MIDD 8500A

INTD 1094 Introduction to Public Health Policy

While medicine is concerned with the health of individuals, public health is about the well-being of entire communities. In this course we will discuss the philosophical, economic, and political drivers of domestic and international public health policy, as well as gain an introduction to the quantitative tools used in the field. Current events and examples in the media, as well as classic case studies, will provide the basis for discussions and readings. Specific public health topics include immunizations, access to medical care, environmental racism, risk perception, and bioterrorism. Quantitative tools include basic economics principles, decision science, and epidemiology. SOC (P. Berenbaum, visiting winter term instructor)

MIDD 8500C

INTD 1114 Human Health and the Environment

A 2008 study showed that infant umbilical cords contained more than 200 toxic industrial chemicals. Where do these chemicals come from? How do they enter our bodies? Do they have adverse effects on our health? In this course we will discuss these contemporary, and often controversial, issues in environmental health, focusing on how today's environmental issues directly affect our lives. The objective of the course is to help students acquire the information and understanding they need to participate in the decision-making processes that will influence health and environmental quality in the decades ahead. SCI (J. Elkins, visiting instructor)