X505 – Introduction to Public Health
Fall 2013
Course:
Instructor:
Class Day/Time:
Location:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Email:
T142 – Section #7042
William D. Ramos, Lecturer, Aquatic Suite, HPER 104
Tuesday/Thursday – 9:30am to 10:45am
SPHB C100
Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00 (by appointment recommended)
856-7161
wramos@indiana.edu
Course Description
Students will develop an understanding of the five core disciplines of Public Health and draw logical connections within their concentration of study.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to summarize the historical and social contexts through which the field of Public Health has developed in the United States
2. Students will be able to describe the manner in which basic concepts , theories, and methods of the five core areas of public health are applied to
health-related research, policy, and practice
3. Students will be able to distinguish efforts through which organizations and institutions at local, national, and global levels seek to assure the health of
the public
4. Students will be able to analyze the manner in which their specific discipline is related to a multidisciplinary approach to achieving public health goals.
Expectations of Students:
1. Complete all reading assignments prior to class.
2. It is expected that students will actively participate in discussions during class.
3. Attend all class sessions
4. Arrive to class on time and fully prepared to engage
5. Complete all course assignments as directed and submit them when they are due.
6. Respect the diversity, opinions, and learning culture of others.
Book/Material Requirement:
 Schneider, Mary Jane (2012). Introduction to Public Health, 4th Edition.
 Additional readings will be posted under “resources”
Oncourse:
Oncourse will be used in this course as a communication tool among the students and instructors. Important information about the course will be posted on
Oncourse, including grades. Using Oncourse is a requirement for this course. The only part of On Course that will not be utilized is email. You should email the
instructor at wramos@indiana.edu
Evaluation and Grading Policies:
Attendance and Absences:
1. You are allowed two days per semester for illness or personal issues. You may take these two days without penalty; however, you should notify the instructor on
the day you return by turning in the appropriate Sick/Personal Day form located in on course under “resources”. Any assignment due on a date missed may be
turned in late with the Sick/Personal Day form attached.
2. You will receive a bonus of five (5) points for each unused day at the end of the semester.
3. If you miss more than the allotted three days of class, you will be penalized for each day afterwards. A deduction of ten (10) points for each additional day will
be subtracted from you total score at the end of the semester.
4. Arriving late enough to be denied admission to a class session will be considered an absence.
5. Assignments missed on excused days may be submitted at the next class only without penalty. In class activities for points may not be made up if missed.
Remember, “Some moments come and are just then gone!” Try your best not to miss them!
6. Exam days are excluded from the attendance policy and should not be missed.
Punctuality – Timeliness is a positive trait related to professionalism; tardiness and early departures are expressions of disrespect to the instructor, fellow students, and
guests. Once class has begun, students are not allowed to enter the classroom unless a break is taken. If you are allowed to enter late you still may not be able to sign in
the attendance sheet for that day but are more than welcome to absorb all of the valuable information presented!!
Summary of Points:
Point Distribution:
Maximum Points Possible:
Competency Tracker: Start Up
10 points
Competency Tracker: Conclusion
10 points
Discretionary/In-Class Activities
50 points
Read-Aheads
50 points
Historical Context Paper
20 points
SPHB Faculty Insight Interview
20 points
Concentration Connectivity Paper
50 points
Midterm Exam
50 points
Final Exam
60 points
Total Points Possible:
320 points
Point Grading Scale: The following scale will be used to interpret point values when assigning grades.
A
90%+
B
80%- 89%
C
70% - 79%
D
60% - 69%
F
Below 60%
Competency Tracker: Start Up / Competency Tracker: Conclusion (20 points)
Students will be required to complete the on-line public health competency tracker at the beginning and at the conclusion of the course. Deadline dates will be
announced during the course.
Discretionary / In-Class Activities: 50 points
In-class activities will serve as class participation points during lecture. These activities will vary throughout the semester. Students must be present in lecture to
be eligible for participation points. Since these points are acquired in the moment they cannot be made up.
Read-Aheads: 50 points (5 x 10 points)
Selected reading assignments will include 10 question, multiple choice assessments over concepts and information. Read-Aheads are to be completed using
OnCourse Tests & Surveys and must be submitted prior to a given class.
SPHB Faculty Insight Interview (20 points)
Students will conduct an interview with a faculty member within their concentration to discuss their perception of the field and give direction to how they may
connect with goals of public health. This is assignment is designed as a precursor to work on the Concentration Connectivity Paper.
Concentration Connectivity Paper (50 points)
This paper will reflect an overview of research in your concentration and a synthesis on how you feel your discipline is connected to the core public health.
