Disaster Public Health

In this course, we will learn the effects of disasters, both naturally occurring and man-made, on the health of communities in both the short and long terms. We will examine recent mass casualty events such as Hurricane Katrina, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the earthquake and ensuing cholera epidemic in Haiti, and the earthquake, tsunami, and radiological emergency in Japan. Through these case studies, we will explore how recovery is impacted by response efforts, preexisting infrastructure, culture, and the relationship between citizens and their government. We will also examine the community health consequences of heroism, panic, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This course counts as elective credit towards the Global Health minor