HEA 347

Health Problems of Low Income Groups

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: Sophomore standing

For whom planned: elective for public health education and other majors

 

Instructor:     Dr. Sharon Morrison

E-mail:           classgta@uncg.edu

Phone:           (336) 334-3243

Fax:                (336) 334-3238

Address:       Department of Public Health Education, 437 HHP Building

Office Hours:           Mondays & Wednesdays:    1:15-3:15 P.M.


 


Course Description

 

This course examines the ramifications of poverty-health complex in the US and social differences in physical and mental illness. Emphasis is on identification of specific health problems common among the poor. 

 

Student Learning Outcomes

 

At the end of the course students will be able to:

 

  1. Critically evaluate your feelings, attitudes and beliefs about poverty, health and low income groups/the poor
  2. Assess the role of the “health worker/health educator” in working with low-income groups and communities
  3. Understand the historical, cultural and political context of poverty in the U.S., and its effects on health and illness
  4. Review strategies that have been used to address health problems among low-income groups
  5. Based on your service-learning experiences, identify activities that address root causes of ill-health and poor social well-being among low income groups

 

Teaching Strategies

 

The course will use  “service-learning”, a form of experiential education, as the key method to assist you in applying theoretical concepts, professional skills and health education principles to alleviating root causes of poverty and ill-health among groups and communities. In addition, course content will also be organized into lectures, discussions, and writing assignments corresponding to topics covered in the text.

 

 

 

 

 

Service-Learning  Component:

As a service learning course, HEA 347, Health Problems of Low Income Groups, will provide you with the opportunity to collaborate with a community partner in addressing selected issues related to the health and social well-being of a low-income clients.  This service-learning component is based on the following principles.

1.      You will be engaged in activities that help meet the needs of low income clients over the duration of the course

2.      You will participate in reflection activities that will allow you to place your experiences in the context of what you are learning in the course

3.      You will be involved in a reciprocal relationship in which your learning objectives and the needs of the partners and their clients are being met.

4.      You will collaborate with community partners and clients in the organization and dissemination of the results of the project.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

Service Learning Project: You will be asked to work as a member of a team that consists of yourself, a class-mate and a community agency/program that typically serves the needs of low-income populations. This will provide you with close-at-hand experiences designed to enhance your understanding of the issue of low-income status/poverty, its root causes and its impact on health.  You will have the opportunity to record your perceptions and experiences through the art of reflective journaling and keeping field notes.  The outcomes of your experience will be organized as a “Service-Learning Portfolio”.

 

Class Journal: We will be keeping a class journal of our ideas, experiences, observations, etc. as they relate to course content You will be asked to participate in a class journaling exercise. You will be asked to write a minimum of two (2) journal entries, which will include your comments, and enter this as part of a Class Journal. Once you have made an entry, you can pass the journal on to another classmate, who can then share their perspectives and thoughts.

 

On-line Discussion: There will be 10 on-line (via Blackboard) discussions; each is designed to prepare you to participate in classroom discussions of selected topics.

 

In-class activities: You will have the opportunity to participate in learning activities during selected classroom sessions. These will include 5-minute In-Class writing assignments that are related to the day’s topic. These will be graded and will also serve as a means of documenting your participation in class.

 

Oral presentation: Your team, in collaboration with community partners/clients, is required to give an oral presentation related to the project.  You are expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner during this presentation.

 

 

 

 

Course Evaluation: 500 possible points

 

SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT & PORTFOLIO: 200 points

CLASS JOURNAL: 50 points

ON-LINE DISCUSSIONS: 10 @ 10 points each = 100 points

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES: 10 @ 10 points each = 100 points

ORAL PRESENTATION: 50 points

 

A= 450-500 (90-100%)

B= 400-449 (80-89%)

C= 350-399 (70-79%)

D= 300-349 (60-69%)

F= 000-299 (0-59%)

 

Required Text

 

Kiefer, C. (2000). Health Work With the Poor: A Practical Guide  (2nd Edition).  New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

 

Technology Requirements

 

