Cost Effectiveness in Health and Medicine (PUBH7618)

Course overview

This course is designed for public health students who want to develop the skills and confidence to use economic thinking in real-world policy, planning, and program evaluation. Throughout the course, we will explore the core economic concepts and methods that are applicable to generate economic evidence to design, implement and evaluate public health policies, programmes and interventions. You will learn why, when, and how to conduct an economic evaluation, how to interpret their findings, and how to critically appraise the evidence they produce. Emphasis will be placed on real-world case studies, policy relevance, and the ethical and equity dimensions of economic reasoning.

The course balances conceptual depth with practical application. You will:

·        Explore how economic incentives shape public health systems and decisions, and develop insights into how economics can be used responsibly to improve public health

·        Participate in budgeting and resource allocation simulations to experience the real-world trade-offs that decision-makers face when allocating limited resources across competing public health priorities

·        Undertake a basic cost-effectiveness analysis using Excel, and develop judgement about when economic analysis tools are relevant and when they are not,

·        Build skills in critical appraisal, written and verbal communication, and collaborative problem-solving, preparing you to interpret, question, and convey economic evidence with clarity and policy relevance. 

Course requirements

Assumed background

Students are assumed to have at least some proficiency in using Microsoft Excel, including proficiency in the use of relative and absolute cell addresses; linking cells to values in other cells; and use of Excel functions, including functions that need parameters. The UQ Library runs courses on Excel. These are available online from https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/training/online-learning under LinkedIn Learning software courses.

Basic statistics knowledge is also required. This includes understanding the expected value and 95% confidence interval of a parameter and being able to identify different types of statistical distributions including normal, gamma and beta. It is recommended that students complete PUBH7630 Introduction to Biostatistics prior to taking this course.

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

PUBH7630

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

Additional timetable information

ﾠ ﾠ

Aims and outcomes

The aim of the course is to develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to apply economic thinking and analytical methods to improve decision-making in public health policy, planning, and service delivery.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

Quiz

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Reflection

Weight

20%

Due date

5/09/2025 5:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to 10. Policies & Guidelines

Late submission

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Appraisal of an economic evaluation study

• Team or group-based
• In-person
• Online

Mode

Oral, Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation

Weight

30% [2 parts: 15% individual report, 15% viva voce]]

Due date

12/09/2025 5:00 pm

26/09/2025 5:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific, Peer assessed.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to 10. Policies & guidelines

Late submission

Plesse see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Cost-effectiveness case study project

• Team or group-based

Mode

Written

Category

Project

Weight

50% [2 parts: 25% Excel model, and 25% cost effectiveness analysis report]

Due date

7/11/2025 5:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Task description

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to 10. Policies & Guidelines

Late submission

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

The final grade awarded will be based on the results of the supplementary assessment only, and a passing grade will be awarded if, and only if, the student receives at least 50% of the marks on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Assignment Submission:ﾠ

Turnitin no longer automatically emails students a receipt when they upload an assignment.ﾠ Students need to download their receipt manually and keep a copy as proof of submission.ﾠ ﾠ

Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and/or using Tunitin.ﾠ

Before submitted any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ’sﾠcompulsory onlineﾠAcademic Integrity Tutorial.

When you successfully submit your assessment, you need to manually download your receipt and keep a copy as proof of submission as Turnitin no longer automatically emails students a receipt when an assignment is uploaded.ﾠ ﾠ

It is the responsibility of the student to check the assignment preview and confirm that the assignment has been successfully submitted.ﾠﾠ

If the submission was not successful:

1. Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot)
2. Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again
3. If you cannot submit again, immediately email your course coordinator.ﾠ

Feedback

Two-way feedback is given high priority in the School of Public Health.

Feedback to students

General feedback will be available on coursework throughout the semester. This feedback is available to the course cohort during classes, as well as on an individual basis outside classes. Any course participant who is having difficulty with the course or balancing the coursework with other commitments is encouraged to consult the course coordinator as early as possible. For a detailed explanation of the feedback you are entitled to, you should consult the policy on Student Access to Feedback on Assessmentﾠhttps://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.10.02-assessment.

Entitlement is balanced with responsibility. As a student you have a responsibility to incorporate feedback into your learning. Course Coordinators will endeavour to give timely feedback to students on assessment items. Major written and presentation items will be marked according to stated criteria. The marked criteria sheet with provision for written feedback will be returned to students. Collective feedback to the class, once the work has been marked, will be given where appropriate. Feedback regarding online assessment activities e.g quiz, discussion will be provided online in either a general or individual form or both depending on the nature of the assessment item. Students are welcome to make an appointment with the Course Coordinator to view and/or discuss marked assessment items.

There are certain steps you can take if you feel your result does not reflect your performance. Please refer to https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result

Feedback from students

Feedback from students about the course is welcomed via:

1. Blackboard Discussion Boards dedicated to Course Feedback on individual course sites
2. Email to the course coordinator or program director
3. Feedback surveys completed during the semester including the SECaT (Course Evaluation) survey conducted late in the semester.

Querying Resultﾠ

Students are able to request a re-mark if they have valid academic reasons for disputing a mark awarded.ﾠThe student must first seek and receive feedback from the course coordinator and then complete an online request for a re-mark viaﾠmy.UQ, outlining their case. Strict timelines apply.ﾠ If a re-mark is approved, in all cases, the re-mark replaces the original mark, which could lead to final grade going up, down, or remaining the same.

