HLTH Course Descriptions

Health Studies (2009-2010)

This course will be of interest to students pursuing careers in health and those with a general interest in health and health care. Various perspectives of the concepts of health and illness will be introduced. Emphasis is on understanding the origins, factors and conditions that determine health throughout the lifespan, how these factors influence one another and the role/impact of health care. Additional topics include how health is measured, the leading causes of death, illness and disability, as well as how health status has changed throughout history. Case examples will be used to illustrate points.

This course expands upon the general concepts introduced in HLTH 101 while extending the discussion to include issues such as: additional barriers to health; disease prevention; and methods used to plan, monitor and improve individual and population health. Discussion will include when various interventions are justified and why, and where and when combinations of policies, treatments, education and other approaches are necessary. The health of Canadians relative to that of people in other countries, as well as the inequalities that exist in health status within Canada and around the globe will be examined. Case examples will be used to illustrate points.

This course focuses on the challenges facing older adults and on strategies to promote successful aging. A basic understanding of the physical aging process is explored, distinguishing between pathological states/illness and normal change. Many physical changes and associated functional decline are affected by modifiable factors such as sedentary lifestyles, substance abuse, and diet. Education, environment, and personal supports also play key roles in preventing illness and accidents (e.g. falls, driving accidents, and medication errors). The course addresses the interests of those working with older adults, and anyone who has older grandparents, parents, or friends.

The physiology of human growth, development and aging is examined, with special reference to the influence of diet, environment, exercise and disease on the normal processes.

Variations in the meaning and significance of death and dying will be considered from a psychological perspective, with particular attention to the contexts (e.g., cultural, familial, life-span developmental) in which these variations occur.

This course will focus on psychosocial aspects of development of the individual and their influence on the individual's health and well-being. Through the use of the lifespan approach, the course will emphasize development as a life-long process, but will place particular emphasis on health and aging.

This course examines the Canadian health care system by considering organizational principles, health resources, service utilization, health care planning and health promotion strategies. There is a focus on societal and political issues which affect the health of the society through the delivery system.

An introduction to the study of human population, with a focus on mortality, fertility, migration and spatial distribution in Canada. Methods and measures used in demographic research, sources of demographic data, and the health and social implications of the major demographic trends are discussed.

Enormous inequalities in health persist both within and between countries. These inequalities can be seen across various axes including gender, ethnicity, and access to material resources. As such, those relatively deprived/underprivileged have substantially poorer health than those better off. The course will demonstrate the extent of inequalities in health, and it will explore current theories explaining how inequalities arise, focusing on behavioural/cultural, psychosocial, and structural/material explanations. The course will also investigate the role of various approaches to economic and social policy in creating or reducing inequalities.

Health informatics is the multidisciplinary field devoted to the study of the generation, dissemination/communication, and utilization of health information. It covers the study of how providers of information design, produce, and interpret health information; how such information is communicated and stored; and how it is received, understoood, and used by its recipients.

Health research addresses a broad range of problems, leading to the use of a diverse range of research strategies and methodologies. This course is offered concurrently with HLTH 344 and will focus on experimental, quasi-experimental and analytical observational (cohort, case control, cross-sectional) research designs. The aim of this course is to provide a basic understanding of each of these study designs, including their strengths and weaknesses, threats to validity, and appropriate statistical methods.

An introduction to the basic biological and toxicological processes that determine the effects of environmental pollutants on human health. Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms that give rise to chronic or delayed health effects, such as cancer, genetic mutations, and birth defects.

An introduction to the study of the immunobiological factors governing the occurrence of disease in humans. Selected chronic and acute diseases will be used to illustrate immunobiological mechanisms and the identification of risk factors from a public health perspective. The contribution of social determinants of health to modifying immunobiological mechanisms in human disease will also be considered.

Increasingly, health services and community programs are under the scrutiny of their funders and the people using them and are being held more accountable. This course will expose students to political, ethical, social and methodological issues involved in program planning and evaluation. In addition, students will be introduced to survey and qualitative methods that are widely used in health research and program evaluation.

An elementary course in nutrition with special emphasis on diet for sport and certain physiological conditions.

The study and application of basic social psychological processes in relation to selected health-related behaviours (e.g. family planning, overeating, smoking, non-medical drug use, cardiovascular risk factors, patient compliance, medical care utilization).

The course will focus on the prevention of chronic disease through individual and population health behaviour change. Topics covered will include basic learning principles of behaviour, behaviour modification techniques, intrapersonal and interpersonal theories of behaviour change, motivation, and the role of policy in behaviour change. Application of principles will be examined using primary and secondary prevention trials and worksite health promotion programs.

Methodological approaches to the detection, assessment and management of toxic hazards (especially carcinogens) in the workplace and external environment. The health effects of chemical toxicants on specific human organ systems (lung, nervous system, immune system, etc.) are also examined.

An introduction to individual and population aging. Topics discussed include: aging from a historical and comparative perspective; aging in subcultures; aging and the social structure; aging and social processes; aging and the environment; work and retirement; and aging and leisure patterns.

Psychological factors are critical to understanding how and why people act in the interests of their health. This course will examine how basic concepts from social psychology, learning theory, and models of health behaviour can help us to understand various health behaviours, health care utilization, and decision making in the context of health. The course will also explore the importance of health behaviour in the context of a population health perspective and population-level change.

