Overview
In this unit you will examine the numerous social complexities that exist in the delivery of healthcare and how those complexities impact practice. You will examine different perspectives on health and their influence on decision making, and then discuss ways to balance personal views with available scientific evidence and rationale. You will also study factors that affect the health outcomes of the individual as they apply to your obligation to deliver evidence-based, patient-centred health care.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE Unit comments T3, 2024.
Students suggest content provided in this unit has been presented in other subjects (such as the research unit).
Unit coordinator to review repeat tutorials on research methods relevant to Assessment 1.
Feedback from SUTE Unit comments T3, 2024.
Students suggest emails were not an effective means of communication when seeking clarity on lecture / tutorial materials.
Unit coordinator to consider more effective means of communication to provide more meaningful student feedback, particularly for assessment tasks.
- Provide a balanced judgement of patient centred and evidence based care in health care decision making
- Make informed decisions using the best available evidence for patient management
- Recommend appropriate healthcare advice which considers the ethics associated with a limitation of knowledge/evidence, potential conflicts of interest, cultural, social and other differences which may impact an individual’s health outcomes.
LO1 links to CCEA Competency Element 1.2 Public Health Concepts with the Performance Indicators: Understanding of health problems during special life periods including ageing, paediatrics and adolescence; recognition of the role that chiropractors can play in overall public health practice, including public hospitals; understanding the special areas of women’s and men’s health and the cultural aspects of public health; and understanding the concept of increasing the patient’s responsibility for his/her own health care.
LO2 links to (a) CCEA Competency Element 11.1 Develops a personal ability to seek out and apply scientific information with the Performance Indicators: Ability to critically appraise the literature and apply evidence-based problem solving in practice; understand the on-going necessity for continuing education; demonstrate communication skills, an ability to speak in public and give a case presentation with an adequate literature review; and show an understanding of research methods and their significance in modern health care; and (b) to CCEA Competency Element 3.1 Awareness of professional ethos, organisation and history with the Performance Indicators: Is aware of the profession’s special characteristics, aspirations and strengths; is aware of the profession’s organisations locally, nationally and internationally; and of its relations to other professions and organisations, e.g WHO; is aware of the major historical mile posts of the profession, both locally and internationally.
LO3 links to CCEA Competency Element 3.2 Awareness of professionalism with the Performance Indicators: Assesses personal standards of practice; and recognises the need for self-directedness in further and continuing education to extend knowledge and refine skills.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 35% | |||
| 2 - Presentation - 35% | |||
| 3 - In-class Test(s) - 30% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||
| 4 - Research | |||
| 5 - Self-management | |||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||
| 7 - Leadership | |||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Vancouver
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.deluca@cqu.edu.au
m.fernandez@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Lecture: Introduction to SPOH
Online tutorial: Introduction to SPOH and course outline
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Drivers of evidence based care
Online tutorial: Chiropractic Board of Australia presentation.
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Building a safety culture in Chiropractic
Online tutorial: SafetyNET with Prof Katie Pohlman (Parker University, USA), Assoc Prof. Martha Funabashi (CMCC, Canada) and Chris Burrell (MQ, Australia).
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Social determinants of health (1)
Online tutorial: Research methods
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples
Online tutorial: Social determinants of health
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Unique health concerns for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples
No online tutorial
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 - Literature review due. A PDF file should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Friday in Week 6.
LITERATURE REVIEW Due: Week 6 Friday (19 Dec 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Social media and healthcare
No online tutorial: Clinic entrance preparation
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Mental health 1
Online tutorial: Social media and healthcare
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Mental health 2
Online tutorial: Mental Health with Dr. David McNaughton
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Health promotion and healthy ageing
Online tutorial: Health promotion and healthy ageing
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2 - Health Media items due. All files should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Thursday in Week 10.
HEALTH MEDIA ITEM Due: Week 10 Thursday (29 Jan 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Lecture: Rural, regional and remote health
Online tutorial: Rural, regional and remote health
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Disability and rehabilitation
Online tutorial: Disability and rehabilitation
Chapter
Relevant material will be available on Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3 - On campus, invigilated end of term test to be held on Thursday 19th February 2026 at 1:00 - 3:00pm.
1 Written Assessment
In this assessment, you will select a topic related to a social perspectives of health unit including, but not limited to, cultural perspectives, patient safety, health promotion, healthy ageing, rural and regional health inequities, mental health, and/or unique social determinants of health.
You will undertake a structured literature review on your chosen topic and select a peer-reviewed publication for synthesis. The document should include the topic title, research question, search strategy, and search results. From your search results choose one paper, where you will synthesise their results and formulate a discussion on the important and clinical relevance of this paper to chiropractic practice. This item should be 750 words +/- 10%, formatted in arial font with 1.5 spacing and referenced with Vancouver (not part of the word count).
