Extenuating Circumstances

If there are any exceptional circumstances that may have affected your ability to undertake or submit this assignment, make sure you contact the Advice Zone on your campus prior to your submission deadline.

Fit to sit policy:

The University operates a fit to sit policy whereby you, in submitting or presenting yourself for an assessment, are declaring that you are fit to sit the assessment.  You cannot subsequently claim that your performance in this assessment was affected by extenuating factors.  

Plagiarism and Unfair Practice Declaration:

Intellectual Property and Retention of Student Work:

You understand that the University will retain a copy of any assessments submitted electronically for evidence and quality assurance purposes; requests for the removal of assessments will only be considered if the work contains information that is either politically and/or commercially sensitive (as determined by the University) and where requests are made by the relevant module leader or dissertation supervisor.

Details of Submission:

Note that all work handed in after the submission date and within 5 working days will be capped at 40%[ Information on exclusions to this rule is available from the Advice Centre at each Campus

].  No marks will be awarded if the assessment is submitted after the late submission date unless extenuating circumstances are applied for and accepted (Advice Zone to be consulted).

You are required to acknowledge that you have read the above statements by ticking the statements online. Student Number(s)

Assessment Task:

You are required to produce a 3000 word essay on the Wider Determinants of Health and Reducing Health Inequalities. The essay should explore the factors that influence health and the relationship between the determinants of health and health inequalities. You should choose a particular health-related issue and explore the wider determinants of this issue. Your work should be supported at all times with evidence.

You should:

Define the scope of the essay – identify which topic you will be focusing on.

Identify and define the wider determinants of health with reference to models and definitions of health, and the literature.

Discuss the relationship between the determinants of health and health inequalities.

Identify the impact of inequalities on individuals and communities, utilising relevant data and information.

Discuss what action can be taken to reduce health inequalities, with reference to the literature.

Relate this to levels of action (e.g. national versus local, type of interventions) and identify key stakeholders.

Plagiarism and Unfair Practice Declaration

Critically appraise the work of the government (or other key stakeholder) in reducing inequalities in relation to your topic area – you may want to focus in on a particular intervention.

Evaluate progress with tackling health inequalities and the challenges faced with addressing the wider determinants of health.

Grading Criteria:

Introduce the essay and set out the topic to be discussed.  In relation to your topic, identify the impact of inequalities on the health of individuals and communities. Define the wider determinants of health, making reference to models of health and the wider literature.

With reference to the evidence and using a model of health, explore the wider determinants of your topic area. Discuss how these wider determinants relate to the inequalities noted in your introduction, identifying the links between wider determinants of health and health inequalities.

Using your topic as an example, and with reference to the literature, discuss actions that can be taken to address wider determinants of health in order to reduce health inequalities. Relate this to levels and types of action and identify key stakeholders.

Building on the discussion of actions above, select a particular type of action (or a manageable number of actions) to critically evaluate. You should consider the question: How far has this been successful in reducing health inequalities? You may also want to discuss alternative approaches which may be needed, as relevant and as informed by the evidence.

Conclude in an appropriate manner by summarising your main discussion points and any recommendations made

Appropriate writing style (logical, fluent & concise), grammar, punctuation, format & spelling, use of Harvard referencing.  

Guidance on Presentation of Assignment

Your written elements should be:

·Word processed (handwritten assignments are not accepted), font Arial size 12, double line spaced and justified text.

·The writing style should be in the third person, unless otherwise stated.

·Your student number should be shown in the header and page numbers shown in footer.

·Please note that student names should not appear anywhere on the assignment.

·Your assignment should be submitted online via the Turnitin link by the date and time specified.

·Please refer to Student Handbook for additional advice.  

Supplementary Guidance

The word count excludes the referencing list at the end of the assignment. Any appendices will not be assessed as part of the content of the assignment; therefore will not contribute to the grade awarded.  

Assignments that are lengthier than the specified word count will not be read beyond the plus 10% point and will be marked according to the material already read.  

·Additional explanation of assignment requirements will be provided during lectures

·Consult the marking criteria to help you construct your response

·All links to literature should be referenced appropriately using the University Harvard referencing system.

·A variety of academic sources should be used (i.e. books, edited books, journals, articles and on-line resources).