Faculty and students from various departments meet to discuss individual and population aging from a multidisciplinary perspective. Topics include the definition of aging, the demography of aging, evolutionary and genetic factors, aging as a social process, and human aging patterns.

Study abroad on an Exchange Agreement approved by the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.

An examination of the pathology, risk factors and rehabilitation programs related to coronary heart disease. Major emphasis is placed on the cardio-respiratory implications of exercise in the rehabilitation process.

Health care policy exists at federal, provincial, local and institutional levels, and shapes every aspect of the Canadian Health Care System. Its ongoing development, implementation and outcomes are shaped by ideology and empirical evidence through the definition of health issues, setting of priorities for action, and the policy instruments chosen for implementation. This course will introduce students to health policy in Canada and provide them with an understanding of what policy is, how it is developed, who is involved with its production, implementation and evaluation. Students will learn to critically analyse real world examples of Canadian health policy.

A seminar course on the environmental sources and causes of disease and illness, the concepts of health, e.g. medical, scientific, economic, political, etc., the health services and facilities and related technologies and the role and responsibilities of (urban and regional) planners in the creation of a more healthful environment.

Nutrition is integral to the etiology, prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. This course examines nutritional aspects of key chronic diseases affecting the Canadian population. There will be an opportunity for students to explore, in depth, specific conditions and aspects of nutritional assessment or intervention that interest them. Case topics span the lifecycle and such conditions as obesity, eating disorders, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. As well, students present seminars on a topic of their choice.

An independent research project on an approved topic, supervised by a faculty member. Includes an approved proposal and completion of -- introduction, review of literature, methods, data collection, data analysis and presentation of results in thesis form. Recommended for students planning graduate studies.

An independent research project on an approved topic, supervised by a faculty member. Includes an approved proposal and completion of -- introduction, review of literature, methods, data collection, data analysis and presentation of results in thesis form. Recommended for students planning graduate studies.

This course builds upon the concepts learned in HLTH 333 and focuses on the key issues related to the design, conduct, analyses and interpretation of experimental studies. Examples will be drawn from animal research investigating disease mechanisms, and from clinical and population studies investigating efficacy of preventive or therapeutic strategies.

This course builds upon the concepts learned in HLTH 333 and HLTH 344 and provides an introduction to the field of epidemiology. The primary objective is to provide an understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles and applications of chronic disease epidemiology. The course emphasizes understanding of epidemiologic methods and identification of risk and protective factors.

Building upon the concepts learned in HLTH 333 and HLTH 344 this course provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction to the key concepts, methodologies, and issues related to program evaluation in general and their application to health programs in particular. Administrative and policy implications as well as the technical/methodological evaluation issues that face individuals involved in administering, planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs will be discussed.

A study of current issues pertaining to health promotion, health behaviour, or biomedical research. Topics may include pertinent research that is significant to the health of individuals, families and groups, or the community.

This course will provide an in-depth examination of social determinants of health, both in North America and around the world. Students will apply their knowledge and understanding of nonbiological contributors to health by observing, studying and 'unpacking' actual health issues in the local community.

This course will provide an overview of alcohol and drug use and abuse in contemporary society. The student will develop an understanding of how alcohol and other drug problems become defined as social problems and how these definitions influence subsequent intervention strategies. Students will explore the social, political, economic and biological determinants of the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs, and then critically examine real-world policy issues related to prevention, control and cessation of use.

The course combines an overview of health policy issues and service delivery with methodological considerations in the analysis of health information from a variety of sources. The topics to be addressed may include the role of health information in evidence-based practice and policy development; basic concepts of demography and health information management; secondary data analysis; case-mix based funding systems; performance indicators, quality, and accountability in health care; clinical applications of health data; need analysis; cost analysis; international comparisons.

One of the major aims of health informatics is to help health professionals make better decisions. To this end, diverse models and methods of decision making and decision support have been developed and implemented in health care settings. This course reviews theories, methods, and technologies for aiding the process of making decisions in health care.

The course provides an introduction into the principles of psychoneuroimmunology (behavioural immunology or PNI) and the application to various human health and disease conditions. Topics to be included are: immune system-nervous system interactions, neuroendocrine responses to stress and effects on immunity, cytokines as mediators of behaviour and immune function, behavioural factors (e.g. exercise, social support, maternal effects, sleep) that modify immune responses, and selected clinical applications (e.g. cancer, AIDS) that illustrate the relation of PNI to human health.

The objectives of this course are to provide a basic understanding of psychopharmacology and the process of drug addiction. The topics addressed will include: i) the basic biological principles of pharmacology, ii) factors that contribute to individual differences in drug response, including heredity and aging, iii) mechanisms of drug action on neurotransmission, iv) major neurotransmitter systems of the brain and how these are influenced by psychoactive drugs, and v) theories of drug addiction, including a consideration of the interaction of biological with behavioural and socio-cultural factors. This course has a biological emphasis and is an appropriate elective for fourth year Health Studies students interested in the possible contributions of biological factors to addictive disorders: fourth year students enrolled in the Honours Psychology or in the Honours Science/Psychology program may also find the material of interest.

For the student who desires to pursue a particular topic in depth through guided independent research and/or reading. A faculty member must approve a student's project prior to registration. May be repeated in subsequent terms. Depending on student demand and availability of teaching resources, special topics may be presented to small groups in a lecture format. Such topics have included Pharmacology, Behavioural Immunity, Nutrition, The Health Care System.

One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the Department of Health Studies and Gerontology. Subjects will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of the faculty.