Easing the burden of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease

The University of Sydney

À propos de ce cours

This course is multidisciplinary in nature, and aims to equip the global audience of interested lay people, people with chronic disease, public health researchers, health clinicians, students, administrators, and researchers to reflect on the overall impact of the burden of chronic disease . It shows how all chronic diseases (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer) are related by a set of common causes, and that such diseases should be tackled, not individually, but as part of a complex system, with interrelated contributing factors. These factors are genetic, environmental, psychological, economic, social, developmental, and media related. The Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney is a unique interdisciplinary education and research hub which seeks solutions to chronic disease through a complex systems approach. Academics in many disciplines (in Science and Medicine, but also in Architecture, Humanities, Law etc) work in a collaborative fashion to produce novel solutions to the problems of chronic disease. All contributors and participants in this course are members of the Charles Perkins Centre and will speak from the unique interdisciplinary perspective that this Centre affords. The course will describe a complex systems approach as the most productive way to ease the burden of chronic disease. It then describes these diseases in detail, their risk factors, and the environmental and biological factors that have led to the current epidemic of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Finally, the solutions – and more importantly the process for finding solutions- is the subject of the last module. No one approach by itself can ever be the answer, and certainly not a simple diet and exercise approach. The entire course consists of 5 content modules, plus an extra module for completing assignments and discussions, and takes about 6 weeks to complete. Completion certificates are issued on the basis of participation in all 6 modules. What you'll learn: - How the Charles Perkins Centre recruits interdisciplinary teams to ease the burden of chronic disease - How a complex systems approach is necessary to provide solutions to a complex problem - The fundamentals of chronic disease research and where it is heading - The biggest risk factors for chronic disease and their global incidence - The biological, genetic, social, regulatory, and other influences that have inflated these risk factors - How to provide solutions globally for the reduction of chronic disease

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Niveau débutant

Approx. 12 hours to complete

Recommandé : 3 hours/week

English

Sous-titres : English

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Niveau débutant

Approx. 12 hours to complete

Recommandé : 3 hours/week

English

Sous-titres : English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

4 hours to complete

Module 1 – Setting the Scene

This module looks at the impact of the increasing incidence globally of non-communicable, or chronic, diseases and how the Charles Perkins Centre is developing a new approach to this complex challenge....

5 videos (Total 12 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz

5 videos

Module 1 Introduction1m

Understanding NCDs2m

How can a multidisciplinary approach solve complex societal problems?3m

Solutions3m

Module 1 Summary0m

5 readings

Module 1 Reading list0m

Preparation for Assignment 115m

A note on the weekly discussion topics...5m

The presenters10m

Contributors10m

1 practice exercises

Module 115m

2

Section

2 hours to complete

Module 2 - The Big Non-Communicable Diseases

This module outlines the five major non-communicable diseases, Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Cancer, and the many risk factors that they share....

9 videos (Total 42 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

9 videos

Module 2 Introduction2m

Cardiovascular disease7m

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease3m

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease4m

Diabetes Part 15m

Diabetes Part 27m

Obesity6m

Cancer2m

Module 2 Summary1m

1 readings

Module 2 Reading list0m

1 practice exercises

Module 220m

3

Section

2 hours to complete

Module 3 - The key risk factors for chronic disease

In this module we look more closely at the main risk factors for the non-communicable diseases and at the impact our modern environment is having on the global burden of these preventable diseases....

8 videos (Total 40 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

8 videos

Module 3 Introduction1m

Physical activity5m

Diet7m

Tobacco6m

Alcohol6m

Sleep apnoea5m

Oral health4m

Module 3 Summary1m

1 readings

Module 3 Reading list0m

1 practice exercises

Module 315m

4

Section

4 hours to complete

Module 4 - How did we get here?

This module will provide an overview of the main factors in our biology, our environment, our food production systems, and our human psychology that have made us susceptible to the chronic disease health crisis. ...

7 videos (Total 33 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

7 videos

Module 4 Introduction2m

Our biology10m

Our food supply2m

Corporate interest3m

Corporate interests and nutrition6m

Our domestic environment5m

Module 4 Summary2m

1 readings

Module 4 Reading list0m

1 practice exercises

Module 430m

5

Section

4 hours to complete

Module 5 - Solutions

In this module we will consider in detail the complex challenges of finding solutions to chronic diseases and how these could be brought together in developing a systems approach to address these major chronic diseases and the threat they pose to individual and population health. ...

5 videos (Total 50 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

5 videos

Module 5 Introduction5m

A discussion: Solutions23m

What is one solution?4m

Nutrition systems6m

Precision Medicine10m

2 readings

Module 5 Reading list0m

Some cutting edge views2m

6

Section

20 minutes to complete

Wrapping up

This module gives you time to complete your final assignment and to reflect on what you have learned in the course....

1 video (Total 5 min)

1 videos

MOOC conclusion4m

Instructor

Stephen Simpson

Academic Director and Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences

About The University of Sydney

The University of Sydney is one of the world’s leading comprehensive research and teaching universities, consistently ranked in the top 1 percent of universities in the world. In 2015, we were ranked 45 in the QS World University Rankings, and 100 percent of our research was rated at above, or well above, world standard in the Excellence in Research for Australia report....

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I pay for this course?
If you pay for this course, you will have access to all of the features and content you need to earn a Course Certificate. If you complete the course successfully, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. Note that the Course Certificate does not represent official academic credit from the partner institution offering the course.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.
Cost
Students can take this course for free or elect to purchase a certificate for A$65.
Learners who pre-enroll in an upcoming session can immediately access unlocked course resources, including:
· videos
· slideshows
· readings
· all assessments except peer review assignments
They can’t access peer review assignments before the session begins (every 4 weeks) because there needs to be enough learners enrolled in the session to grade the assignments in a timely manner. Once a session is active, learners gain access to all assessments and resources.
Who can enrol in the course?
As this is an open online course, anyone in the world can enrol!
Is it free for University of Sydney and students?
The course is free for everyone. You can pay for a certificate if you want to show your completion on your LinkedIn profile or get a pdf that you can add to your CV. There are no discounts for University of Sydney staff or students on the cost of the certificate.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center

Easing the burden of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease