410.618.01 INTEGRATING SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL THEORY INTO PUBLIC HEALTH

Introduces students to the ecologic framework of health behavior that integrates perspectives from anthropology, sociology, and cognitive sciences. Uses a combination of lectures, readings, discussions, and small group exercises to make the case that health behaviors often must be viewed simultaneously at multiple ecologic levels in order to craft effective interventions. Includes discussion of socio-economic status, culture, and race at the macro ecologic level, social networks and social capital at the mezzo level, and influences on rational decision-making at the micro level.

After completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Explain the role of ecologic theory in health behavior and behavior change; 2. Take a challenging health behavior and describe from multiple theoretical vantage points the forces potentially shaping it or offering opportunities for interventions.