PH 7140-Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health

Tia M. McGill, MPH

Daniel Whitaker, Ph.D.

Health Promotion & Behavior

Fall Semester 2014

Course Basics / Class Day/Time: / Wednesday/1:00pm-3:30pm
Class Location: / 34 Peachtree Street, NW Room 515
Prerequisite(s): / Graduate Standing
Required Course Materials / Coreil, J. (Ed.). (2009). Social and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
*Additional and supplemental readings will be posted weekly in Desire2Learn.
Faculty Accessibility / Instructor(s) of Record: / Tia M. McGill, MPH
Daniel Whitaker, Ph.D.
Office Location: / 34 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 1700
Phone Number(s): / McGill-404-944-9091
Whitaker-404-413-1282
Email: /

Office Hours/Availability: / Before or after class by appointment
  1. Course Description:

The social and behavioral sciences are a core element of the practice of public health. Disciplines such as psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, policy, and communications underpin our understanding of health behavior and help devise interventions to improve population health. This course will review the contribution of the various social and behavioral science disciplines in improving the public health with special attention to approaches which influence health behavior and health policies and lead to community participation and empowerment.

  1. Course Objectives / Competency / Assessment of Student Learning:

This course is designed to support students in acquiring competence in the following threeareas, as indicated in the GSU School of Public Health MPH Core Competencies document.

•MPH Core 12: Describe how social and behavioral risk factors contribute to individual and public health outcomes.

•MPH Core 13: Develop and evaluate social and behavior interventions, especially through community participatory research in diverse communities.

•MPH Core 14: Apply evidence-based approaches in the development and evaluation of social and behavioral science interventions.

Course Objectives / Program Competency / Assessment Method(s)
Apply an ecological framework to the description and analysis of public health problems at the individual, community or population level. / MPH Core 12 / Weekly readings
Journal summaries
Final multimedia project
Project presentations
Midterm exam
Final exam
Define and describe social determinants of health and explain how they differ from other (biological) determinants of health. / MPH Core 12 / In-class activity and discussion
Weekly readings
Journal summaries
Analyze the influence of major social structures—such as gender, socioeconomic status and ethnicity—on health status and behaviors. / MPH Core 12 / Final paper
Weekly readings
Journal summaries
Describe the social determination of ethnic/racial inequities and disparities in health;Compare and contrast the relative importance of different social and behavioral science perspectives across the life course. / MPH Core 12 / Final multimedia project and project presentations
Weekly readings
Journal summaries
Midterm exam
Final exam
Apply the principles of community-based participatory research to improve health in diverse populations with specific attention towards behavioral intervention strategies. / MPH Core 13 / Weekly readings
Journal summaries
Midterm exam
Final exam
Describe how social and behavioral science theories apply to the design of health interventions based on social determinants. / MPH Core 14 / Weekly readings
Journal Summaries
Final multimedia project
Project presentations
Midterm exam
Final exam
  1. Course Assignments and Requirements

Course requirements will contribute to your grade as follows:

Assignment / Total Points / Due Dates
Journal Article Summaries / 50 / Throughout the semester
Class Discussion Facilitation / 25 / As assigned throughout the semester
Midterm Exam / 50 / 10/15/2014
Multimedia Project / 20 / 11/12/2014
Multimedia Project Presentation / 25 / 11/12/2014
11/19/2014
12/3/2014
Final Paper / 30 / 12/3/2014
Final Exam / 50 / 12/10/2014
  1. Grading Policy

Grading Scale:

A 90-100%

B 80-89%

C 70-79%

D 60-69%

F 0-59%

Unless otherwise noted, ALL assignments and tests submitted for a grade are expected to be the result of your own effort and representative of your own work.

Journal Article Summaries:Students will critique 10 individually selected journal articles. For each journal article selected, students will prepare a 1-2 page, double-spaced summary of an article of their choosing based on personal interests and specialty track (e.g., biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion and behavior, or health management and policy) and the focus of this course. Please submit each summary via the Desire2Learn (D2L) dropboxbefore class.

Class Discussion Facilitation: Students will be assigned to lead class discussions based on the content of the readings. Discussion topics may include the applicability of the current readings to the overall course; key strengths and weaknesses of the assigned readings as they relate to current topics and the overall focus of the course; implications for policy and practice that may be taken from the readings; and directions for future research. Please note, these discussions are not meant to be a lecture; rather, the discussions are meant to be an open dialogue of the content of the readings that fosters the exchange of ideas, opinions and opportunity for future growth.

