Natural Science 0129 - Health and Wealth

Wherever one looks there seems to be an association between wealth and health. With notable exceptions, the greater an individual, family or large social group's access to resources, the better their health status. This rule generally applies across time and space and at the micro- and macro-levels. But just how and how well it applies also varies. In this course we will start with the data showing the connections between wealth, inequalities and health. We will then focus on understanding the processes by which wealth is causally linked to health. A key question concerns whether wealth, per se, drives health or inequalities in wealth. We will explore the changing dynamics of race and class in relationship to health. Ultimately, we will explore the way that health inequalities in the US might be harming everyone and the potential for a political accounting that takes the nation's health and well being into consideration.

Physical and Biological Sciences Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Quantitative Skills Writing and Research 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.