HWSC5001 Equality and Social Justice in Health, Illness and Society Assignment Brief | OBU

Published: 31 Jul, 2025
Category Assignment Subject Sociology
University Oxford Brookes University Module Title HWSC5001 Equality and Social Justice in Health, Illness and Society
Word Count 3000 Words
Assessment Type Oral Assessment
Academic Year 2025
Deadline

Monday, 11th August 2025 by 11:59 pm

Target Feedback time and Date

Monday 1st September 2025 by 23:59pm

HWSC5001 Assignment Brief 

Outline of the task

You are required to prepare and present an in-class oral Group Presentation of 20 minutes, incorporating a 20-slide MS PowerPoint presentation, that must be uploaded through Turnitin and must be the equivalent of 3,000 words. This assignment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the module learning outcomes.

The formative tasks, which are outlined in the Module Guide, are essential to the completion of your summative assignment.

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes:

  • LO1 Appraise indicators for health inequalities.
  • LO2 Critique concepts of inequality, discrimination, and anti-oppressive practice.
  • LO3 Defend social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

Recommended Reading 

Core:

  • Aveyard H., Sharp, P. (2017) A beginner’s guide to evidence-based practice in Health and Social Care, 3rd Edition (UK Higher Education OUP Humanities & Social Sciences Health & Social Welfare) UK: Open University Press.
  • Edwards, D., Best, S. (2020). The textbook of Health and Social Care. London: Sage.
  • Thompson, N (2020). Anti-discriminatory practice. 7th Edition, Basingstoke: Bloomsbury. 

Recommended:

  • Salmon, J., Hesketh, K.D., Arundel, L., Downing, K.L. & Biddle, S.J.H. (2020). 17. Changing Behaviour using Ecological Models. In: The Handbook of Behaviour Change. Cambridge University Press.
  • Hutchings, S. (2019). The social skills handbook: practical activities for social communication. Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Moss, B (ed) (2020) Communication skills in Nursing, Health and Social Care. (5th edition), London, Sage.

Suggested Framework to structure the task

Overview:

The assessment for this module is an Oral Group Presentation.  Presentations will take place in the timetabled class in Week 5 of the teaching and learning schedule. The presentation must be delivered in class at the time scheduled by the Lecturer, the presentation will be recorded, and the slide deck must be uploaded to Turnitin via Moodle before the submission deadline as proof of the Summative Group Presentation.

HWSC5001 Assignment Task:

A Summative Oral Assessment / Group Presentation of a maximum time of 20 minutes, a minimum time of 15 minutes, and a maximum of 20 presentation slides with a minimum of 15 presentation slides.

The groups will be self-formed in week 1 and allocated by your lecturer if, by the end of week 1, this has not occurred. It is expected that every group member should participate equally in the presentation and the creation of the presentation slide deck. Your slides should contribute to the flow of the presentation and relate to the LOs of the assignment. This will be monitored by the academic Lecturer and the Module Leader. The presentation will be recorded in class by the academic Tutor on their GBS laptop and stored on the GBS SharePoint.

HWSC5001 Assignment Structure:

Group Presentation (Mark 100% | LO1, LO2, LO3)

The presentation will focus on the case study chosen by the group. Each case study will be associated with health inequalities and discrimination within a specific community.  You will use an ecological model of your choice to analyse the case study, exploring the evidence showing the factors contributing to inequality and the impact of community services. In addition, you will be assessed on the critique of one another's content through the 360° peer review feedback contributions to each other. 

The group presentation should demonstrate engagement and learning with key areas of study and knowledge within the module. The presentation slide deck must address the learning outcomes and contain an explanation of the following points: 
 
Introduction

  • Introduce the social group in your case study and briefly summarise the challenges experienced by this group in terms of health inequality, discrimination, social systems and anti-oppressive practice.
  • Outline personal ambitions to deliver care in this community
  • Outline the structure of the presentation that follows.

Section 1:

  • Introduce your group’s chosen ecological model and indicate what they are using it for. Consider, for example:
  • How various factors across different levels of influence contribute to unequal health outcomes

Section 2:

  • Appraise the relevant indicators of health inequality within the social group, as described in the chosen case study. This may include:
  • Life expectancy, infant mortality, access to healthcare, prevalence of chronic illness.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of what the indicators show, link indicators to the underlying causes and discuss evidence that informs the required action in health and social care.

Section 3: 

  • In the context of the social group in the case study, critique inequalities, discrimination and anti-oppressive practice. 
    Critical points to explore:
  • Evidence of unequal access to resources, rights or opportunities.
  • Evidence inequalities: individual behaviours or broader systemic issues
  • Evidence of unfair or prejudicial treatment
  • Consider why discrimination persists despite legal protection
  • Strengths and limitations of anti-oppressive practice.

