Alcohol and Health

Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences 769.2

Teaching Objectives:

· To present the effects of alcoholism on the United States health care system

· To highlight the effects of alcohol on individual, and community health

· To analyze the etiology, treatment, and rehabilitation models used with alcoholic populations

· To evaluate the effectiveness of prevention strategies for alcohol abuse

· To examine the impact of Public Policy on laws focusing on alcohol abuse

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop a framework for critically examining and understanding alcohol use and abuse across diverse populations and localities
• Describe the physiological and biochemical aspects of alcohol use and its impact on individuals and communities
• Demonstrate skills for professional public health writing and oral communication
• Demonstrate the use of information technology strategies in communication
• Discuss the basics treatment modalities
• Present the need for public health professionals to integrate theory and culturally competent practice
• Critically examine alcohol abuse literature
• Discuss need for critical thinking about research innovations and programs in the area of alcohol abuse
• Identify the role of epidemiology and ethnography in studying alcohol abse in specific populations, especially hidden or hard to reach populations
• Analyze the role of public health in alcohol abuse research, program development, evaluation, and policy making
• Examine the values, ethics and standards of professional behavior consistent with sound public health practice

Requirements:

Participation. The methodology for instruction will include lectures; films; and structured and unstructured discussions, including panel debates and role-playing. Participation in the class activities will account for 10 percent (10%) of the course grade.

Quiz. At least one quiz will be given during the semester. It will provide you with a preview of the structure of the final examination. The quiz will account for ten percent (10%) of the course grade.

Paper. Each student will be responsible for the development of a paper. This document should be no longer than 10 pages in length with a minimum of 15 references. The topic of the paper must be directly relevant to the class. The paper should follow the APA guidelines for publication. A first draft of the paper is optional. Feedback will be provided to all students who develop a draft. Students who submit a first draft and decide not to submit a second draft should notify the instructor of his/her intention The paper will account for thirty percent (30%) of the course grade.

Presentation. Each student will be responsible for delivering a PowerPoint presentation of his/her paper to the class. The presentation will be no longer than 10 minutes, include all sections of the paper, and utilize visual aides to facilitate audience attention. The paper will account for thirty percent (30%) of the course grade.

Examination. The final examination will account for twenty percent (20%) of the course grade. The exam will be cumulative, and will consist of various types of questions, including multiple choice, true-false, sentence completion, and essays.