Active participative Methods in Teaching Environmental Health Module in the College of Public Health and Health Informatics. KSAMU. KSA Amen A Bawazir, Ali M Al Shehri

In mid 1980s, the National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) initiated a number of postgraduate programs in various medical fields and subspecialties.NGHA NGHA advanced medical facilities at King Abdulaziz Medical Cities in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Ahsa have contributed to the success of these programs, and paved the way for the university’s inception in 2005.

KSAU-HS's headquarter is in Riyadh, but it has two additional campuses in Jeddah and Al Ahsa. Riyadh Campus hosts six colleges: – College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, – College of Pharmacy, – College of Public Health and Health Informatics, – College of Applied Medical Sciences, and – College of Nursing.

King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences The College of Public Health and Health Informatics  Established in 2006 as the first college in this specialty in the Kingdom.  It provides distinct programs in post graduate studies.  Environmental Health is among the different modules that are taught in this college which is targeting Master students.

Departments in the college offering courses in Public Health The College of Public Health and Health Informatics

In recent years, in the field of education of a subject such as Environmental health, a variety of innovative active pedagogical methods, for example “Problem solving”, “case study”, Field study”, “Project method”, “Modelisation-Simulation” have been developed and applied. The College of Public Health and Health Informatics

The number of students in academic year 2011/2012 are 63, The College of Public Health and Health Informatics Studies for the Master degree lasts for 2 years.( 160 Credits ) The study program consists of eight core modules for all the student, and 7 module for each specific group

Master program in Public health The study program provide essential knowledge and skills in the field of: public health, health care administration, statistic social medicine, environmental health, occupational health, epidemiology, health promotion.

The aim of the course is to increase student’s understanding, knowledge and skills beyond the basic level of environmental health for strengthening capability of their independent planning and executing public health research. To introduce to principles and methods of extended environmental risk analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Aims of the module This module is designed to introduce the students into the nature and scope of: – environmental health science and – occupational health science 10

Course Objectives At the end of the course, the student will be able to: 1. Describe the disciplines of environmental health professionals and the approaches by which they identify, analyze, and solve problems. 2. Identify environmental and occupational safety and health hazards, including biological, chemical, physical, mechanical and psychological hazards 3. Describe pathways of exposure, routes of absorption, basic distribution, storage and mechanisms of toxicity for important occupational and environmental exposures.

EOH Online: Course Objectives 4. Discuss hazard identification, exposure assessment, risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication techniques 5. Investigate exposure factors in the workplace and general environment that lead to adverse health outcomes 6. Critically evaluate, write about, present, and discuss scientific articles, current events, and popular literature on environmental health issues at the regional, national, and global levels 7. Find and utilize resources on environmental and occupational health

Learning outcomes By the end of the module the students will be able to: – define the concepts of environmental and occupational health science, – Critically analyze environmental and occupational health and their implications on health 13

Learning outcomes … Continue – discuss current environmental and occupational issues. – To recognize the main environmental and occupational health problems related to KSA and the region. 14

Contact time: – lectures, seminars, plenary brainstorming, case- studies, group work, class presentations, and practical field visits Self directed study: – Reading and working on exercises, activities and brief reports. 15 Learning activities

 The module assessed through:  Two written assignment  One individual (minor)  Group team working (major)  Class attendance.  Reports  and through one exam. 16 Assessment

 The assignment: According to Module Reader.  The exam (2 hours): As above. Two “problem based” questions (approximately 30 min each) and short note and MSQs questions 30 min in environmental and also in occupational health.  Assessments: in accordance with the Module Handbook and the selected articles. 17 Assessment

1- Field study (2 000 words) Timetable: Start from course start first day, Supplied with structure for the assignment. Self study – an opportunity for writing assignment. Take opportunity to make one appointment to get preliminary feedback. Deadline to hand in written assignment the three days before the close of the module. 2- Reports on “Field visit” of selected public health departments (water, sanitation, food, waste disposal, occupation). 18 The assignment

To choose a city in the Kingdom of Saudi arabia that is a recognized Healthy City Project(HCP) To compile information about the city and the HCP, To choose one/some hazardous chemical/toxin/waste/pollution and explain the present or/and planned future specific waste management in the HCP. To make a Power Point presentation to the class the three days before the close of the module. 19 Group work Environmental health

Assignments 1)Hospital care waste 2)Quality of drinking water in Riyadh 3)Quality of food in Riyadh 4)Level of air pollution in Riyadh 5)Controlling of solid waste in Riyadh 6)Occupational Biological factor and its implication on health. 7)Factors contributing to climate change in KSA and the region 8)Major diseases in PHC centers related to climate changes in Riyadh. 9)Legislations, lows and guidelines related to Environmental health in KSA. 20

Public health Master programme to promote establishment of public health education system in KSA, stressing on globally and locally oriented approach; The goals The aim of the project is development of the curriculum and the program for advance training at the Master Sc. degrees in Public health and increasing the number of young public health working people.

Increasing the numbers of public health oriented cadres  Iimproving their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in teaching advance courses  Introducing new problem oriented pedagogical methods  Iincreasing the activity in environmental assessment

Participation in conferences and environmental health events The outcome would be to increase the knowledge of the student gained outside the class-room. How to use theories and practice in education on environment-related issues such as the World Water Day, World Health Day and Tobacco related day. How to use different examples from the society to increase their awareness and interaction.

Summary of work This article describes the curricular approach in teaching course of environmental health for Master degree students and assessing their activities over the time-period course. Application of such module required implementation of some innovative approaches and attractiveness in the way of enhancing the capabilities of the student to interact with the content and the way of understanding.

Summary of results The curriculum was planned on the framework of comprehensive environmental understanding of the main factors influencing health of human being. It makes strong adherence of the trainees to identify and analyse interrelated determinants of health and major health problems of populations in relation to environmental context. These include items related to water and sanitation, food control, vector born-diseases, air pollutant and occupational risks.

Conclusions Assessment of risk and causal-relation is important component of the module. Plans for a sustainable improvement of health systems are crucial step in the process of implementation in diverse intercultural settings as well as social and ethical responsibilities.

Take-home messages Practicability to problems related to the local conditions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are included and of great concern to be discussed and analyzed by the student.

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