Course Discription

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- Compulsory courses
Social and Behavioral Foundations of Health and Health Care
2 credit
Type of courses
Compulsory courses
Instructor
Shu-Wei Wong
Course Outline
The aim of this course is to introduce the importance of social contexts and behavioral aspects of health and health care. This course will use a social ecological framework to address multilevel influences on health and health care. In the course, we will extend the dominant “risk factor” approach to health behavior and health care and examine current issues in health from a social and behavioral sciences perspective. The course includes four components. First, the course will introduce the historical perspectives on population and disease and the concept of social epidemiology. Second, the course will build the theoretical foundations of health behaviors and health. Third, the course will describe the sociocultural context of health and health care. Fourth, the course will introduce how to apply the social ecological framework in different populations through the life course perspective.

Course Objectives:

The students are expected to obtain knowledge and skills to achieve the below goals after completing this course – 
1. (D17-9)Explain behavioural and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
2. (D17-10)Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities 
3. (GH-4)Propose sustainable and evidence-based multi-sectoral interventions, considering the social determinants of health specific to the local area 
4. (GH-6)Display critical self-reflection, cultural humility, and ongoing learning in global health 
5. (DGH-4)Recognize and analytically evaluate socioeconomic, environmental, behavioral, and biological determinants of population health 

 

Course Requirements:

Students should read and review the reading materials before and after the lecture. The slides of each lecture will be provided to students. This course includes exercises and quizzes for students to appraise the course materials.

 

CEPH Competencies Met: 

Accreditation Criteria for Foundational Knowledge

D17-1

Explain public health history, philosophy and values

D17-2

Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services*

D17-3

Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health

D17-4

List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program

D17-5

Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.

D17-6

Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge

D17-7

Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health

D17-8

Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health

D17-9

Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health

D17-10

Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
D17-11

Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease 
D17-12

Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g. One Health)

 

Global Health Concentration Competencies

GH-1

Analyze the roles, relationships, and resources of the entities influencing global health

GH-2

 Apply ethical approaches in global health research and practice

GH-3

Apply monitoring and evaluation techniques to global health programs, policies, and outcomes

GH-4

Propose sustainable and evidence-based multi-sectoral interventions, considering the social determinants of health specific to the local area

GH-5

Design sustainable workforce development strategies for resource-limited settings

GH-6

Display critical self-reflection, cultural humility, and ongoing learning in global health


Doctoral Core Competencies in Global Health
 
GH-1

Exemplify proficient skills to contribute to public health scholarship and engage community partners and stakeholders to conduct own research and form collaborations based on high ethical standards

DGH-2

 Scrutinize and apply qualitative and quantitative methods to provide evidence-based solutions to global health problems considering cultural safety and diversity

DGH-3

Design, implement, and evaluate theory-informed and evidence-based research programs in an academia or practice setting

DGH-4

Recognize and analytically evaluate socioeconomic, environmental, behavioral, and biological determinants of population health