Module HUSS3361: EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE: REPRODUCTION AND INFANT HEALTH

Department: Anthropology (Human Sciences) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HUSS3361: EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE: REPRODUCTION AND INFANT HEALTH

Prerequisites

• Completion of Level 2 Human Sciences/Health and Human Sciences OR Evolutionary Anthropology (ANTH2061) OR Human Ecology, Genetics & Health (ANTH2011) OR Stage 1 MBBS.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To expose students to the perspective of evolutionary medicine and to encourage the critical appraisal of western biomedicine in the light of evolutionary theory.

Content

• Evolutionary medicine takes the view that many contemporary health issues are related to an incompatibility between the lifestyles and environments in which humans currently live and the conditions under which human biology evolved.
• This module explores the ways in which questions about reproductive and infant health and disease can be reframed in consideration of an evolutionary perspective and new suggestions about treatment can be made.
• Specific areas to be covered include reproductive health (e.g. fertility, post-natal depression, menopause) and infant health (e.g. colic, jaundice, SIDS, infant sleep, breastfeeding).

Learning Outcomes

• Students should be able to: Understand and explain the application of evolutionary perspectives to a variety of contemporary reproductive and infant health issues.
• Understand the value of a cross-cultural perspective in informing evolutionary medicine.

• Articulate how an evolutionary perspective to reproductive and infant health might inform current health care practices and interventions and synthesise material.
• Be able to evaluate evolutionary explanations of reproductive and infant health issues and be able to articulate how these may be tested.

• Problem solving.
• Research design.
• Ability to engage in discussion and debate on theoretical and practical issues.
• Ability to present verbal summaries of data and theoretical perspectives based on readings of academic literature.
• Ability to present written summaries of debates and argue for a particular perspective using research based evidence.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Seminars will introduce a different health issue each session and present students with various examples of evolutionary interpretations.
• Seminars will guide students to further reading on each area.
• Seminars will engage students in discussion of their reading of academic literature.
• Tutorials (small group teaching) will use a problem solving approach in which students will present the results of their own research to explore topics of 'received biomedical wisdom' using evolutionary perspectives.
• Formative and summative class-write-ups will be used to consolidate students' ability to explain and articulate evolutionary perspectives on health.
• Summative exam will be used to assess students ability to explain their understanding of this topic.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Two tutorial write-ups, 500 words each.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University