Final Project

Students will choose a specific health problem as the focus of their project. The final project has 3 parts including: 1. Multimedia project, 2. Final paper, and 3. Project presentation. Each component (project, paper, and presentation) will be graded on the following criteria:

  • Description of how the problem manifests at a population level
  • Identification of the societal factors/social determinants of health associated with or resulting from the health problem
  • Presentation of an ecological model to eliminate or mitigate the burden of the health problem on the focal population
  • Inclusion in the ecological model of multiple disciplines (social and behavioral) that work with public health professionals to solve population health problems

Multimedia Project:The final multimedia project should manifest in some type of multimedia presentation (any combination of 2 or more media, such as a visual display, YouTube, PowerPoint/Keynote, web page/site, iMovie, podcast, etc.) Support for planning and creating multimedia projects is available through the Digital Aquarium (DA), located in Room 390 SC; x4730; In addition, DA and the SPH may have some equipment available for checkout.

Multimedia Project Presentations: Students will make a 10-minute (maximum) final-project presentation. A rubric will be used to assess the project componentsand will detail expectations. It is advisable to use the rubric throughout the planning and creation of the project.

Final paper: Each student will write a 10-12 page (double spaced) conceptual paper focusing on the social and behavioral aspects of public health related to the same specific health problem chosen for the multimedia project. This paper should include concepts and key points covered across the entire semester. Instructors must approve topics no later than: October 22nd. APA formatting required. A grading rubric will be will be handed out in class.

Exams: There will be a mid-term and comprehensive final examination. Both the mid-term and final will be take-home exams covering materials discussed and reviewed in class.

Withdrawals:A student who withdrawals at any time up to the mid-point of the quarter will be assigned a W or WF depending upon whether he/she is doing satisfactory work at the time of withdrawal. An average grade of D or F at the time of withdrawal will be assigned a grade of WF. After the mid-point of the quarter, the Registrar’s Office will assign an automatic WF to any student who withdraws from the course without a hardship withdrawal. If a student receives permission to withdraw under hardship, the instructor will assign a W or WF grade depending upon the student’s work up to the point of time that the student withdrew.

The following is the formal policy at Georgia State University:

“Effective Fall 2001, instructors must on a date after the mid-point of the course to be set by the Provost (or his designee),

  1. Give a WF to all those students who are on their rolls but no longer taking the class and
  2. Report the last day the student attended or turned in an assignment.

Students who are withdrawn may petition the department chair for reinstatement into their classes.”

Incompletes: A student will be given the grade I only if nonacademic circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent the student from completing a small segment of the course—e.g. the midterm examination. For a student to receive the grade of I, he/she must be doing satisfactory work (an average grade of C or better) up to the point that he/she could not continue. Arrangements must be made with instructor to remove the I within one quarter.

  1. Attendance and Class Participation Policy

This course assumes substantial and informed student participation. General discussion of theory and practice is encouraged and expected of all students. At a minimum, being informed requires class attendance, completion of assigned readings and homework. Class attendance and thoughtful participation are important. Please notify the instructor of an absence before the class

  1. Late Assignments and Make-up Examination Policy

Make-up exams are not provided, except in hardship cases that should be discussed in advance with the Instructor. Any assignment turned in late may have points deducted up to one letter grade for each day the assignment is late or fraction thereof. If a student cannot take an exam or present at the scheduled time, they must consult with the Instructor on scheduling the make-up. No more than two make-ups will be allowed.

  1. Syllabus Deviation Policy

The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.

  1. Student Code of Conduct and Policy on Academic Honesty

All students at this University are expected to engage in academic pursuits on their won with complete honesty and integrity. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. The complete Academic Honesty policy is located in the GSU Graduate Catalog, Section 1350: Students and faculty are expected to review and conform to the university’s policy on academic honesty. Information on the Student Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures are available at:

Special attention should be paid to the sections on plagiarism and multiple submissions:

Plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as, “appropriating and putting forth as one’s own the ideas, language, or designs of another” (The Living Webster, 1975) – and it is strictly forbidden. Written and oral presentations must be a student’s own work. Students plagiarizing or cheating in any form will face disciplinary action, which could result in an “F” in this course and suspension or expulsion from the University. Copying from written materials, presentations, websites, etc. without source acknowledgement and referencing is plagiarism. Read it, appreciate it, learn from it, and make sure you source it – and then reflect it with your own thoughts and words! If you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism, please contact the instructor.

