SPR 2014 Course: America — the land of the free, home of the brave and the short-lived

Did you know? * A 15-year-old girl in Sri Lanka has a better chance of living to age 60 than a 15-year-old girl living in the US. * The US, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, ranks just 51st in life expectancy and infant mortality? * That 47 babies die every day in the US that wouldn’t if we had Sweden’s infant mortality rate. If you’re surprised- even incredulous – HSERV 482 / G H 490 is the course for you. Population Health HSERV 482/G H 490 explores what makes a country more or less healthy in comparison to others. Why do Japanese women enjoy increasingly better health status in comparison to all other nations? Why is length of life declining for US women? In almost a third of counties? Why are there no pockets of exceptional health status in the US even though we spend about $2.8 trillion dollars a year for medical care, almost half of the world’s total? The course gets rave student reviews: * “This is the best class I have ever taken” * “This is one of those amazing classes that can change not only your way of approaching life but how you can view our society and our world” * “I’ve never thought of health this way. Stephen always presented complex ideas that I’m still thinking about….” * “Everyone should take this course. In fact it should be a university requirement. Totally revolutionary way to look at health.” Utilizing the active learning classroom at Odegaard, we grapple with novel concepts through lecture and small group interactive exercises complemented by lively section meetings with outstanding TAs. Students use their creativity to share the concepts learned with a community or communities of their choosing. No prerequisites except an open mind. Class meets M/F 9 to 10:20 plus an hour’s section meeting. 4 credits, qualifies for I&S as well as well as GH Minor or PH Major. MCAT’s revisions include material on social determinants of health covered here. SLN 14726 (HSERV 482) or 14277 (G H 490) If any questions contact instructor: Stephen Bezruchka sabez@uw.edusabez@uw.edu> ATT00001.c