Midterm Exam (50 points) - TBA
Final Exam (75 points) - TBA
Course Evaluation:
 It is the policy of the School of HPER to evaluate all courses taught through the School. Final course evaluations will be conducted in a manner that
maintains the integrity of the process and the anonymity of evaluators.
Academic Integrity:
 You are expected to observe high standards of intellectual integrity and honesty. Academic dishonesty includes: cheating on
assignments/quizzes/exams, presenting work that is not your own work, allowing your own work to be misrepresented, and turning in another students’
work.
 Academic and personal misconduct by students in this class are defined and dealt with according to the procedures in the Code of Student Rights,
Responsibilities, and Conduct.
 Please note that this policy includes both personal and academic integrity. Not all infractions which occur within the classroom are necessarily
academic, but rather can be considered as personal misconduct.
Professionalism Policy:
 Carrying on personal conversations, text messaging, emailing, and answering cell phones is disruptive to the class and interferes with student learning.
Please turn your cell phone on silent upon entering the classroom.
 Surfing the web, doing work for other courses, reading the newspaper, doing crossword puzzles, etc. is considered disrespectful to both fellow students
and the instructor.
Religious Observations:
 In accordance with the Office of the Dean of Faculties, any student who wishes to receive an excused absence from class must submit a request form
available from the Dean of Faculties for each day to be absent.
 Information about the policy on religious observations can be found at the following web site: http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/holidays.html#reco.
 You can download the request form at: http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/download/rel_obs.html#holreq
 Note: This form must be presented to the course instructor by the end of the second week of the semester.
Students with Special Needs:
 Please see the instructor during the first week of class if you have needs that require special assistance http://www2.dsa.indiana.edu/dss/
Tentative Course Outline
Week
1
8/27 & 8/29
Tuesday Lecture
Course Introduction/Orientation
Rules of the Game
Thursday Lecture
Overview of Core Disciplines and Collaborative Mission
Michael Reece – The Big Picture
2
9/3 & 9/5
Examining the Meaning and Scope of Public Health
How Do We Know What We Know?
The Role of Epidemiology
Beth Meyerson
Ka He
3
9/10 & 9/12
4
9/17 & 9/19
APPLIED EPIDEMIOLOGY: UNDERSTANDING NUTRITION AS CRITICAL
COMPONENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
APPLIED EPIDEMIOLOGY: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND PUBLIC
HEALTH
Ka He
Jan Wallace
ACTIVITY: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO
PUBLIC HEALTH
Historical Foundations of Public Health –Part I
Dr. Ruth Engs
PEER GROUP EXERCISES
5
9/24 & 9/26
6
10/1 & 10/3
Historical Foundations of Public Health –Part II
Essential Biostatistics
Dr. Ruth Engs
M. Aaron Sayegh
Applied Biostatistics in Public Health: HOW STATES USE BIOSTATISTICS
TO UNDERSTAND PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES
STATISTICAL APPLICATIONS IN UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF
RECREATION AND HEALTH
M. Aaron Sayegh
EXAMPLES FROM THE TEXAS STATE OFFICE OF HEALTH STATISTICS
Barb Hawkins
7
10/8 & 10/10
8
10/15 & 10/17
Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health
Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health
Laura McCloskey
Laura McCloskey
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
MIDTERM EXAM
Jeanne Johnston
9
10/22 & 10/24
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL DETERMINANTS OF RECREATION
SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL DETERMINANTS OF SEXUAL HEALTH:
METHODS AND TRANSLATION TO PRACTICE
Bryan McCormick
Debby Herbenick
10
10/29 & 10/31
11
11/5 & 11/7
12
11/12 & 11/14
Environmental Health
Applied Environmental Health in Public Health
Jim Klaunig
Lisa Kamendulis
SYNERGIES BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND RECREATION
Impact of Parks and Recreation: Eppley Institute at Work
Alan Ewert
Steve Wolters
HOW PUBLIC HEALTH HAPPENS IN THE US: UNDERSTANDING THE
FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND POLICY
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Beth Myerson
Beth Myerson
13
11/19-11/21
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
RECREATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Priscilla Barnes
Chris Geary or Chris Arvin?(IURS)
14
11/26 & 11/28
Thanksgiving
No Class
No Class
15
12/03 & 12/05
Health Disparities
PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFEPSAN
Michael Hendryx
Lesa Lorenzen-Huber
16
12/12-12/16
Trends and the Future of Public Health
Final Thoughts and Final Exam Review
David Lohrmann
Dean Mohammed Torabi
Final Exam - Tuesday December 17th, 10:15 - 12:15pm