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340.692.01
Prisons, Public Health, and Human Rights

Location
East Baltimore
Term
4th Term
Department
Epidemiology
Credit(s)
2
Academic Year
2018 - 2019
Instruction Method
TBD
Class Time(s)
Monday, 5:30 - 7:20pm
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
Yes
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Contact Name
Gabriel Eber
Contact Email
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Prerequisite
Description
Explores the public health implications of mass incarceration and discusses the human rights and ethical ramifications of providing health care to men, women, and children in jails, prisons, and detention centers both in the United States and internationally. Takes a systems approach to addressing the basic health needs of the prison population, including infection control, care for acute and chronic medical conditions, and mental health care. Students apply problem-solving skills and explore the challenges of providing care in incarcerated settings. Emphasizes the roles of human rights principles and professional ethics in public health.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain the intersection of prisons, public health practice and policy, and human rights principles
  2. Describe the key elements of prison health care systems and the challenges of providing care in the correctional setting
  3. Recognize the ethical conflicts faced by health care professionals who treat incarcerated patients.
  4. Describe the role of public health ethics in the correctional context, including the tension between patient autonomy and the coercion inherent in incarceration
  5. Identify the special health needs of women, the elderly, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) prisoners
  6. Apply public health principles to improve specific processes, including intake screening and reentry into the community
  7. Assess the epidemiology of infectious diseases and mental illness in correctional populations
Jointly Offered With
Special Comments

Formerly known as 221.618; students who have taken 221.618 should not repeat the course.