ID:
500757
Duration (hours):
8
CFU:
1
SSD:
IGIENE GENERALE E APPLICATA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Secondo Semestre (02/03/2026 - 05/06/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to explore the fundamental theoretical and cultural aspects of environmental hygiene, with particular attention to the evolution of public health protection strategies toward integrated and sustainable approaches, the interrelationships between human, animal, and environmental health (One Health), the impact of human activities on ecosystems (Planetary Health), the principles of sustainability applied to the organization of health services and medical practice, and the main categories of environmental pollutants.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
• describe the evolution of public health paradigms toward global, integrated, and sustainable approaches;
• understand the relevance of the One Health approach in addressing public health issues;
• understand the impact of human activities on human health and ecosystems and the principles of the Planetary Health framework;
• identify the main categories of environmental pollutants and the issues related to their dispersion across environmental compartments;
• understand the essential elements of environmental regulation;
• apply the concepts learned to interpret health risks associated with environmental exposures;
• integrate principles of sustainability into medical practice;
• critically evaluate public health issues arising from environmental pressures and human activities;
• independently assess the significance of environmental risks in the context of global health;
• present and discuss problems and strategies related to environmental health protection clearly and with appropriate terminology;
• independently stay up to date on major scientific, regulatory, and health developments concerning environment and health.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:
• describe the evolution of public health paradigms toward global, integrated, and sustainable approaches;
• understand the relevance of the One Health approach in addressing public health issues;
• understand the impact of human activities on human health and ecosystems and the principles of the Planetary Health framework;
• identify the main categories of environmental pollutants and the issues related to their dispersion across environmental compartments;
• understand the essential elements of environmental regulation;
• apply the concepts learned to interpret health risks associated with environmental exposures;
• integrate principles of sustainability into medical practice;
• critically evaluate public health issues arising from environmental pressures and human activities;
• independently assess the significance of environmental risks in the context of global health;
• present and discuss problems and strategies related to environmental health protection clearly and with appropriate terminology;
• independently stay up to date on major scientific, regulatory, and health developments concerning environment and health.
Course Prerequisites
• Basic knowledge of the main physical processes relevant to environmental hygiene, including elements of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, mass and energy transport, diffusion and permeability across interfaces and membranes, electromagnetism, and elementary principles of ionizing radiation physics;
• basic knowledge of biology, biochemistry, physiology, general pathology, pharmacology, and toxicology, with particular attention to the principles governing the interaction between the organism and exogenous substances.
• mastery of the fundamental concepts of statistics (main summary measures, elements of inferential analysis) and epidemiology (measures of frequency and association, study designs) necessary to critically interpret quantitative data relevant to healthcare;
• full command of introductory notions in hygiene and community medicine, essential for understanding the theoretical foundations of strategies for preventing risks arising from environmental exposures: concepts of health determinants, health promotion, and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention;
• knowledge of the essential elements of healthcare management required to analyze the sustainability of the processes that characterize the organization of health services and medical practice;
• basic knowledge of clinical medicine, useful for linking environmental exposures to clinical presentations and pathological conditions associated with environmental risks.
• basic knowledge of biology, biochemistry, physiology, general pathology, pharmacology, and toxicology, with particular attention to the principles governing the interaction between the organism and exogenous substances.
• mastery of the fundamental concepts of statistics (main summary measures, elements of inferential analysis) and epidemiology (measures of frequency and association, study designs) necessary to critically interpret quantitative data relevant to healthcare;
• full command of introductory notions in hygiene and community medicine, essential for understanding the theoretical foundations of strategies for preventing risks arising from environmental exposures: concepts of health determinants, health promotion, and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention;
• knowledge of the essential elements of healthcare management required to analyze the sustainability of the processes that characterize the organization of health services and medical practice;
• basic knowledge of clinical medicine, useful for linking environmental exposures to clinical presentations and pathological conditions associated with environmental risks.
Teaching Methods
The course includes lectures complemented by the analysis of case studies. At the end of each lecture, students are encouraged to independently read selected excerpts from the scientific literature, which are then discussed in the following session.
Assessment Methods
Learning is assessed through an individual oral examination designed to evaluate the student’s understanding of the course content and their ability to integrate it into a critical and coherent perspective.
The assessment is expressed on a thirty-point scale.
For students enrolled in the Degree Programme in Medicine and Surgery, the grade obtained in this module contributes to the final mark of the integrated course in Public Health, through a weighted average with the grades of the other modules, in accordance with the regulations of the integrated course.
The assessment is expressed on a thirty-point scale.
For students enrolled in the Degree Programme in Medicine and Surgery, the grade obtained in this module contributes to the final mark of the integrated course in Public Health, through a weighted average with the grades of the other modules, in accordance with the regulations of the integrated course.
Texts
• Signorelli C, Odone A et al. Igiene e sanità pubblica – Secrets, domande e risposte. Società Editrice Universo, Roma, 2025 ISBN: 9788865152317
• Other updated texts on Hygiene and Preventive Medicine
• Additional readings and teaching materials provided by the instructors.
• Other updated texts on Hygiene and Preventive Medicine
• Additional readings and teaching materials provided by the instructors.
Contents
• The evolution of public health toward a global, integrated, and sustainable approach.
• The One Health approach to analyzing the interrelationships among human, animal, and environmental health, and its relevance for the protection and promotion of public health.
• The impact of human activities on human and ecosystem health, and the key features of the Planetary Health approach.
• The principles of sustainability as applied to medicine and disease prevention.
• The main categories of environmental pollutants and the issues related to their presence and dissemination across different environmental compartments.
• The essential references in environmental legislation.
• The One Health approach to analyzing the interrelationships among human, animal, and environmental health, and its relevance for the protection and promotion of public health.
• The impact of human activities on human and ecosystem health, and the key features of the Planetary Health approach.
• The principles of sustainability as applied to medicine and disease prevention.
• The main categories of environmental pollutants and the issues related to their presence and dissemination across different environmental compartments.
• The essential references in environmental legislation.
Course Language
Italian
Degrees
Degrees
MEDICINE AND SURGERY
Single-cycle Master’s Degree (6 Years)
6 years
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