Course Description
Analysis of the social determinants of health and health disparities, focusing on economic, social, and policy factors related to the population health and health disparities in the United States. Provides a strong foundation in the methodology to measure and quantify the impact of social determinants of health and health disparities.
Athena Title
Social Determinants of Health
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in HPAM 8340E
Prerequisite
HPAM 7001 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Through this course, students will: • Critically evaluate theories, concepts, and models of health policy and social epidemiology used in public health research and practice. • Critically analyze critical aspects of social and economic policies, including socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, gender, poverty, factors related to behavior change, community, and organizational climate. • Appraise the effects of social and economic policies on public health systems at the local, state, national, and international levels. • Critically assess the theoretical and analytic models used in social determinants of health research. • Interpret the results of statistical analyses on social determinants of health and health disparities. • Apply constructs of behavioral, economic, social, and cultural theories related to individual and population health and health disparities over the life course. • Plan and develop theoretical and empirical analyses of social determinants of health and health disparities. • Design a public health intervention program addressing aspects of social determinants of health.
Topical Outline
1. Social and economic models of determinants of health and health disparities 2. Socioeconomic status and health: measurement and causal mechanism 3. Impact of societal income inequality on health 4. Impact of educational policies on health 5. Impact of the food system policies on health 6. Measurement and quantification of health disparities for different subgroups of the population 7. Impact of policies related to neighborhoods and built environments on health 8. Impact of health laws, regulations, and policies on health 9. Policy-level interventions to address social determinants of health and health disparities