Multiple Submissions.It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the faculty member(s) to whom the material is submitted for additional credit. In cases in which there is a natural development of research or knowledge in a sequence of courses, use of prior work may be desirable, even required; however, the student is responsible for indicating in writing, as a part of such use, that the current work submitted for credit is cumulative in nature.

  1. Disability Accommodations Policy

Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the GSU Office of Disability Services. Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the Office of Disability Services of a signed Accommodation Plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which an accommodation is sought. The Office of Disability Services is located in the GSU Student Center, Suite 230 and online here:

  1. Course Evaluations Statement

Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Georgia State. Upon completing this course, please take time to fill out the online course evaluation.

  1. Career Services

The School of Public Health provides career services & student leadership opportunities (student clubs & organizations) to all current SPH students and alumni. SPH Career Services can help students with resume writing, interviewing, job searching, internship development, and professional networking. Students are invited to attend our career events and workshops, and individualized career counseling appointments can be arranged. To see what career panels, career fairs, and events are available this semester, please visit: The SPH Career Services office is co-located with the Office of Academic Assistance in room 640 at One Park Place.

  1. Tentative Course Schedule, Topics, and Readings

Date / Topic/Readings / Readings / Assignment(s) Due
8/27/2014 / Course/Syllabus Review
Behavioral Science at Work / No readings
9/3/2014 / Why Study Social and Behavioral Factors in Health?
Historical Perspectives on Population and Disease / Ch. 1 & 2
Readings on Desire2Learn (D2L):
Schroeder, SA. We Can Do Better-Improving the Health of the American People. N ENGL J MED; 2007; 357:12.
Fairchild, A., Rosner, D., Colgrove, J., Bayer, R., & Fried, L. (2010). The EXODUS of public health. What history can tell us about the future?American Journal Of Public Health, 100(1), 54-63. / Journal Summary 1
Class Discussion Leaders:
Cristel Bender
Rachel See
Andrew Reid
9/10/2014 / Social Epidemiology
Behavioral & Social Science Theories / Ch. 3-4
Readings on D2L:
Howe, L. D., Lawlor, D. A., Propper, C. (2013). Trajectories of socioeconomic inequalities in health, behaviors and academic achievement across childhood and adolescence. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 67, 358-364.
Gollust, S. E., Eboh, I., Barry, C. L. (2012). Picturing obesity: Analyzing the social epidemiology of obesity conveyed through US news media images. Social Science & Medicine, 74(10), 1544-1551. / Journal Summary 2
Class Discussion Leaders:
Nasser Manal
Ashley Fouler
Shaun Shadaker
9/17/2014 / Health and Illness Behavior
Social Environment and Health / Ch. 5-6
Readings on D2L:
Berk, M., Berk, L., Dodd, S., Fitzgerald, P. B., de Castella, A. R., Filia, S., & ... Stafford, L. (2013). The sick role, illness cognitions and outcomes in bipolar disorder. Journal Of Affective Disorders, 146(1), 146-149.
Toldson, I. A., & Lemmons, B. P. (2013). Social demographics, the school environment, and parenting practices associated with parents' participation in schools and academic success among Black, Hispanic, and White students. Journal Of Human Behavior In The Social Environment, 23(2), 237-255. / Journal Summary 3
Class Discussion Leaders:
Sydney Chan
Tenzin Dongchung
9/24/2014 / Social Reactions to Disease
Comparative Health Cultures / Ch. 7-8
Readings on D2L:
Fekete, E. (2009). Affective and behavioral reactions to positive and negative health-related social control in HIV+men. Psychology & Health, 24(5), 501-515.
Han, K., Jo, S. (2012). Does culture matter?: A cross-national investigation of women’s responses to cancer prevention campaigns. Health Care for Women International, 33, 75-94. / Journal Summary 4
Class Discussion Leaders:
Gitangali Baroi
Dejené Marshall
10/1/2014 / Health Disparities, Diversity and Cultural Competence; Reproductive Health
HIV & AIDS / Ch. 9-10
Readings on D2L:
