Theories in Public Health, Practice, Policy & Research

Catalog description

The ‘intervention imperative’ in public health has traditionally overshadowed theory development (Connelly, 2005; Potvin et al., 2005). Consequently, many public health practices and interventions are predicated upon unexamined or under-theorized assumptions about etiology. As the scope of public health expanded beyond infectious diseases, its theoretical foundations extended beyond biomedical ‘germ theory’ explanations to include behavioral psychology. By the late 20th century, these foundations grew to incorporate multi-factorial etiologies and systems approaches borrowing from social science theories and methods. This course examines an array of paradigms, theories and conceptual models used in public health. These will be roughly categorized into the following domains: a) biomedical; b) psychological; c) organizational; d) socio-cultural; and e) structural /critical. Specific public health problems—HIV/AIDS, cancer and mental disorders—will be examined using relevant theories. Emphasis will be on adopting a comparative, critical and integrative (biopsychosocial) perspective on theories and key concepts in public health practice, policy and research.