Section 4:

  • Use evidence to defend the following statement:
    “Social systems such as the NHS and welfare support structures play a vital role in ensuring equitable health outcomes in a diverse community.”

Section 5: 

  • Following the research and understanding gained, you should reflect on your responsibilities towards delivering care in a diverse community. Consider, for example:
  • Your professional role according to the Ottawa Charter for health promotion
  • The challenges in working to meet the needs of your population group
  • Your strengths as a professional in working with these individuals

360° Peer Review - During the preparation of the Presentation

  • In Week 3, your group shall meet to undertake a 360° peer review of the content produced by the other members of the group.
    Develop your feedback using the following questions:
  • How does the scope of the work produced contribute towards satisfying each learning outcome?
  • How does the work produced align with the literature produced in the subject area?
  • How could the current content be further improved to increase the mark gained?
  • 20% of the assessment depends on the quality of the feedback given to peers.
  • For the peer review, the group will review the content that each group member has contributed to the PowerPoint presentation.
  • Each group member will reflect on the feedback from their peers and make changes to improve their content contribution to the group presentation.
  • *The feedback must not include formatting ideas on how to improve the slide layout; the focus is on suggestions to further develop the content*.
  • You must document your own 360° peer review process in the final slides of your PowerPoint submission.

Case studies

Please select your case study from the options below.

Case Study 1: South Asian Communities 

South Asian communities in the UK, including individuals of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan heritage, have a shared experience of notable inequalities. These disparities are influenced by a range of factors such as cultural dietary practices, language barriers and limited access to culturally appropriate healthcare genetic predisposition to conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, compared to the general population. Additionally, socioeconomic challenges, such as poverty, overcrowded housing, and unemployment, has contributed to poorer health outcomes. In addition, experiences of discrimination and a lack of trust in health services may discourage people from seeking timely care.

Addressing these inequalities requires a comprehensive approach that considers cultural needs, improves healthcare accessibility, and tackles the wider social and economic issues affecting these communities.

Suggested Literature:

  • Gujral, U. P., Pradeepa, R., Weber, M. B., Narayan, K. M. V. and Mohan, V. (2013) 'Type 2 diabetes in South Asians: similarities and differences with white Caucasian and other populations', Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1281: 51-63.
  • Kanaya, A. M. (2024) ‘Diabetes in South Asians: Uncovering Novel Risk Factors With Longitudinal Epidemiologic Data’, Diabetes Care, 47(1), pp. 7-16.
  • Misra, A. and Ganda, O. P. (2020) ‘Why are South Asians prone to type 2 diabetes? A hypothesis’, Diabetologia, 63(5), pp. 1103-1110.
  • MyNutriWeb (no date) Risk of type 2 diabetes in the South Asian community. Available at

 Case Study 2: Black African and Caribbean Communities

Black African and Caribbean communities in the UK experience significant health inequalities, including higher rates of mental illness, hypertension, stroke, sickle cell disease, and maternal health complications compared to the general population. These disparities are shaped by a combination of factors such as limited access to culturally competent healthcare, underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of certain conditions and a lack of targeted health education. Social economic disadvantages – including higher rates of unemployment, housing insecurity, and discrimination – further impact overall health and wellbeing. 

Structural racism and negative experiences within healthcare settings can lead to mistrust and reduced engagement with services. Tackling these inequalities requires a coordinated approach that addresses both the immediate healthcare gaps and the broader systemic and social issues affecting these communities.   

Tackling these inequalities requires a coordinated approach that addresses both the immediate healthcare gaps and the broader systemic and social issues affecting these communities.  

Suggested Literature:

  • Devonport, T. J., Ward, G., Morrissey, H., Burt, C., Harris, J., Burt, S., Patel, R., Manning, R., Paredes, R. and Nicholls, W. (2022) ‘A Systematic Review of Inequalities in the Mental Health Experiences of Black African, Black Caribbean and Black-mixed UK Populations: Implications for Action’, Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10, pp. 1669-1681.
  • Bamrah, J. S., Rodger, S. and Naqvi, H. (2024) ‘Racial disparities influence access and outcomes in talking therapies’, The British Journal of Psychiatry, pp. 1-3.
  • Bhui, K., Halvorsrud, K. and Nazroo, J. (2018) ‘Making a difference: Ethnic inequality and severe mental illness’, British Journal of Psychiatry, 213(4), pp. 574-578.
  • Bignall, T., Jeraj, S., Helsby, E. and Butt, J. (2019) Racial disparities in mental health: Literature and evidence review. 

