WesMaps - Wesleyan University Catalog 2008-2009       Summer Session       Winter Session       Home       Archive       Search
CS92PROD
The Health of Communities

SOC 315
Fall 2008
Section: 01  
Crosslisting: SISP 315
Course Cluster: Service-Learning, Urban Studies

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). In the past, these projects have included investigation and/or assessment of school-based efforts to reduce the risk of obesity in children, the health needs of homeless persons, the transition from paper to electronic medical records, and models for an institutional review board especially suited to a community health center.

Essential Capabilities: None
Credit: 1.25 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS SOC
Course Format: SeminarGrading Mode: Graded
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (CIVI-MN)(ENVS-MN)(ENVS)(HRAD-MN)(IDEA-MN)(IDEA)(SISP)(SISP-ScieDblMjr)(SISP-Soc Conc)(SOC)
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on MAR-19-2024
Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email ? Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459