The student will be able to:

1. Describe disparities in health outcomes in the United States by race, socioeconomic status, and gender
2. Compare and contrast two paradigms that seek to explain these health disparities: individual approach and public health model
3. Review recent public health literature detailing ways that race, socioeconomic status, and gender become embodied in disparate health outcomes
4. Contrast United States policy on access to health insurance with that of other developed countries, and analyze new health care policies, such as the Affordable Care Act
5. Analyze the contribution of environmental conditions to disparate health outcomes, using case studies
6. Analyze case studies of prevalent health problems to compare individual behavior change approaches vs. public health approaches
7. Describe strategies or tactics to improve health inequalities, such as advocacy, community organizing, and/or policy change
8. Outline advocacy skills, such as preparing a policy brief, giving public testimony, community outreach, and/or writing a letter to an editor or politician
9. Identify, assess, and utilize credible information resources on public health current issues, such as the internet, social media, media outlets, and libraries

1. Disparities in health outcomes
   1. Socioeconomic status, education level, and poverty as determinants of health
      1. Distribution of educational levels, income, and wealth in the United States
      2. Policy proposals to address poverty and inequities
   2. Race/gender as factors in unequal health outcomes
      1. Historic origins of race in the United States
      2. Research on race as a social construct vs. a biological category
      3. Policy proposals to reduce racial and gender differentials
   3. Infectious and chronic disease and their social determinants
      1. Health disparities in low income communities
      2. Program and policy development to reduce disease
      3. Information sources and significant organizations
2. Paradigms that seek to explain these health disparities: individual approach and public health model
   1. Individual approach
   2. Public health model
3. Recent public health literature detailing ways that race, socioeconomic status, and gender become embodied in disparate health outcomes
4. United States policy vs. other developed countries access to health insurance, including comparative analysis of health insurance across the United States and internationally
   1. U.S. health care
      1. Access to health care
      2. Health insurance crisis
      3. Recent health care policies, such as the Affordable Care Act and future policy
   2. Canadian health care
   3. European health care
   4. Great Britain health care
   5. Other international health care models
5. Case studies that analyze the contribution of environmental conditions to disparate health outcomes. Environmental justice, conditions, and health outcomes
   1. Toxic sources in low-income communities
   2. Inadequate community resources and poor schooling in low-income communities
   3. Reducing risks for urban communities through environmental equity strategies
6. Case studies of prevalent health problems to comparing individual behavior change approaches vs. public health approaches
   1. Violence
   2. Obesity, nutrition, and exercise
   3. Drugs
7. Strategies or tactics to improve health policies and outcomes
   1. Agency and individual responsibility
   2. Advocacy and community organizing
   3. Coalition building
   4. Good policy for health
   5. Policy change
8. Advocacy skills
   1. Policy brief
   2. Public testimony
   3. Community outreach
   4. Expressing opinions to an editor or politician
9. Credible information resources on public health current issues
   1. Internet
   2. Social media
   3. Media outlets
   4. Libraries
10. Topic issues
    1. Public health disaster
    2. Reproductive rights

Not applicable.

Exams
Quizzes
Scenario and case study analysis projects
Written assignments that evaluate understanding of course objectives and content

Lecture
Discussion
Cases and discussion questions
Electronic discussions/chat
Practice activities to gauge understanding of content
Review of comprehension of key concepts
Quiz knowledge of key terms

Levy, B.. Social Injustice and Public Health, 3rd ed.. 2019.

Rose, Patti. Health Disparities, Diversity, And Inclusion: Context, Controversies, and Solutions, 1st ed.. 2018.

Budrys, Grace. Unequal Health: How Inequality Contributes to Health or Illness, 3rd ed.. 2017.

Although one or more text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains a seminal text in this area of study.

Supplements:
"Better Health through Equity: Case Studies in Reframing Public Health Work." Washington, DC: American Public Health Association (APHA), 2015.
"A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health, Discussion Paper 2." Geneva: World Health Organization, 2010: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44489/9789241500852_eng.pdf
"Healthy People 2020: Disparities." Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Disparities
California News Reel, Unnatural Causes. Video Documentary Series.
"Healthy People 2020: Health Disparities Data - Go to DATA2020." Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/data-search/health-disparities-data

1. Assigned reading from textbook and completion of post tests at the end of each section of the course (approximately 50 pages/week)
2. Practice activities to gauge understanding of content
3. Review comprehension of key concepts
4. Quiz knowledge of key terms
5. Research essays on classroom discussion topics
6. Project: analysis of health disparities issues in the media
7. Review authoritative internet sources of health/social justice information