Theories in Public Health Practice & Research

Catalog description

The 'intervention imperative' in public health has traditionally overshadowed theory development. Consequently, many public health practices and interventions are predicated upon unexamined or under-theorized assumptions. As the scope of public health widened from 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 theories and conceptual models used in public health. They are roughly categorized into the following domains: a) biomedical; b) psychological; c) socio-cultural; d) organizational/community; and e) structural /critical. Theoretical perspectives on specific public health problems as well as topics of interest to students in the class will be examined and discussed. Emphasis will be on adopting a comparative, critical and integrative perspective on theories and key concepts in public health practice, policy and research.