Health Economics & Program Evaluation

Subject POPH90012 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

Semester 2, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable

Classroom

Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: One 1-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week
Total Time Commitment: Students will be expected to undertake additional study (i.e. outside the stated contact hours) of at least 2 hours for each hour of contact in this subject.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: None

Coordinator

Dr Arthur Hsueh, Ms Rosemary Mckenzie

Contact

Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economic
Telephone: +61 3 8344 9111
Email: chppe-enquiries@ unimelb.edu.au

OR

Academic Programs Office
Melbourne School of Population Health
Tel: +61 3 8344 9339
Fax: +61 3 8344 0824
Email: sph-gradinfo@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject provides an introduction to the disciplines of health economics and program evaluation and provides students with the opportunity to develop an appreciation of the contribution that health economics and program evaluation make to the practice of public health.

There are two principal areas of learning within this unit:

  1. Health economics/economic evaluation/priority setting, which introduces students to the role and usefulness of economic analysis through provocative lectures on selected topics of policy interest;
  2. Health program evaluation, which provides a basic introduction to program evaluation principles and design applicable to public health programs
Objectives:

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

For the Health Economics section:

  • understand the role of management in resource allocation, including planning, funding, equity and efficiency.
  • understand key economic concepts and the role of economics in increasing welfare, including the special characteristics of health care as an economic commodity;
  • assess the usefulness and limitations of economic analysis in promoting an efficient and equitable health care system;
  • understand the basic types and role of economic appraisal in the evaluation of health care services;

For the Program Evaluation section:

  • understand the differences between process, impact, and outcome evaluation as they apply to health programs;
  • describe different types of evaluation design, and assess their strengths and weaknesses in relation to public health programs;
  • determine evaluation strategies appropriate to particular stages of the public health program cycle;
  • understand the role of evaluation in the conduct of public health programs.
Assessment:

One essay of 2000-2500 words (40%)

One essay of 2000-2500 words (40%)

Tutorial exercises (20%)
Prescribed Texts:

A volume of key readings will be provided.

Owen, John M. Program Evaluation: Forms and Approaches (3rd ed.) New York: Guildord Publications, 2006 298 pp. ISBN: 1-59385-406-4
Recommended Texts:

None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills: -
Links to further information: http://www.sph.unimelb.edu.au
Notes: This subject is a Master of Public Health Consortium subject.

Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Health Economics/Economic Evaluation
Health Program Evaluation
International Health
Primary Care
Sexual Health
Social Health
Women's Health

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