Indigenous and Intercultural Health/Learning outcomes

Module 1: Health & Australian Cultures edit

Topic 1.1 Intercultural Health Competency

Intended learning outcome

Show understanding of, and self-assess Intercultural Health Competency

Enabling outcomes

a. Outline this subject’s main learning outcomes and assessment requirements

b. Describe what is meant by the terms ‘culture’, ‘stereotyping’ and ‘ethnocentrism’ in this subject

c. Outline key developmental stages, elements and examples of intercultural health competence

d. Self-assess your own Intercultural Health Competency (IHC) by:

- Discussing and comparing your own results from the IHC survey with others

- Proposing possible reasons for areas of strength and difference to others

- Identify short and longer term strategies to address improvement areas


Topic 1.2 The Australian Context: Health, Identity & Power

Intended learning outcome

Explain how culture, history and demography influence health and healthcare encounters

Enabling outcomes

a. Outline how key historical and demographic factors can impact on the health of different Australian cultures

b. Describe Australia’s multicultural population and how intercultural adjustment can impact on health

c. Analyse examples to explain how cultural power and relationship values can affect health

d. Explain key principles of health promotion and community development, from a social determinants perspective

e. Develop a basic health promotion or community development plan


Topic 1.3 Culture as Communication

Intended learning outcome

Develop healthcare related communication skills appropriate to a range of cultural groups and situations

Enabling outcomes

a. Describe how cultural background can affect communication styles (e.g. direct/indirect, silence, non-verbal aspects)

b. Explain how distinct communication styles reflect cultural value dimensions

c. Evaluate case scenarios of IH communication to suggest reasons for their (in)effectiveness and potentially more effective behaviours

d. Demonstrate how to adjust your own communication style to cater for culturally different clients


Topic 1.4 Human Rights & Professional Practice

Intended learning outcome

Identify how human rights and professional responsibility underpin intercultural health competence

Enabling outcomes

a. Describe key concepts of human rights and professional responsibility

b. Identify ways in which Human Rights and Professional Responsibility relate to intercultural health competence at different levels (individual, agency, community etc.)

c. Explain ways that health professionals can effect positive change through community development and health promotion

d. Analyse examples of community development and health promotion through the lenses of human rights and professional responsibility


Assignment-related Activity:

Discuss Community Project Part 1: Background Research Review, Draft Proposal & Group Formation

Module 2: Indigenous Health & Wellbeing edit

2.1 Developing Indigenous Health Competency

Key learning outcome

Explain and Self-Assess Indigenous Health Competency

Enabling outcomes

Focusing on Indigenous health:

a. Analyse own and others common stereotypes and ethnocentrism

b. Identify strategies for challenging own and others’ stereotypes and ethnocentrism

c. Describe similarities and differences in culture and worldview between

- Diverse Indigenous communities, and

- Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities

d. Identify similarities and differences between general intercultural health competence and Indigenous health competence

e. Develop a plan for self development in Indigenous health competency


2.2 History, Demography and Indigenous Health

Key learning outcome

Apply understanding of how historical and demographic factors can influence Indigenous healthcare encounters

Enabling outcomes

Focusing on Indigenous health:

a. Describe aspects of resilience, health and wellbeing differentials

b. Explain how historical factors, identity issues and racism maintain a traumatic legacy for Indigenous health and healthcare

c. Analyse how past and present social power differentials affect health and healthcare

d. Identify how cultural values about relationships with community and nature affect health and wellbeing


Assignment Due: Community Project Part 1: Proposal (1,000 words)


2.3 Applying Indigenous Health Communication Competency

Key learning outcome

Develop and apply Indigenous healthcare related communication skills

Enabling outcomes

Focusing on Indigenous health:

a. Describe some distinct culturally-based similarities and differences in communication styles

b. Self-analyse communication style strengths and weaknesses

c. Identify potential effective and ineffective communications styles

d. Analyse self adjustments required to provide good communication and care


2.4 Human Rights in Indigenous Health

Key learning outcome

Apply understanding of human rights and professional responsibility in relation to Indigenous cultural competence

Enabling outcomes

Focusing on Indigenous health:

a. Identify issues of human rights, advocacy and social justice

b. Identify the role of various Australian human rights organizations

c. Apply understanding of links between human rights and Indigenous health competence

d. Apply health promotion and community development principles to show links between human rights and professional responsibility

Module 3: Community Project edit

3.1. Apply and self-evaluate the above learning outcomes through an intercultural community-based project

Assignment Due: Peer Review of Community Project Proposal (500 words)

Enabling outcomes

Work in a small team (3-5 members) to:

a) Plan

b) Conduct

c) Evaluate and

d) Present a Community Project