Further information is available from the following link:ﾠﾠhttps://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-resultﾠ

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Other course readings will be accessible through the course Blackboard site.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Additional learning activity information

The course is delivered in a workshop-style format, with collaborative tutorials and facilitated learning activities. While the course is available online, in-person participation is strongly encouraged, as public health economics is most meaningful when experienced in simulated decision-making scenarios and dialogue with your peers. This is how health economists work alongside clinicians, planners, service users, and decision-makers.

You are strongly encouraged to engage fully with all learning activities, including readings course materials and watching short videos before attending the workshops, completing scenario-based tasks and participating in teamwork exercises during class-time. Independent preparation and active participation are essential to your success in this course, and other public health subjects. 

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.

Course guidelines

School of Public Health (SPH) Guidelines for late submission of progressive assessment - Preamble

To apply for an extension to the due date for a piece of progressive assessment (eg assignments, oral presentations and computer-based assignments) students should complete the online request at  https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=2#2  

Information regarding deferral of in-semester exams and end-of-semester exams is available from https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/deferring-exam 

If requesting an extension on medical grounds, a medical certificate must be provided. The extension will be approved for the number of days included in the medical certificate that the student was not fit to study or work, eg if the medical certificate is for 3 days, an extension will be approved for 3 days maximum regardless of the student's request.  

If requesting an extension using a Student Access Plan (SAP) as evidence, a maximum of 7-day extension will be approved in the first instance. Updated medical documentation, as well as a copy of the SAP, is required if requesting an extension for more than 7 days. 

A student may have a maximum of three extension requests approved for a single assessment task.   

An extension for an assessment item due within the study period in which the course is offered, must not exceed four weeks in total.  

The following SPH guidelines are consistent with the UQ policy. However, the SPH Guidelines contain specific rules and interpretations for SPH courses, and requests for extension and penalties for late submissions will be judged according to the guidelines outlined in this document. You should read both the information in your my.UQ at the following link: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension and the SPH guidelines (below) before submitting a request for an extension. The SPH Guidelines apply to all courses offered by the School of Public Health unless the Course Profile explicitly states otherwise.

SPH Guidelines for late submission of progressive assessment

Initial extension for an individual item of assessment – the SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Course Coordinator decides.

This could be for medical or compassionate reasons, or if, in the opinion of the Course Coordinator, there are exceptional circumstances.

Acceptable and unacceptable reasons for an extension are listed at the following link, along with the required evidence to be provided:  https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=1#1

A request for an extension to an assessment due date must be submitted through mylUQ as soon as it becomes evident that an extension is needed, but no later than one calendar day after the assessment task submission due date and time. 

If applying for an extension after the due date and time of the assessment item, your request may not be approved. An explanation as to why your request was not submitted prior must be included.       

If approved, a new due date will be set. This would generally be no later than 7 days after the original due date, however this can be modified to take account of the circumstances of the request and the time that would have been lost from studies.

If the new due date is past the date for submission of end-of-semester results, the student will receive an INC (incomplete) result.

Second and all subsequent extensions for an individual item of assessment – the SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Program Convenor together with the Course Coordinator decides.

This would only be approved for exceptional circumstance with supporting documentation.

• Online requests must be made at least 24 hours prior to the due date from the first extension.
• The SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Course Coordinator will consult with the Program Convenor, who will make the final decision.
• If approved, the new due date would generally be no later than 7 days after the first extension due date.
• The Program Convenor should consider if remedial or other support should be offered to the student.
• The Program Convenor should provide a report on these matters as needed at SPH Examiners’ Meetings.

A student may have a maximum of three extension requests approved for a single assessment task.   

An extension for an assessment item due within the study period in which the course is offered, must not exceed four weeks in total.  

Please Note: In order to support course progression, extensions that total more than 14 calendar days from the original due date of an assessment item will only be approved in very exceptional circumstances. These requests are assessed and approved or denied on a case-by-case basis. 

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks in a semester, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might need to consider applying for removal of course.

Penalty for late submission

Submission of assignments, practical reports, workbooks, and other types of written assessments after the due date specified in the Course Profile will receive a penalty.

The penalty will be a deduction of 10% RELATIVE PERCENTAGE per day (24 hour period or part thereof, including weekends and public holidays) or for work graded on a 1-7 scale, a deduction of one grade per day, e.g. If the original mark is 73%, then 10% relative percentage is 10% of this value, ie 7.3%, The final mark for this assessment item after applying the penalty for 1 day late submission would be 73 -7.3 = 65.7% The same outcome is achieved by multiplying the original score by .9; ie 73 x .9 = 65.7%

The penalty for multiple days late is the relative percentage multiplied by the number of days late. 

A submission that is not made within 10 days of the due date will receive a mark of 0% for that assessment item.

Where a student has sought more than one extension, the due date for calculating the penalty will be the due date for the most recently approved extension.

Submission of Medical Certificates

Students are responsible for ensuring that any medical documentation they submit is authentic and signed by a registered medical practitioner. Such practitioners can be identified via the AHPRA website. Also note that:

• Not all online medical services are staffed by registered practitioners
• If the registration status of the practitioner cannot be verified, then an alternative practitioner should be sought
• Students will be held fully responsible for all documentation they submit, even if done so in ignorance of the practitioner's registration status

Medical documentation may be subjected to an audit by the University.

SPH Assessment Guidelines

The School of Public Health assessment tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. While students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.

A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.