Academic Catalog

HLTH 300: HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2021
Units: 5
Hours: 5 lecture per week (60 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to analyze how the health status of a population is measured.
  • Students will be able to describe how a longitudinal and lifespan approach leads to an expanded understanding of the determinants of health.

Description

Examines the basic principles that guide growth, development and the health of individuals across the lifespan, from the prenatal period through senescence. Presents methodological, conceptual and substantive issues necessary for understanding and evaluating empirically based information about growth, development and health at different stages of life and from a public health perspective. Course covers several themes, including contributions of biological and environmental factors to health and human development, measuring the health of individuals in communities, understanding determinants and consequences of health and development across the lifespan, measuring population health and assessing the implications of health disparities. This is an upper division General Education course, intended for students in the Dental Hygiene Baccalaureate Degree Program; enrollment is limited to students accepted in the program.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:
A. Analyze how the health status of a population is measured.
B. Identify and compare the common models of behavior change used in public health for individuals and groups.
C. Describe the Healthy People program and its goals for the health of the US population.
D. Evaluate the integration of multiple perspectives to understanding human health and disease, including demographic, human development, lifespan, family and community contexts.
E. Describe how a longitudinal and lifespan approach leads to an expanded understanding of the determinants of health.

Course Content

A. Measuring health
1. Overview of health status measures
2. Life expectancy indicators
3. Mortality, morbidity and disability
4. Infectious disease control
5. Comparison of global vs. USA mortality, morbidity and disability
6. Multiple determinants of health: gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status
B. Behavior change theories
1. Health Belief Model
2. Theory of Planned Behavior
3. Human needs theory
4. Stages of Change model
5. Internal and external motivation
6. Motivational interviewing
7. Self-efficacy model
8. Attribution theory
9. Social Cognitive Theory
10. Community Organization Theory
11. Community development model
12. Diffusion of Innovation model
C. Healthy People 2020
1. Adolescent health
2. Early and middle childhood genomics
3. Global health
4. Health related quality of life, including LGBT health
5. Older adults, including dementia
6. Preparedness
7. Sleep health
8. Social determinants of health
D. Health across the life span
1. Infants and small children
a. Infant and child mortality
b. Disease prevention and immunization
c. Integrated management of childhood diseases
d. Nutrition and deficiencies
e. Health child development
f. Public health priorities
2. Adolescents
a. Mortality
b. Disease prevention and immunization
c. Integrated management of diseases affecting adolescents
d. Nutrition: obesity, eating disorders, deficiencies
e. Disorders of secondary sexual development
f. Public health priorities: tobacco, substance abuse, mental health, sexually transmitted diseases
3. Adults
a. Mortality
b. Lifestyle and disease patterns
c. Integrated management of diseases or disabilities affecting adults
d. Cancer
e. Chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, COPD
f. Family planning and maternal health
g. Public health priorities: tobacco, substance abuse, mental health, sexually transmitted diseases
4. Geriatric adults
a. Mortality
b. Lifestyle and disease patterns
c. Integrated management of diseases or disabilities affecting geriatric adults
d. Cancer
e. Chronic diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, COPD
f. Dementia and Alzheimers disease
g. Musculoskeletal health
h. Public health priorities for geriatric health

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

A. Multimedia classroom.
B. Computer with internet access when taught online or as a hybrid course.
C. Library resources for current, evidence based public health research.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Critical evaluation of a current public health research study in written research
Critical thinking exercises on health case studies
Objective exams

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture presentation
Classroom or online discussion
Case study analysis
Presentations of major projects followed by discussion and evaluation

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Leifer, G.. Growth and Development Across the Lifespan: A Health Promotion Focus, 2nd ed.. 2012.

Polan, E., and D. Taylor. Journey Across the Life Span: Human Development and Health Promotion, 6th ed.. 2019.

Although the Leifer text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains a seminal text in this area of study. The 3rd edition is expected to be published in November of 2021.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

A. Web-based research on health and public health issues and studies.
B. Submission of written research report on a public health issue using current evidence based scientific literature.
C. Weekly critical thinking exercises on public health case studies.
D. Weekly reading assignments in the textbook and current scientific/public health journals of approximately 30-50 pages.

Discipline(s)

Health