Case Study 3: LGBTQ+ Communities 

LGBTQ+ communities in the UK face distinct health inequalities that originate from a combination of social, structural and cultural factors. These include higher rates of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, as well as increased risks of substance misuse and suicide. LGBTQ+ individuals may also experience barriers to accessing healthcare, including discrimination, lack of understanding from healthcare providers, and fear of being judged or misunderstood. 

Transgender and non-binary people, in particular, often face long waiting times and limited access to gender-affirming care. Additionally, social isolation, stigma, and past negative experiences with services, targeted mental health support, and wider societal efforts to reduce discrimination and promote acceptance, such as barriers to accessing inclusive care, social stigma and healthcare discrimination.

Suggested Literature:

  • Lefevor, G. T., Sorrell, S. A., Skidmore, S. J., Huynh, K. D., Golightly, R. M., Standifird, E., Searle, K. and Call, M. (2024) ‘When connecting with LGBTQ+ communities helps and why it does: A meta-analysis of the relationship between connectedness and health-related outcomes’, Psychological Bulletin, 150(11), pp. 1261-1286.
  • Pachankis, J. E., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Hickson, F., Weatherburn, P., Berg, R. C., Marcus, U. and Schmidt, A. J. (2015) ‘Hidden from health: Structural stigma, sexual orientation concealment, and HIV across 38 countries in the European MSM Internet Survey’, AIDS, 29(10), pp. 1239-1246.
  • Crowe, A., Hogan, P., Morrison, C., Meads, C. and Bailey, D. (2024) ‘Towards inclusive healthcare: evaluating knowledge, confidence and awareness of LGBTQ+ health among Internal Medicine Trainees in London’, BMC Medical Education, 24, Article number: 851.
  • NHS England (no date) LGBT+ Health.

Submission details

  • This assignment should be submitted electronically via Moodle (module lecturers will discuss this process with you during class time).
  • This submission cannot be marked anonymously; you must ensure that you include your student ID on your assignment.
  • You can submit your work as many times as you like before the submission date. If you submit your work more than once, the most recent version will replace your earlier submission.
  • You will complete a 360° review of your presentation in week 3 of the module, and you will document this in the final slides of your PowerPoint.
  • In week 5, your group's 20-minute oral presentation will be recorded in class.
  • All members of your group will upload the same PowerPoint presentation file, with the exception that each student will include their OWN 360-degree review at the end of your group's presentation. This presentation slide deck will be uploaded to the Moodle submission link.
  • The content of the PowerPoint presentation will be assessed on how well you have addressed the learning outcomes and your ability to communicate the content effectively. Remember, the oral delivery should be content in addition to that on the slides; we do not expect you to be reading from the slides.
  • Once you have submitted your work, you will receive a digital receipt as proof of submission, which will be sent to your forwarded e-mail address (provided you have set this up). Please keep this receipt for future reference, along with the original electronic copy of your assignment
  • You are reminded of GBS’s regulations on academic conduct, which can be viewed on: GBS Academic Good Practice and Academic Conduct: Policy and Procedure

Formatting Guidelines

This assessment should be submitted as a complete document 

Assignment Template

  • Use Arial font.
  •  Set the font size to 12pt for the main text.
  • Apply 1.5 or double spacing throughout the document.
  • indicate each part of the assessment, following the template structure
  • OBU Harvard referencing should be applied throughout the assessment.

Submission date and time

This assessment should be submitted before Monday, 11th August 2025, by 23:59, via Turnitin on Moodle. Turnitin is a web-based tool that supports the development of good academic practice when preparing written work for assessment. This text-matching tool allows academic staff to check assignments for improper use of sources or potential plagiarism by comparing it against continuously updated databases (including web pages and other student work).

You should submit all work for summative assessments by the above deadline. Work not submitted by the deadline will be marked as 0% unless there is a valid reason for the late submission (i.e. having been granted an extension to the deadline or a deferral via the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure). For information on Exceptional Circumstances, additional support and assessment guidance, please refer to your Programme Handbook.

For guidance on breaches of Academic Conduct (AC), including the misuse of AI, please refer to the relevant policy document online at GBS Academic Good Practice and Academic Conduct: Policy and Procedure. It is recognised that the use of AI tools, such as Chat GPT, may be of benefit to several individuals. However, you should use such tools with caution, as there are a number of limitations associated with the use of AI. If you use AI, you must declare that fact and be cautious that you do not overuse it. Undeclared, deceptive use of AI tools is not allowed and may lead to an academic conduct investigation.

