Course ID: | HPRB 8410. 3 hours. |
Course Title: | Human Ecology of Health and Illness |
Course Description: | Social and ecological determinants of health and illness. In
particular, those which affect minority, underserved,
vulnerable, and hard-to-reach populations. Topics include:
general framework of studying these populations, community
determinants and mechanisms of vulnerability, health
disparities, and strategies to reach and provide services among
these groups, etc. |
Oasis Title: | Human Ecology Health Illness |
Prerequisite: | Permission of department |
Semester Course Offered: | Offered every year. |
Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
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Course Objectives: | At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe and apply the ecological model to assess
individual, cultural, and social factors that are important for
the health of high risk and/or hard-to-reach groups/communities.
2. Obtain, analyze, and interpret appropriate databases or
resources (i.e. existing literature, epidemiological data, or
inputs from community partners) to address a significant public
health issue among a high risk or hard-to-reach group/community.
3. Use a systematic approach to analyze the interrelationships
among the major risk factors and their influences on
disparities in health service access, quality, and/or health
status.
4. Investigate and prioritize risk or protective factors that
are modifiable for prevention/risk reduction strategies for a
vulnerable or hard-to-reach group/community.
5. Explore effective and culturally relevant strategies to
reach and provide service or health promotion interventions
among the high risk or hard-to-reach groups/communities.
6. Develop and present results of the ecological health
assessment among a vulnerable group/population with recommended
strategies to a variety of audiences utilizing a variety of
resources and strategies. |
Topical Outline: | Overview and introduction.
General ecological framework of studying vulnerability of the
population.
Social and community determinants and mechanisms of
vulnerability.
Disparities in health care access, quality and health status.
The influence of individual risk factors.
The influence of multiple risk factors.
Special issues to examine social and community determinants of
health.
Strategies to reach or provide service/programs to the
vulnerable/hard-to-reach population.
Student project application and presentations.
Examine and analyze major risk factors on a major health
issue for a vulnerable group/community with recommended
strategies. |