health surveillance in four domains: establishment, maintenance, reporting, and evaluation of surveillance systems.

Topics will include:

1. Introduction to surveillance: Why do we have it?; Different types and uses
2. Legislation and guidelines for public health surveillance
3. Surveillance in Australia
4. Establishment of surveillance and how it can be enhanced surveillance
5. Analysis and reviewing outputs
6. Communicating results
7. Evaluating surveillance systems
8. Surveillance in special situations and populations, such as: humanitarian crises, public health emergencies, and mass gatherings.

The course will rely on understanding these concepts and skills by applying them to real-life surveillance settings managed by the course staff and invited guest lecturers. Teaching will be through case studies, lectures and online quizzes and activities.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Describe why public health authorities conduct surveillance.
2. Identify the main types of surveillance and their uses in Australia.
3. Describe how surveillance is managed and systems are established.
4. Analyze surveillance data and communicate results.
5. Formulate a plan to evaluate a surveillance system.
6. Describe the use of surveillance in special situations, such as public health emergencies.

Research-Led Teaching

All lecturers in this course are active in Public Health Surveillance in Australia. External lecturers in particular will be drawn from the ACT Department of Health, the Federal Department of Health, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, giving their real-world experience of health surveillance.

Required Resources

Computer with access to Microsoft Excel or similar program.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc via the online discussion forum

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to public health surveillance
2	Public health surveillance in Australia
3	Establishing surveillance systems
4	Surveillance in resource poor settings
5	Surveillance for non-communicable diseases and risk factors in Australia
6	Legal and ethical basis for public health surveillance in Australia &Surveillance and disease elimination	Assignment 1: Assessing the public health importance of conditions under surveillance in Australia
7	Mass gathering surveillance
8	Analysis of public health surveillance data Part 1: descriptive analysis
9	Public holiday - No lecture
10	Analysis of public health surveillance data Part 2: rates and standardisation	Online Quiz
11	Evaluation of public health surveillance systems
12	Analysis of public health surveillance data Part 3: interpretation and outbreak detection	Assignment 2: Preparation of a monthly communicable diseases surveillance report

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assignment 1 - Assessing the public health importance of conditions under surveillance in Australia	30 %	30/08/2024	16/09/2024	1
Online Quiz	20 %	11/10/2024	18/10/2024	1,2,3,4,5,6
Assignment 2 – Preparation of a monthly communicable diseases surveillance report	50 %	25/10/2024	28/11/2024	4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Assignment 1 - Assessing the public health importance of conditions under surveillance in Australia

Assignment: Assessing the public health importance of a condition

Students will be asked to choose one of four diseases for this assignment (hepatitis C, measles, campylobacter or listeria) to assess the public health importance of the condition according to the criteria outlined in MMWR. Parameters for measuring the importance of a health-related event may include:

• indices of frequency (e.g., the total number of cases and/or deaths; incidence rates, prevalence, and/or mortality rates); and summary measures of population health status (e.g., quality-adjusted life years [QALYS]);
• indices of severity (e.g., bed-disability days, case-fatality ratio, and hospitalization rates and/or disability rates);
• disparities or inequities associated with the health-related event;
• costs associated with the health-related event;
• preventability;
• potential clinical course in the absence of an intervention; and
• public interest.

Word limit is 2000 words.

This assignment is worth 30% of the total course marks.

Assessment Task 2

Online Quiz

The online quiz will include multiple choice, true or false, and short answer questions based on the content covered in the lectures to date.

This quiz is worth 20% of the total course marks.

Assessment Task 3

Assignment 2 – Preparation of a monthly communicable diseases surveillance report

Students will be asked to prepare of a monthly communicable disease surveillance report. Students will be supplied with a data set that will need to be analysed in Microsoft Excel, or similar program, in order to produce the surveillance report.

Word limit is 2000 words.

This assignment is worth 50% of the total course marks.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Assignments will be marked within 2 weeks of submission and returned via Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not permitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students