Healthcare Strategies for At-Risk Populations

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

In this course, you will study harm reduction, both in theory and practice, as a health care strategy for at-risk populations such as intravenous drug-users, undocumented migrants, prisoners, sex workers and homeless people. These subpopulations are not easily targeted through conventional programs in health care delivery or health promotion within the general population (e.g. workplace safety, screening programs, vaccination schemes or visitation to elderly care). Their disproportionate risk and burden of disease often coincide with a social vulnerability and factors such as legal restraints, stigma, or lack inaccessibility to health care services. Some of the health care strategies we are going to work with are Needle Exchange Programs (NEP), social nurses, shelters for homeless individuals, open prisons, decriminalization of drug use and sex work, and health clinics for undocumented migrants