Understanding Human Disease

Catalog description

All humans are impacted by disease, either personally or through friends or family members who are affected. Understanding Human Disease is an overview of disease processes for individuals not majoring in a scientific field. Students will have the opportunity to study the basic knowledge tools required to understand how different diseases arise, how they progress, how they are treated and in many cases, how they can be prevented.The course material is divided into two segments: the first portion discussing the different ways that diseases develop and includes explanations on normal and abnormal inflammatory processes, different types of infectious diseases, genetic diseases and congenital abnormalities (birth defects), diseases that affect the immune system and metabolic diseases. Diseases that are affecting significant populations such as HIV, diabetes, cancer and heart disease will be discussed. The second segment includes a discussion of the significant diseases affecting different organ systems of the body. Student participation is encouraged through questions. Additional topics of immediate interest as identified by the news media or class interest will be discussed. The course is intended for those who wish to better understand published medical journalism, for individuals who want to be able to discern the caliber of medical information in the popular press, for those students who wish to make healthy choices in their lifestyle and for individuals who may not be destined for a career in a scientific field.