INQ-277 | Outbreaks, Epidemics, and Public Health

Crosslisted As: PHST277

Topic Description:

Epidemics shape the world we live in. History has demonstrated that bacteria, viruses, and parasites, though often invisible to us, have the power to decimate populations, restructure economies, and shape the way cultures and civilizations develop. This course will examine outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics in historical and contemporary context. Course content and discussion will apply a population perspective of health, using several illustrative examples of both infectious and non-infectious pandemics that have fundamentally shaped societies and the practice of public health. This class will also explore how knowledge of outbreaks and epidemics is acquired by outbreak investigators, translated to the public, and interpreted through the lens of both scientific and cultural understandings of the time. Finally, we will examine how epidemics intersect with existing social inequities to exacerbate health disparities and consider public health strategies that may contribute to a healthier and more equitable world.

Course Types Offered: On-Campus, Field Trip

Topic Approved: October 2022