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Public Health

Code: 102996
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Physiotherapy OB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Maria Isabel Fernandez Cano
Email :
mariaisabel.fernandezc@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Santiago Crespo Alonso

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are no official prerequisites.

Objectives

The study of public health, legislation and health administration are part of the scientific basis necessary for the training of the physiotherapist.

The general objectives are:

  • Intervene in the areas of promotion, prevention, protection and recovery of health.
  • Incorporate the ethical and legal principles of the profession into professional activity.
  • Develop planning, management and control activities in care units.
  • Apply mechanisms to guarantee the quality of physiotherapy practice according to the recognized criteria.

Learning outcomes

  1. Describe the basic concepts of epidemiology.
  2. Explain the principles governing health education.
  3. Explain the factors that affect health and the problems related to physiotherapy in the areas of primary care, specialist care and workplace health.
  4. Define the fundamental concepts of health.
  5. Describe the function of the physiotherapist within the healthcare system.
  6. Promote healthy lifestyles through Health Education.
  7. Interpret and describe the ethical, legal and professional framework for the practice of physiotherapy.
  8. Explain the profession's codes of conduct.
  9. Describe the laws governing the profession in a context of social change.
  10. Analyse the Spanish public health system and the management of health services, especially the areas in which physiotherapy is present.
  11. Explain aspects of health service management.
  12. Explain the management processes of a physiotherapy unit.
  13. Describe management processes and quality-assurance mechanisms in physiotherapy practice, in accordance with recognised quality standards and indicators of good practice in the profession.
  14. Work in teams.
  15. Display critical reasoning skills.
  16. Identify, analyse and solve ethical problems in complex situations
  17. Show sensitivity to environmental issues.
  18. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  19. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  20. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  21. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of suggestions for improvement: one's own and those of others.
  22. Propose new ways to measure success or failure when implementing innovative proposals or ideas.
  23. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one?s own area of knowledge.
  24. Propose viable projects and actions to boost social, economic and environmental benefits.
  25. Propose ways to evaluate projects and actions for improving sustainability.
  26. Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
  27. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  28. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  29. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
  30. Communicate using language that is not sexist.
  31. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality present in society.
  32. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  33. Propose projects and actions in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
  34. Analyse the indicators of sustainability of academic and professional activities in the areas of knowledge, integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions.
  35. Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.

Contents

In this subject, the basic concepts of public health are integrated (Professor M. Isabel Fernández Cano):

  • Concepts of health-illne.
  • Natural history of disease, levels of prevention and levels of care.
  • Public Health: concept, functions and activities.
  • Social determinants of health.
  • Inequalities in health by gender, social class, race, territory. Government actions.
  • Measurement of health and disease phenomena. Epidemiology: concept, frequency, association and impact measures.
  • Static and dynamic demography. Population size and structure. Demographic indicators.
  • Conceptual bases of education for health.
  • Health promotion. Health programs. Design and evaluation of interventions.
  • Occupational health.
  • Health Systems. Spanish and Catalan Health System.
  • Management processes and quality assurance.


General concepts of ethics and law (Professor Santiago Crespo):

  • It reflects on principles and values that underlie human behavior and professional practice.
  • People’s rights are studied from an ethical and legal point of view.
  • It deals with professional ethics and deontological codes and the current professional and health legislative framework.
  • Bioethics, its principles and its work methodologies are studied.
  • Some of the ethical dilemmas that arise in daily practice are analyzed.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
SEMINARS (SEM) 10 0.4 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 33, 34
THEORY (TE) 36 1.44 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 23, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35
PERSONAL STUDY 96 3.84

The teaching methodology will be mixed.

Theory (TE)

The subject is taught through theoretical classes in which the basic concepts are worked on. It will be complemented with practical exercises. The planning of the contents will be available at Moodle.

Seminars (SEM)

  • There will be a total of 5 sessions of 2 hours duration.
  • The work will be done in stable groups during all sessions of 4 or 6 students.
  • Students will have to plan a prevention intervention to try to cope with a health problem related to physiotherapy in a population group.
  • In order to carry out this activity, the concepts of the theoretical sessions (epidemiology, determinants of health, activities of prevention and health promotion, health education, planning and evaluation of an intervention) should be applied.
  • The health problem to be worked on will be selected from a list provided by the teacher. The topics of each seminar group have to be different.
  • Each teamwork will work autonomously on the chosen health problem.
  • In each seminar session the groups must present one of the sections of the work to the rest of the group. Sharing the work will serve to clarify doubts.
  • A written document will be prepared that includes the different stages of the intervention program
  • In the final seminar session, there will be a presentation of the intervention programs prepared by each group.

Tutoring may be arranged with the coordinator responsible for the contactant assignment for electronic correspondence.

In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not allowed in any of its phases. Any work that includes fragments generated with AI will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Written works 30% 3 0.12 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 29, 33, 34
Objective tests with multiple choice questions 60% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 23, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35
Oral defense of written works 10% 2 0.08 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 30, 33, 34

The evaluation system is organized into 2 blocks, with a specific weight in the final grade:

Tests with multiple-choice questions and practical exercises (60%)

o First partial (30%). Theoretical content of the first half of the syllabus approximately. Individual

o Second partial (30%). Theoretical content of the second half of the syllabus approximately. Individual

Seminars: preparation and oral presentation of a project (40%)

o Written project report (30%) Group

o Oral presentation (10%) Group

In the Moodle of the subject there will be a document that will detail the activities and evaluation criteria of continuous evaluation and the seminars.

