Health Sciences: Foundations of Health Equity

Introduces the concept of health equity and provides an overview of health disparities in the US. Through the lens of social justice, examines historical and current issues at the root of inequitable health outcomes across the US and prompts consideration of possible solutions.

Asynchronous online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hw6IKMUnd8

This course will introduce students to the concept of health equity and will provide a broad overview of health disparities in the United States. Through the lens of social justice, this course will examine relevant historical and current issues that are at the root of and contribute to inequitable health outcomes in populations across the US. Students will explore current trends and movements, including the school to prison pipeline, infant and maternal mortality in Black women in the US, Food deserts, mass incarceration, poverty, and more.

Students will be able to: 1. Define and explain the concepts of health disparity and health equity 2. Explain the importance of moving from a health disparity towards a health equity framework and approach 3. Describe and analyze the determinants of health disparities for specific groups 4. Describe key social justice issues relevant to health disparities and/or health equity 5. Examine potential strategies to better address health disparities and work toward health equity

Participation and Weekly Journals (20%) • Ubuntu Family Connections (10%) • Annotated Bibliography (10%) • Group Identity and Health Equity Quiz (10%) • Health Equity Legacy Paper (HELP) (25%) • Final Project: Choice of a Health Equity Advocacy Project (HEAP) or Policy Issue or Research Paper with an advocacy focus for a specific change (25%)