Our focus will be on understanding the role of social factors (such as income, work environment, social cohesion, food, and transportation systems) in determining the health risks of individuals; learning about the historical antecedents of the contemporary community health center model of care in response to the needs of vulnerable populations; and studying (through participation and observation) the conduct of research designed to document and/or support efforts to improve the health of communities. We will explore the concept of social medicine, the importance of vocabulary and categorization in any discussion of health care, the complex issues involved in population categorization, ethical issues in the generation and utilization of community-based research, and the idea of just health care. Enrolled students will serve as volunteer research assistants (3-4 hours/week) with one of the ongoing research projects being conducted by Middletown's Community Health Center (CHC). These may include school-based efforts to reduce the risk of obesity, the health needs of homeless persons, assessment of the transition from paper to electronic medical records, and an oral history project on how meaningful changes to local healthcare systems have been accomplished. |