Social Context and Health

Why are some groups healthier than others, and how do these differences emerge and persist over the life course? How do social policies (e.g., housing, transportation, employment) relate to health and health inequalities? Why are there health disparities even in countries that have free universal health care? This course will address conceptual models for understanding health disparities in the US and internationally, how population science identifies the main sources of these disparities, and h

• Identify health influences from workplace, school, and home settings
• Recognize models of social stress and support for health
• Explain how social and physical environments shape health disparities