Resubmission Date and Time

The Oxford Brookes University Regulations for Study set out the rules governing your entitlements to resit assessments and retake modules. You can make your resubmission by Sunday, 19th October 2025, before 23:59pm. 

Key principles that students should be aware in when making resubmissions:

A reassessment task will normally take the same form as the original assessment. 

The mark that you achieve for a resit will be capped at the pass mark - this means 40% for this module. The only exception to this will be where you have made a successful claim for exceptional circumstances, in which case, the mark achieved at resit would not be capped.

HWSC5001 Marking Criteria

Assessment Sections A+/A (70-100%) B+/B (60-69%) C+/C (50-59%) D/D+ (40-49%) Fail

Introduction and definition

 

10/100

There is exceptional insight into the subject. There is clear and concise thinking and understanding of the challenges experienced in terms of health inequalities within the case study. 

Highly logical organisation no improvement could reasonably be expected at this level.

There is outstanding insight into the subject. There is clear thinking and understanding of the challenges experienced in terms of health inequalities within the case study. 

Strong logical organisation, some improvement could be expected at this level.

There is good insight into the subject. Some sound understanding of key concepts. Good understanding of indicators of equality and social justice in health, illness and society.

 

Good logical organisation with a grasp to the fulfilment of the assignment objectives and with some creativity

Satisfactory insight into the subject.

Reasonable understanding of key concepts. Vague understanding of indicators of equality and social justice in health, illness and society.

 

Reasonable logical organisation with a brief grasp to the fulfilment of the assignment objectives and with little creativity

 

No or poor insight into the subject.  No or poor understanding of key concepts. Poor understanding of indicators of equality and social justice in health, illness and society.

 

Poor logical organisation with a grasp to the fulfilment of the assignment objectives and with poor creativity

Content Knowledge and understanding

35/100

There is an exceptional understanding of indicators of inequalities in health, illness and society, which are appraised with critical depth, insight and knowledge.

Factors contributing to inequality, discrimination, and anti – oppressive practice (e.g. employment, salary, qualification, racism, access to healthcare) are comprehensively evaluated within the context of the case study.

Exceptional contextualisation of an ecological model within the analysis of the case study.

Exceptional defence of how social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

Exceptional structure, with clear format and language. Highly logical development of information.

There is an outstanding understanding of indicators of inequalities in health, illness and society, which are appraised critically showing excellent insight.

Factors contributing to inequality, discrimination, and anti – oppressive practice (e.g. employment, salary, qualification, racism, access to healthcare) are effectively evaluated in the context of the case study.

Outstanding contextualisation of an ecological model within the analysis of the case study.

Outstanding defence of how social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

 

Outstanding structure, with clear format and language. Excellent logical development of information.

There is a good understanding of indicators of inequalities in health, illness and society, which are appraised reasonably showing some insight.

Some factors contributing to inequality, discrimination, and anti – oppressive practice (e.g. employment, salary, qualification, racism, access to healthcare) are linked to the case study with some evaluation.

Good contextualisation of an ecological model within the analysis of the case study.

Good defence of how social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

 

Good structure, with clear format and language. Clear logical development of information.

There is a satisfactory understanding of indicators of inequalities in health, illness and society, which are appraised somewhat showing limited insight.

Limited factors contributing to inequality, discrimination, and anti – oppressive practice (e.g. employment, salary, qualification, racism, access to healthcare) are vaguely linked to the case study with some limited evaluation.

A Satisfactory contextualisation of an ecological model within the analysis of the case study.

Satisfactory defence of how social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

 

Satisfactory structure, with clear format and language. Clear logical development of information.

There is a poor understanding of indicators of inequalities in health, illness and society, which are not appraised.

There is no rationale given for the level of knowledge of factors contributing to inequality, discrimination, and anti – oppressive practice (e.g. employment, salary, qualification, racism, access to healthcare).

 

No or very limited contextualisation of an ecological model is attempted.

Missing a defence of how social systems and the impact of personal responsibility to deliver care in a diverse community.

 

No structure, format and language is poor and no logical development of information.

Communication and presentation skills 

 

25/100

There is exceptional evidence of interpersonal skills, showing exceptional attention to delivery of the presentation through an effectively organised delivery where a comprehensive analysis of the case study has been achieved by the individual contributions to the whole. There is an excellent delivery of the presentation which effectively showcases a deep understanding of complex health and inequality-related concepts. There is evidence of the use of critical language to defend the ability to communicate individual judgement within the health and inequality-related concepts. Exceptional use of body language facilitating the audience’s understanding of the critical evaluation of concepts within the presentation. There is clear demonstration of oral presentation skills such as clarity, tone of voice, confidence and timing.