Obtaining the final grade

The realization and delivery of works and / or tests of knowledge that are proposed is mandatory. The non-presentation of any of them will score as 0 in the calculation of the final evaluation grade.

To pass the subject, the average grade of the 2 partial tests (which weigh 60%) must be equal to or greater than 5 points.

According to agreement 4.4 of the Board of Governors of the regulations of evaluation, the qualifications will be:

  • From 0 to 4.8 = Fail
  • From 4.9 to 6.8 = Pass
  • From 6.9 to 8.8 = Good
  • From 8.9 to 10 = Excellent

Definition of not evaluable

The student who does not attend the evaluation sessions and does not make or deliver any of the works and /or tests that are proposed will be considered NOT EVALUABLE.

Review of the written test

The student has the right to review his written test, for which a date will be set in the Virtual Campus. In any case, it will be done individually and according to the current regulations of the UAB.

Retake exam

Students who have not passed the subject through continuous assessment may take a final synthesis test that will include the entire subject syllabus.

The condition to participate in the retake exam is:

  • Having previously been evaluated in a set of activities the weight of which equals a minimum of two thirds (66%) of the grade of the subject.

This subject contemplates the single evaluation system.


The commission of any irregularity in an assessment activity

The commission of any irregularity in an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or misuse of AI, unless such use is explicitly authorized in the course guide) that may lead to a significant change in the grade will result in that activity being graded as 0. If the course guide stipulates that passing the subject requires obtaining a minimum mark in that assessment activity, or if multiple irregularities occur across the assessments of the same subject, the final grade for the subject will be 0. Additionally, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.


SINGLE ASSESSMENT


In the same session of approximately 2,5 hours, the following evaluation activities will be carried out:

1) Exam with multiple choice questions (60%) Time: 90 minutes. The questions will be about the theoretical contents of the subject.

2) Oral presentation of an original scientific article (10%). Time: 8 minutes. A list of health problems will be provided two weeks before the test date so that the student has time to prepare for the following evaluation activities:

  • The student will have to search for an original scientific article (not a review article) published in the last 5 years on an intervention that has been shown to be effective in preventing the chosen health problem.
  • The student will have to orally present to the faculty the structured content of the article with the support of slides (power point).
  • The student will have to submit the article worked on and the presentation file (in .pdfformat) to Moodlebefore the evaluation date.

3) Open questions with short answers and problem solving (30%) Time: 60 minutes.

  • Questions on the practical application of concepts related to the development and evaluation of an intervention program for the prevention of musculoskeletal health problems (objective setting, evaluation indicators,...).

Obtaining the final grade

The same conditions as in the case of continuous evaluation.

Definition of not evaluable

Any student who does not attend the assessment session and fails to complete all required tests will be considered ‘Non-evaluable".

Review of the written test

The student has the right to review his written test, for which a date will be set in the Virtual Campus. In any case, it will be done individually and according to the current regulations of the UAB.

Retake exam

Students who have not passed the subject through the single assessment may take a retake exam that will include the same type of tests detailed in the single assessment section.


Bibliography

SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PUBLIC HEALTH

  • Martínez González, MA. Conceptos de Salud Pública y estrategias preventivas. 3ª ed., Barcelona: Elsevier; 2023. (Digital)
  • Argimon, JM., Jiménez Villa, J. Métodos de investigación clínica y epidemiología. 5a ed. Barcelona: Elsevier;2019
  • Last, JM. A Dictionary of epidemiology / edited for the International Epidemiological Association by Miquel Porta.Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2014. (Paper i digital)
  • Piedrola Gil. Medicina preventiva y salud pública. 12ª ed. Barcelona: Elsevier Masson; 2016. (Paper i digital)
  • Pla de salut de Catalunya 2021-2025. Barcelona: Direcció General de Planifcació en Salut; 2021. Disponible en: Pla de salut. Departament de Salut (gencat.cat)
  • Programa d’incorporació de fisioterapeutes per a la promoció del funcionament i la prevenció de la discapacitat a l’atenció primària i comunitària. Barcelona: Direcció General de Planificació i Recerca en Salut; 2022. Disponible en: Programa d’incorporació de fisioterapeutes per a la promoció del funcionament i la prevenció de la discapacitat a l’atenció primària i comunitària (gencat.cat)
  • Hernández-Aguado, I. et al. Manual de epidemiologíay salud pública: para grados en ciencias de la salud. 2ª ed., Madrid: Médica Panamericana; 2011. (Digital) 2018 (Paper)
  • Martín Zurro, A. et al. Atención Primaria. Conceptos organización y práctica clínica. 7 ª ed. Barcelona: Doyma; 2014.
  • Ministerio de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social. Crisis económica y salud en España. 2018. Disponible en: https://www.mscbs.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/docs/CRISIS_ECONOMICA_Y_SALUD.pdf

Internet resources

SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LEGISLATION AND ETHICS 

SPECIFIC BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HEALTH SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION

  • Rodríguez Ibagué, LF, and Guarín Espinosa,CL eds. Administración en fisioterapia. Bogotá: Editorial Universidad del Rosario, 2021. (Paper and Digital)
  • Errasti, F. Principios de Gestión Sanitaria. Barcelona: Díaz de Santos; 1997.
 

Software

No specific software is required.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 201 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 201 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 202 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 203 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 204 Catalan second semester afternoon