PHT 537 - Theories & Practices in Health Promotion, 3 credit hours

This course will focus on social and behavioral sciences as applied to the understanding of the distribution, etiology, and solution of public health problems. The course will critically review examples of the application of various models to health promotion and disease prevention with individuals, groups and communities. Public health interventions and educational programs are most likely to have an impact on populations and communities when they are guided by a theory. Theories of health behavior help researchers, practitioners and participants identify targets and opportunities for change as well as methods for accomplishing change. This course is intended to provide students with a solid foundation in behavioral and social science theory in the context of both, public health research and practice. The content of this course will provide exposure to a broad range of theories and frameworks commonly employed in the public health arena including issues related to the intersection of public health and human rights. These theories will be discussed using examples of their applications to numerous public health problems including, but not limited to, HIV/AIDS, violence, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, environmental hazards, and global health.