Global Health Courses

PUB 210 will provide upper division undergraduate students with a meaningful appreciation of the challenges in achieving the human right to health in low- and middle-income countries worldwide. Students will understand the leading causes of illness, death, and disability and approaches to prevention and control of those conditions in resource-constrained settings. Students will also understand the complex interrelationships between social, environmental, and political factors that affect health and well-being in low- and middle-income countries. Further, students will learn how to critically evaluate solutions to improve global health.

3 Credits, Spring Semester

This course provides an introduction to both the global and local health issues related to refugee populations. Health, cultural issues, barriers to care, and services for refugee populations in the United States will be featured, with an emphasis on Western New York's (WNY) refugee groups. Global historical and policy issues related to refugees and refugee health also will be studied.

Format: Remote

3 Credits, Spring Semester

Prerequisite: None

Health Behavior Change is an overview of the health behaviors contributing most dramatically to increased morbidity and mortality in the United States. The course emphasizes public health interventions and strategies to promote healthy behaviors and discourage unhealthy behaviors. The course examines consequences, patterns, risk factors, and change/interventions for each behavior or problem. Behaviors are examined from multiples perspectives (e.g., individual, social, environmental) and with a systems perspective in mind, illuminating the interconnecting influences on behaviors. Health behaviors and behavior change interventions are presented in the context of current research and theory. The course also examines the role of health disparities, public health policy, current debate, health behavior theory and emerging research.

Format: Seated

3 Credits, Spring Semester

Prerequisite: None

This course identifies elements in a community responsible for modifying the health behavior of the individual. Provides the needed information for designing plans to improve the health status of the community and its members. The course will help to identify quantitative and qualitative methods to conduct community health assessment, evaluation of community intervention programs, and the utilization of public health surveillance data to understand community health profiles. Case-studies and a practical experience will provide the students with training on how to work as a group with members of the community.

Format: Seated

3 Credits, Fall Semester

Prerequisite: None

The course will provide students with an understanding of and appreciation for population approaches to improving the health of our nation and the world, as well as knowledge of various career paths in public health. Course content includes: public health perspectives on health, wellness, illness, and population well-being; key influences on the health and well being of individuals and populations; assessing public health problems from a population health perspective; using the five core components of public health to address health problems; effectively utilizing health information to address public health issues; and career paths in public health and the training/expertise required to pursue them. Students will engage in critical assessment of historical and current public health events, and creative application of their foundational knowledge to new public health problems. The course is particularly applicable to students preparing to pursue a health-related career and to students in health professions programs desiring a knowledge of public health approaches.

3 Credits, Fall Semester

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive, doctoral-level overview of principles and theoretical perspectives on the determinants of health behavior and community health. Using a biopsychosocial perspective we will examine biological influences, psychological, social, and policy determinants of health behavior and health. 

Format: Seated

3 Credits, Spring Semester

This course is a designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the state of the science in health behavior and community health interventions, including individual, family, community, and policy interventions. Students will be prepared to critically assess and apply strategies for individual and community health promotion. 

Format: Seated

3 Credits, Fall Semester

Health Equity is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of the social determinants of health and how their ills and benefits are unequally distributed across society. We will cover differences in health status associated with race, ethnicity, immigrant status, education, income, disability, geographic location, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity. We will examine the multiple pathways through which these inequities produced and reinforced, including structural and interpersonal discrimination and stigma. We will also discuss methods for conducting research and intervening in disadvantaged communities. The course will provide historical and theoretical perspectives on the problem, provide a critical examination of empirical support for various explanatory pathways, and will cover approaches to studying and reducing health disparities.

Format: Online