Introduction to Public Health

Catalog description

This course will present the student with an introduction to the multifaceted discipline of public health for the purpose of enhancing an understanding of the topic and providing a knowledge base for further studies. The definition of public health will be presented in the context of its history, system structure, and responsibilities in protecting human health in society. The social-ecological model of the interactions between physical/social environments with the individual biological/behavioral factors as determinants of population health will be emphasized/ The public health focus on disease prevention, measuring the health of populations, creating population-wide interventions, assessing outcomes, and informing policy will be discussed. Basic concepts in the five core public health knowledge areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, social and behavioral sciences, and health policy and management will be introduced. Historical and contemporaneous examples and case studies will be used to demonstrate principles and issues. Students are expected to exhibit knowledge of the role and responsibilities of public health and demonstrate some facility in using basic public health methods in addressing population health issues.