Online - Can You Choose to Be Healthy?

The United States is notable for its wide health disparities, particularly across socioeconomic, racial, and geographic divides. To what extent are these disparities the result of individual choices? How much are they shaped by societal factors? How has the COVID-19 pandemic worsened this situation? In this course, students learn how scientists approach public health problems and how their findings are used to assess and intervene against threats to human health. We begin by looking at health disparities across the US and considering the biological, behavioral, and societal factors that contribute to them. We then closely examine three pertinent public health issues that significantly affect the health of Americans: mental health and addiction; the adverse effects of exposure to environmental pollutants; and general wellness, including cardiovascular disease, diet, and infectious disease. We spend a portion of most classes discussing relevant current events. Our goal is for students to gain a greater understanding of their own bodies and of what can be done on a personal and societal level to prevent disease. This ultimately gives students the skills they need to analyze and make decisions about current and future public health challenges.