Natural Science 0129 - Health and Wealth

With few exceptions, the greater an individual, family or large social group's access to resources, the better their health. This rule applies in the past and present. In this course we will start with data showing the connections between poverty, inequalities and health on local, group, national and global levels. We will then focus on understanding the processes by which poverty and the degree of inequality in wealth are causally linked to different measures of health and quality of life. A key question concerns whether access to resources drives health or inequalities in resources. Students will explore specific measures of health and disease and specific ways that poverty and inequality 'get under the skin" including diet, pollution, racism, and stress. Ultimately, we will explore the way that health inequalities in the US might be harming everyone and the potential for a seeing our health as both a biocultural and social justice crisis.

Physical and Biological Sciences Quantitative Skills Independent Work Students are expected to spend approximately 6-8 hours of preparation and work outside of class time.