Demonstrated exceptional IT skills through innovative application and demonstrating critical evaluation of their relevance to the case study, enhancing the audience understanding.     

There is outstanding evidence of interpersonal skills supporting some organisation where a detailed analysis has been made by the individual contributions to the whole.

There is an Outstanding delivery of the presentation which effectively communicates understanding of the analytical and evaluative processes, underpinning the case study. There is little evidence of the use of critical language to defend the ability to communicate individual judgement within the health and inequality-related concepts.

Outstanding use of body language indicating engagement with the audience helping their understanding of critical evaluation of concepts. Oral presentation skills such as clarity, tone of voice, confidence and timing are utilised in a professional manner.

IT skills are applied effectively to critically engage and enhance audience comprehension. 

 

      

There is good evidence of interpersonal skills that enables collaboration and support to provide reasonably organised delivery where a reasonable analysis of the case study has been achieved by the individual contributions to the whole. There is Good, logical delivery of the presentation which shows clear understanding of the analytical process of health inequalities but sometimes does not articulate the critical depth effectively.

Good use of body language facilitating audience’s understanding of evaluation of concepts within the presentation. Reasonable demonstration of oral presentation skills such as clarity, tone of voice, confidence and timing which may require further development in one of the above areas.

Demonstrated good IT skills where the skills are applied adequately, though further enhancement and innovative strategies need to be developed.

 

      

There is satisfactory l evidence of interpersonal skills showing basic attention to delivery of the presentation that allows limited analysis of being made by individual contributions to the whole. There is Satisfactory delivery of the presentation which demonstrates limited analysis of the content, lacking communication of critical evaluation impacting consistency in clarity and flow of communicating the complex information reasonably.

Satisfactory use of body language which occasionally facilitates audience engagement with the content of the presentation. Oral presentation skills need further development in more than 2 areas such as clarity, tone of voice, confidence and timing.

Demonstrates decent IT skills with minimal application to visual communication of the critical content.

 

      

There is no evidence of interpersonal skills with no attention to analysis of the case study been achieved by the individual contributions to the whole. There is Poor, incoherent delivery of the presentation which does not demonstrate critical analysis of the content with no communication of evaluating concepts related to the case study.

Poor use of body language   hindering effectiveness of the critical thinking within the content. There is poor demonstration of oral presentation skills such as clarity, tone of voice, confidence and timing which do not communicate information effectively.

Demonstrated Poor IT skills with limited or no use of any visual aid.

      

360 Review

20/100

 

Exceptional analysis of peer content. Exceptional understanding of peer feedback and substantial evidence of significant self-reflection on strengths and weaknesses of personal responsibility.

Outstanding analysis of peer content. Outstanding understanding of peer feedback and evidence of frequently meaningful self-reflection on strengths and weaknesses of personal responsibility.

Good analysis of peer content. Good understanding of peer feedback and some evidence of significant self-reflection on strengths and weaknesses of personal responsibility.

Satisfactory analysis of peer content. Satisfactory understanding of peer feedback and very limited evidence of significant self -reflection on strengths and weaknesses of personal responsibility.

Poor analysis of peer content. Poor understanding of peer feedback and no evidence of significant self- reflection on strengths and weaknesses of personal responsibility.

Use of information to communicate/ Use of literature / evidence of reading

 

10/100

 

 

 

Exceptional application of relevant sources to the case study and aspects of health inequalities. Sources have been chosen very effectively to facilitate an appraisal of the factors affecting inequality in the case study.

Exceptional awareness of up-to-date research in health inequality 

Appropriate application of relevant sources to the case study and aspects of health inequalities. Sources have been chosen effectively to facilitate an appraisal of the factors affecting inequality in the case study.

Outstanding awareness of up-to-date research in health inequality

Some application of relevant sources to the case study and aspects of health inequalities. Sources have been chosen somewhat effectively to facilitate an appraisal of the factors affecting inequality in the case study.

Some awareness of up-to-date research in health inequality 

Limited application of relevant sources to the case study and aspects of health inequalities. Sources have been chosen with some attempts to facilitate an appraisal of the factors affecting inequality in the case study.

Limited awareness of up-to-date research in health inequality 

There is no application of relevant sources to the case study and aspects of health inequalities. Sources have been chosen which are irrelevant to an appraisal of the factors affecting inequality in the case study

No/Poor awareness of up-to-date research in health inequality.

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