Natural Science 0253 - Current Issues/Public Health

Public Health is what we do as a society to ensure that all citizens will be healthy. Though they are often invisible, public health efforts affect our everyday lives. Through class discussions as well as readings and presentations, participants will explore current health issues within the US and globally. We will begin with an introduction to the key concepts of public health: the burden of disease, determinants of health, health systems, and how health status is measured. We will explore the following questions: How does public health offer strategic responses to pressing social, political and health issues? How does this approach differ from the medical approach? How does policy affect the public's health? We will look at recent issues in public health such as AIDS, tobacco, emergency preparedness, Ebola, and teenage pregnancies to identify programs designed to improve public behavior and health. We will then turn our attention to current and emerging issues in public health such as the obesity epidemic, health disparities, and opiate use. Students will work in teams to design strategies and interventions to address an issue of their choosing.

Multiple Cultural Perspectives Independent Work In this course students are generally expected to spend at least 6 to 8 hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.