This course will utilize Blackboard asynchronous learning techniques such as e-mail, on-line announcements and exercises to enhance classroom lectures and discussions. You must use ONLY your valid UNCG e-mail account, and have access to the Internet and a browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer) to participate.   All full- and part-time students are assigned a UNCG e-mail account.  You can obtain your UNCG email account online at

http://www.uncg.edu/irc/docs/general/email.htm

 

For more information, contact the Superlab  (1st Floor) of Jackson Library at 334-4687

           

Learner Support: An on-line student orientation to Blackboard is available at the following Internet site.

http://www.uncg.edu/aas/itc/bborient/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


TOPICAL OUTLINE

WEEK                                                                                                                                    CHAPTER

 

1    Introduction and Course Overview                                                                               

2    Poverty Definitions and Concepts                                                                                1

3    Service-Learning: Principles and Practices                                                    Handouts

4    Addressing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors                                                               2

5   Working with "Low-Income": The Roles and Responsibilities                                    3

6    Economic and Demographic Trends                                                                           4

7    Politics, Culture, Poverty and Health                                                                            5

8    US Health Care System: Structure and Function                                            Readings

9    Health Problems                                                                                                 6

10  Health Problems                                                                                                 6

11  Community Health and Community Organizing                                                          7

12   Facilitating Social change                                                                                             8

13   Project Presentations

14   Project Presentations

15   Project Presentations


 


Course Policies

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND INTEGRITY: Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with UNCG’s policy on issues such as cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification and facilitation of dishonest conduct. Procedures and penalties related to these and other violations of the Academic Honor Policy are found in the undergraduate bulletin as well as via the following web site.

                        http://saf.dept.uncg.edu/studiscp/Honor.html

Any violation of the Honor Policy may result in failure of the assignment/exam and subsequently the entire course.

 

Students are required to sign the Academic Integrity Pledge given below on ALL major work submitted to an instructor. Please note that “a student's work need not be graded until he/she has signed the statement. Exceptions to the requirement of signing the statement may be specified by appropriate persons or offices, as, for example, on theses and dissertations. In the absence of such exceptions, students who do not sign the pledge may be assumed to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy. In signing the pledge, the student indicates his/her knowledge that the Academic Integrity Policy governs his/her academic activities at the University”.

 

Academic Integrity Pledge:

 

            I HAVE ABIDED BY THE ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY ON THIS

            ASSIGNMENT.

 

            Signature_________________________________________ 

Date__________________

 

 

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION: According to UNCG Academic Regulations and Policies, "regular class attendance is a responsibility and a privilege of university education".  As such, it is a student's responsibility to be familiar with the attendance policy.  Students are expected to attend and participate in all class sessions.  Assigned in-class activities will serve to document participation.

 

SCHEDULE: The syllabus schedule and topics to be covered are TENTATIVE.  The instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus as needed.  Students will be notified accordingly via e-mail and Blackboard announcements. Please be sure to check your e-mail and the announcements in Blackboard at least 2 times each week.

 

READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS: Students are responsible for doing the assigned readings PRIOR to the in-class meeting. All assignments are to be completed and submitted according to THE PROTOCOL AND DUE DATES GIVEN.  Lateness will result in a letter grade deduction.

 

CLASSROOM CONDUCT: Students are expected to behave in a respectful manner during class.  Invited experts from the community my conduct special lectures.  These individuals have taken time from their busy schedules to share important information with you. Please be respectful and attentive to our guests.  In addition, students are responsible for obtaining lecture notes and handouts on the days they are absent.  The instructor's notes will not be available for copying.  Lectures given in class are the property of the instructor and may not be taped without prior permission.

 

GROUP ACTIVITIES: Group members are expected to work professionally and contribute equally to group activities.  Groups are expected to resolve member differences in a respectful, responsible and timely manner.  In case of irreconcilable differences or delinquencies, please contact the instructor as soon as possible.

 

SPECIAL NEEDS: If you have special needs, you should contact both Disability Services (334-5440) and the instructor within the first week of the course so that these needs may be accommodated.