Health: Sci & Evidence Integrativ HLTH

Integrative health brings together conventional and complementary approaches to health, emphasizing treating the whole person. Examines the levels of scientific evidence on the efficacy of integrative therapies and identify opportunities for integrative therapies to improve outcomes for patients and planetary health. Prerequisite: HLTH 2010.

Prereq enforced by the system: HLTH 2010; Undergraduate students register for HLTH 3010 OL1, Colocated with HLTH 3010 OL1 Total combined enrollment = 30. Asynchronous online

Integrative health brings conventional and complementary healthcare approaches together in a coordinated way, with an emphasis on treating the whole person (physical, mental, social, spiritual, ecological well-being) rather than simply treating a disease or organ system. The use of integrative medicine has grown across the U.S., and up to 40 percent of adults report using complementary and alternative approaches, including Yoga, acupuncture, meditation, chiropractic, dietary supplements, and Tai Chi, among others. Furthermore, the relatively small ecological footprint of these therapies suggests that they may help decrease the unintended consequences of medical care on planetary health while also promoting human well-being. However, widespread skepticism and resistance to complementary and alternative therapies remains and has stemmed, in part, from the lack of conventionally rigorous scientific evidence about the efficacy and safety of these therapies. This seminar will allow students to learn and differentiate various levels of scientific evidence on the efficacy of integrative therapies, critically evaluate existing literature, gain skills with research methods, and understand unique challenges researchers face when designing studies of integrative health therapies.

LOGISTICS: This is an asynchronous (i.e. at your own pace) online course where students are expected to: - Complete all readings and other preparatory assignments by the due date each week. - Actively participate in online discussions each week. - Be mindful of their own assumptions and biases related to health care, and open to learning by hearing perspectives that differ from their own. Three required textbooks (Note: All books are available for rent/purchase through UVM Bookstore or on 2-hour reserve online through UVM's Dana Medical Library): • Kathryn Jacobsen. (2021). Introduction to Health Research Methods (3rd edition). Jones & Bartlett. • Brent Bauer. (2017). Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine. Mayo Clinic Press. • David Rakel. (2022). Integrative Medicine (5th edition). Elsevier.

- Active participation in online discussion each week - Exit Tickets due at the end of each week - One research project due at the end of the semester - Online quizzes and exams