4 Can’t-Miss Community Health Courses for Public Health Students

Are you thinking about starting a career in public health? Then you’re ready to make a difference in the world around you; a world that is more globally connected than ever. More than ever, we need trained professionals who can respond to public health emergencies, infectious disease outbreaks, and chronic disease epidemics like diabetes and obesity.

No one likes to think about public health emergencies, but they affect our lives all around us. This year, NPR is reporting an increased risk for Lyme disease in CT and the country! Committed, trained professionals are needed to step up, respond, and protect our communities from these threats to our collective safety. That’s where public health professionals, trained to respond to public health emergencies, infectious disease outbreaks, and chronic disease epidemics like diabetes and obesity, come in.

Here are four fascinating community health courses that help students earn the knowledge and skills they need to stand out in this critically important field:

Health Behavior and Chronic Disease (PBH 210)

This course examines the behavioral factors that influence health, with particular emphasis on chronic disease outcomes. Students will be introduced to behavioral science theory, and examine behavioral health research methods and interventions for chronic disease.

Human Health in the Environment (PBH 252)

This course studies the relationship of people to their environment, how it affects their physical well-being and what they can do to influence the quality of the environment and to enhance the protection of their health. Emphasis on environmental factors involved in transmission of communicable diseases and hazards due to exposure to chemical and physical materials in our environment. Topics include environmental pollutants; physical, chemical, and biological agents of environmental contamination through air, water, and soil; solid and hazardous waste, susceptible populations and risk analysis; the scientific basis for policy decisions; and emerging global environmental health problems.

Ethics in Public Health (PBH 305)

This course will introduce students to ethical considerations in public health including the design of research and public health interventions. Through a series of case studies, students will reflect on historical issues in public health research ethics and their impact on the modern practice of public health and public health research. The course will introduce students to health equity and social justice issues in public health.

Injury Prevention and Public Safety (PBH 315)

This course explores the incidence and prevalence of injury across populations. The course will introduce students to epidemiologic methods to investigate injury and assess safety in communities. Students will be introduced to intervention strategies used in public health injury prevention.

Are you ready to help create a better, safer, and healthier world? Contact Goodwin today at 800-889-3282 or check us out online at www.goodwin.edu to learn about our community health courses in CT.