PUBH A200: Introduction to Public Health
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Committee Approval Date | 10/16/2024 |
| Top Code | 083700 - Health Education |
| Units | 3 Total Units |
| Hours | 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54) |
| Total Outside of Class Hours | 0 |
| Course Credit Status | Credit: Degree Applicable (D) |
| Material Fee | No |
| Basic Skills | Not Basic Skills (N) |
| Repeatable | No |
| Open Entry/Open Exit | No |
| Grading Policy | Standard Letter (S),
|
| Associate Arts Local General Education (GE) |
|
| Associate Science Local General Education (GE) |
|
Course Description
This course presents an overview of the disciplines of community and public health. Topics include the basic concepts and terminologies of public health; an overview of various public health professions and organizations; the study, prevention, and control of diseases in the community; the analysis of the social determinants of health; strategies for eliminating disease, illness, and health disparities among various populations; community organizing and health promotion programming; school health promotion; environmental health and safety; and an overview of the healthcare delivery system in the United States. Emphasis will be placed on developing knowledge and preliminary skills to advocate for community and public health effectively. Enrollment Limitation: HLED A200/PUBH A200H; students who complete PUBH A200 may not enroll in or receive credit for HLED A200 or PUBH A200H. ADVISORY: Eligibility for ENGL C1000. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: PHS 101.C-ID: PHS 101.
Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)
- Describe the approach used in public health to identify a contributory cause of a disease or other condition and establish the efficacy of an intervention.
- Identify criteria for evaluating the quality of public health data and information from a variety of sources.
- Explain the steps in the evidence-based public health process
Course Objectives
- 1. Define important fundamental concepts in community and public health.
- 2. Distinguish the difference between personal and public health.
- 3. Identify different public health disciplines, professions and organizations, and explain how each contributes to the field of public health.
- 4. Describe the historical achievements in public health and their impact today.
- 5. Demonstrate the use of basic epidemiological methods, such as the analysis of rates, and the definition of cases, population at risk, risk factors, incidence, prevalence, natality, morbidity, and mortality.
- 6. Outline strategies for prevention, detection and control of infectious conditions and chronic disease
- 7. Identify the components of the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) model designed to improve learning and health in our nation?s schools.
- 8. Outline the process of community organizing and health promotion programming.
- 9. Analyze current public health issues and describe how they affect the health status of specific populations of age, gender, race and ethnicity, minority, education level, and socioeconomic status.
- 10. Describe the Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring Disorders approach to treating people who suffer from both an addiction and a psychiatric disorder.
- 11. Describe the interplay between the social determinants of health, including gestational endowment, social circumstances, environmental conditions, behavioral choices, and access to medical care, in determining individual and community health status, and local, state, national, and global health organization and policy.
- 12. Analyze the organization, financing and delivery of various medical and population-based services in the United States healthcare system.
- 13. Distinguish how preventative health differs from the traditional Western medicine approach to treating disease and illness.
- 14. Describe the inter-relationship between human beings and their environment and public health initiatives and policies to protect the planet.
- 15. Identify common practices that contribute to intentional and unintentional workplace injuries and public health policies that would reduce their occurrences.
- 16. Communicate orally and in writing in the scientific language of the discipline.
- 17. Interpret and evaluate public health and medical information from general and subject specific library and credible Internet sources.
Lecture Content
Public Health Discipline Personal versus public health Public health disciplines, professions, and organizations Core functions Historical achievements Current impact Analytical methods of public health Epidemiology Rates Cases Population at risk Risk factors Incidence Prevalence Natality Morbidity Mortality Biomedical basis of public health Infectious conditions Chronic disease Risk factors Genetics Prevention, detection, and control Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) school health promotion model Health Education Physical Education and Physical Activity Nutrition Environment and Services Health Services Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services Social and Emotional Climate Physical Environment Employee Wellness Family Engagement Community Involvement Community organizing and health promotion programming Assessing needs Setting goals and objectives Developing interventions Implementing interventions Evaluating results 7. Social, cultural, and behavioral factors in public health Health inequities Demographics Maternal and infant Child Adolescent Adulthood Senior Racial, ethnic, and minority groups Education and socioeconomic status Community concerns (not limited to) Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring disorders Addiction Mental disorders Obesity Violence Social determinants of health Gestational endowment Social circumstances Environmental conditions Behavioral choices Access to medical care Individual and community health status Local, state, national, and global health organization and policy Healthcare system Public health versus Western medicine Population-based services Environmental issues in public health (not limited to) Clean air Clean water Garbage Food and drug safety Population control Emergency Preparedness Natural disasters Violence Workplace safety Intentional injuries Unintentional injuries Prevention Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) regulations Public health information Credible resources
Method(s) of Instruction
- Lecture (02)
- DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
- DE Online Lecture (02X)
Instructional Techniques
Lecture, discussion, media, computer demonstration, Internet exploration, guest speakers
Reading Assignments
Students will spend 3 - 4 hours a week reading assigned chapters from the textbook, instructor handouts and articles from online sources. Students will be required to read peer-reviewed articles for inclusion in their projects.
Writing Assignments
Student will spend approximately 1 - 2 hours a week completing written assignments and examinations. Students will complete case studies, providing responses in written format. All projects will be referenced with proper APA formatting.
Out-of-class Assignments
Students will spend approximately 2 - 3 hours a week completing group projects, case studies, written assignments and informational interview from the field of public health. Health Disparity Paper: Students work in groups to identify a health disparity, including the use of data to identify disproptionate impacts and vulnerable populations. Students use research and data sources from govenmental and appropriate professional organizations to identify potential etioogy, determinatns of health, and interventions. They will make a recommendation for intervention on the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Career Profile: Students will research a public health career, including educational requirements, salarly, working conditions, and scope of work.
Demonstration of Critical Thinking
Students are required to complete case studies that provide opportunities to practice and demonstrate critical thinking as they apply public health constructs to situations.
Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration
Students are required to complete written assignments and projects that provide opportunities to practice and demonstrate problem solving as they work within a group to complete a common task.
Eligible Disciplines
Health: Master's degree in health science, health education, biology, nursing, physical education, kinesiology, exercise science, dietetics, or nutrition OR bachelor's degree in any of the above AND master's degree in public health, or any biological science OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.
Textbooks Resources
1. Required Schneider, M.J.. Introduction to Public Health, 6th ed. Jones Bartlett Learning, 2021 2. Required McKenzie, J.F. Seabert, D. An Introduction to Community Public Health, 10th ed. Jones Bartlett Learning, 2021
Other Resources
1. Instructor handouts