To help you use Generative AI tools in a transparent, flexible, and responsible way, you are encouraged to explore the following practical framework that guides your ethical and effective AI use in your assessment. All AI Assessment scale tool descriptors have been provided on the CHIR13012 Unit Documents & Materials.
For this assessment, AI Assessment descriptor 2 is applied.
Descriptor 2: AI PLANNING - Al may be used for pre-task activities such as brainstorming, outlining and initial research. This level focuses on the effective use of Al for planning, synthesis, and ideation, but assessments should emphasise the ability to develop and refine these ideas independently. You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
This assessment should be saved as a PDF file and uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Friday in Week 6. This assessment is worth 35% of your total grade.
Week 6 Friday (19 Dec 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
One PDF file should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Friday in Week 6.
Week 8 Tuesday (13 Jan 2026)
The assessment will be returned with feedback relevant to the assessment guidelines and marking rubric provided.
Detailed assessment guidelines and marking rubric are provided in Moodle. Students must submit one PDF file, uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Friday in Week 6.
- Make informed decisions using the best available evidence for patient management
- Recommend appropriate healthcare advice which considers the ethics associated with a limitation of knowledge/evidence, potential conflicts of interest, cultural, social and other differences which may impact an individual’s health outcomes.
2 Presentation
This assessment will see you develop a social media item related to social perspectives of health including, but not limited to, cultural perspectives, patient safety, health promotion, healthy ageing, rural and regional health inequities, mental health and/or unique social determinants of health. This assessment piece should use evidence from scientific literature, turned into a health media item as a patient or community educational tool. In keeping with this, it is important that the piece is thoughtfully presented with a target audience in mind. This means that you will consider the wider context and realities faced by the group that you will be focusing on. Your health media item should be on a topic different to your structure literature review from Assessment 1.
You can select to submit either a written or recorded health media item.
You will also submit a recorded explanation of your chosen health media item. This verbal summary should introduce your topic, describe your target audience and report your search strategy and results. Please discuss clinical implications of the evidence and the strengths and limitations of social/mass media in the health setting. This video recording should be no longer than three minutes.
To help you use Generative AI tools in a transparent, flexible, and responsible way, you are encouraged to explore the following practical framework that guides your ethical and effective AI use in your assessment. All AI Assessment scale tool descriptors have been provided on the CHIR13012 Unit Documents & Materials.
For this assessment, AI Assessment descriptor 2 is applied.
Descriptor 2: AI PLANNING - Al may be used for pre-task activities such as brainstorming, outlining and initial research. This level focuses on the effective use of Al for planning, synthesis, and ideation, but assessments should emphasise the ability to develop and refine these ideas independently. You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
All items should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Thursday of Week 10. This assessment is worth 35% of your total grade.
Week 10 Thursday (29 Jan 2026) 5:00 pm AEST
Your written or recorded health media item and the pre-recorded explanation should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Thursday of Week 10.
Week 12 Friday (13 Feb 2026)
The assessment will be returned with feedback relevant to the assessment guidelines and marking rubric provided.
Detailed assessment guidelines and marking rubric are provided in Moodle. All items should be uploaded to Moodle by 5pm on Thursday of Week 10.
- Provide a balanced judgement of patient centred and evidence based care in health care decision making
- Recommend appropriate healthcare advice which considers the ethics associated with a limitation of knowledge/evidence, potential conflicts of interest, cultural, social and other differences which may impact an individual’s health outcomes.
3 In-class Test(s)
This end of term test will be taken in person, in a CQUni computer lab. The test will involve a mix of question types including multiple choice, short answer and matching styles. The test will assess all theoretical content taught across weeks 1-12. This is not an open book quiz nor a group assessment and answers must be an individuals own work.
The test is worth 30% of your total grade, and you need a 50% mark to pass this assessment.
The 72-hour assessment grace period is NOT implemented on this assessment. Therefore, you are NOT allowed to submit your end of term test up to 72 hours after the original due date.
To help you use Generative AI tools in a transparent, flexible, and responsible way, you are encouraged to explore the following practical framework that guides your ethical and effective AI use in your assessment. All AI Assessment scale tool descriptors have been provided on the CHIR13012 Unit Documents & Materials.
For this assessment, AI Assessment descriptor 1 is applied.
Descriptor 1: No AI - The assessment is completed entirely without Al assistance in a controlled environment, ensuring that students rely solely on their existing knowledge, understanding, and skills. You must not use Al at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
Thursday (19 Feb 2026) 1:00 pm AEST
On campus, invigilated end of term test
Exam Week Friday (20 Feb 2026)
Questions will be returned to students once all questions rare graded.
The assessment criteria will involve selecting or providing the most accurate and correct answers to the questions posed in this end of term test.
- Provide a balanced judgement of patient centred and evidence based care in health care decision making
- Make informed decisions using the best available evidence for patient management
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