August, KJ., Sorkin, DH. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Indicators of Physical Health Status: Do They Still Exist Throughout Late Life? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society; 2010;(58)10: 2009–2015.
Denny, S., Robinson, E., Lawler, C., Bagshaw, S., Farrant, B., Bell, F., & ... Utter, J. (2012). Association between availability and quality of health services in schools and reproductive health outcomes among students: a multilevel observational study. American Journal Of Public Health, 102(10), e14-e20. / Journal Summary 5
Class Discussion Leaders:
Joelle Atere-Roberts
Prince Emenalo
10/8/2014 / Adolescent Health
Aging and Public Health / Ch. 11 & 12
Readings on D2L:
Smith, D. K., Toledo, L., Smith, D., Adams, M., & Rothenberg, R. Attitudes and Program Preferences of African-American Urban Young Adults About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). AIDS Education & Prevention. 2012; 24(5), 408-421.
Strasser, S., O'Quin, K., Price, T., & Leyda, E. (2012). Older Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: Targets for Increasing Victimization, A Call for a Preemptive Screening Policy. Journal Of Mental Health Research In Intellectual Disabilities, 5(2), 157-167. / Journal Summary 6
Class Discussion Leaders:
Nick Johnson
Miriam Makali
10/15/2014 / Planning Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Programs
Community-Based Approaches to Health Promotion / Ch. 13-14
Readings on D2L:
Lobb, R., & Colditz, G. (2013). Implementation Science and Its Application to Population Health. Annual Review Public Health,34, 235-51,
Fawcett, S. B., Collie-Akers, V., Schultz, J. A., Cupertino, P. (2013). Community-based participatory research within the Latino health for all coalition. Journal of prevention and intervention in the community, 41(3), 142-154 / Journal Summary 7
Midterm Exam Due
Class Discussion Leaders:
Amanda Wilcox
Thuy Hang Nguyen
Katie Daracott
10/22/2014 / Social Marketing in Public Health
Approaches to Policy and Advocacy / Ch. 15-16
Readings on D2L:
Rundle-Thiele, S., Russell-Bennett, R., Leo, C., dietrich, T. (2013). Moderating teen drinking: Combining social marketing and education. Health Education, 113(5), 392-406.
Kromm, J., Frattaroli, S., Vernick, J., & Teret, S. (2009). Public health advocacy in the courts: opportunities for public health professionals. Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C.: 1974), 124(6), 889-894. / Journal Summary 8
Deadline for final paper topic to be approved by instructor
Class Discussion Leaders:
Ty Kendall
Jalisa Jones
10/29/2014 / Childhood Overweight & Obesity
Mental Health and Illness / Ch. 17-18
Readings on D2L:
Kirby, J. B., Liang, L., Chen, H., & Wang, Y. Race, Place, and Obesity: The Complex Relationships Among Community Racial/Ethnic Composition, Individual Race/Ethnicity, and Obesity in the United States. AM J Public Health, 2012: 102(8),1572-1578.
Kazdin, A. E., & Blase, S. L. Rebooting psychotherapy research and practice to reduce the burden of mental illness. Perspectives n Psychological Science. 2011: 6(1), 21-37. / Journal Summary 9
Class Discussion Leaders:
Leah Pinholster
Sonia Williams
11/5/2014 / Prevention of Unintentional Injuries
Violence and Public Health
Occupational Health / Ch. 19-21
Readings on D2L:
Muir, N., & Bennett, C. (2010). Prevention of unintentional injury in the community setting. Nursing Standard, 24(42), 50-56.
Chaffin, M., Bard, D., Bigfoot, D., & Maher, E. Is a structured, manualized, evidence-based treatment protocol culturally competent and equivalently effective among American Indian parents in child welfare? Child Maltreatment, 2012:17(3), 242-252. / Journal Summary 10
Class Discussion Leaders:
Instructor Lead
11/12/2014 / Project Presentations / No readings / Multimedia project presentations
Multi-Media Projects Due
11/19/2014 / Project Presentations / No readings / Multimedia project presentations
11/26/14 / Thanksgiving Break / No Class / No Class
12/3/2014 / Project Presentations / No readings / Multimedia project presentations
Final Paper
12/10/2014 / Final Exam / No readings / Final Exam

XIII. Submitting Work Electronically

Please submit all assignments via the D2L dropbox the day it is due or sooner. You must use MicrosoftWord for electronic email attachment submissions. You are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute in case transmission problems occur. Undelivered, misaddressed, late e-mail, or corrupted or unreadable attachments will be treated as late. Please use the following format for naming your files: