Introduction to Public Health: Evidence, Communication and Policy
Course explores core domains of public health: epidemiology (data collection, investigating disease patterns and measuring health outcomes), social and behavioral determinants of health (understanding what creates health inequities), environmental health (examining how our surroundings affect us), and public health policy (how evidence drives decision-making). Students will learn to distinguish between individual-level and population-level approaches to health improvement and understand how biological, behavioral, socioeconomic, and environmental factors shape health across the lifespan. Students will develop critical skills in evaluating public health evidence and in communicating health information effectively.
Topics
- 1. Describe public health as a system and the role of public health professionals in translating evidence for health promotion and policy development. 2. Identify the difference between individual-based and population-based strategies for improving health. 3. Understand basic epidemiologic concepts and methods for investigating disease patterns and health outcomes in populations. 4. Understand how the determinants of health (socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, and environmental factors) affect health of individuals and populations across the life span. 5. Examine environmental factors and their relationship to human health and disease. 6. Evaluate public health data and evidence, including assessing the quality and credibility of public health research. 7. Anticipate potential ethical conflicts within public health research and practice. 8. Apply effective communication strategies for translating public health evidence to audience-appropriate.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027