Social and Behavioral Health Concentration

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease in different human populations and the application of methods to improve disease outcomes. As such, epidemiology is the basic science of public health. This course is designed to introduce students in all fields of public to the background, basic principles and methods of public health epidemiology. Topics covered include: measures of disease frequency; epidemiologic study designs, both experimental and non-experimental; understanding bias; and measures of effect and association. In addition, students will develop skills to read, interpret and evaluate health information from published epidemiological studies and mass media sources.

This core course examines social, psychological and cultural factors that have an impact on public health in community, national and global contexts. These factors may include: population characteristics (social class, age, gender, culture, race/ethnicity), individual beliefs and behaviors, and socio-political systems and policies that affect public health problems and their solutions. Theories and perspectives drawn from sociology, anthropology, and psychology are applied to critical issues in global public health including the AIDs epidemic, mental illness, chronic disease, community violence, war and natural disaster trauma as well as behavioral health problems such as smoking and substance abuse.

This course introduces MPH students with minimal formal training in biology
to the biological and molecular context of public health. The course
provides an overview of: a) basic biological principles and mechanisms
relevant to public health practice; and b) biomedical technology as applied
in public health. The course covers basic principles of genetics,
immunology, microbiology, and cell biology in the context of global public
health. Areas covered include infectious diseases, genetic and chronic
diseases, allostatic load, environmental factors affecting health, and
prevention and treatment strategies.

This course covers basic probability, descriptive and inferential statistics, and the role of biostatistics in the practice of public health. Specific attention will be given to common probability distributions in public health and medicine, t-tests, Analysis of Variance, multiple linear and logistic regression, categorical data analysis, and nonparametric statistics. Statistical topics are presented conceptually with little derivation, and applications are demonstrated using common statistical software.

This course is devoted to flexible forms of inquiry suited to the local context of global public health research. Sometimes known as ?action research?, ?rapid assessment, and ?community-based participatory research? these approaches share a commitment to working closely with and in communities to identify health risks and effective interventions for ameliorating them. Although field research may include surveys and other forms of quantitative research, the emphasis in this class will be on qualitative methods with mixed method approaches included where appropriate. The focus will be on introducing the basic content/skills of on-the-ground field research under challenging conditions, i.e., shortages of time and resources as well as cultural/ linguistic differences. There are additional aspects to learning these methods (e.g., data analysis) that require much more time and skill development than is possible in this brief introductory course. Interested students are strongly advised to take additional coursework in qualitative methods.

Review of research and original writings related to public health. Application of research methodology to problems in public health.

This course is a second year course in advanced statistical techniques that covers useful quantitative tools in public health research. This course focuses on data analysis that utilizes general linear regression models for continuous, categorical, discrete or limited outcomes that are commonly seen in health and policy studies. Examples are drawn from broad areas of public health and policy research including determinants of self-reported health status or factors influencing number of clinic visits. In this course students will also learn the principles of likelihood-based inference, which will assist them in some of the more advanced statistics courses.

The ‘intervention imperative’ in public health has traditionally overshadowed theory development (Connelly, 2005; Potvin et al., 2005). Consequently, many public health practices and interventions are predicated upon unexamined or under-theorized assumptions about etiology. As the scope of public health expanded beyond infectious diseases, its theoretical foundations extended beyond biomedical ‘germ theory’ explanations to include behavioral psychology. By the late 20th century, these foundations grew to incorporate multi-factorial etiologies and systems approaches borrowing from social science theories and methods. This course examines an array of paradigms, theories and conceptual models used in public health. These will be roughly categorized into the following domains: a) biomedical; b) psychological; c) organizational; d) socio-cultural; and e) structural /critical. Specific public health problems—HIV/AIDS, cancer and mental disorders—will be examined using relevant theories. Emphasis will be on adopting a comparative, critical and integrative (biopsychosocial) perspective on theories and key concepts in public health practice, policy and research.

Public Health Informatics is a new field that is concerned with the
systematic application of information and computer sciences to practice,
research and learning. This course is created to ensure that graduates of
the program have working knowledge of information resources available for
program planning, surveillance and data management and working knowledge in
the use of evidence-based public health information tools that ensure use
of current best practices and for lifelong learning.

This course is devoted to flexible forms of inquiry suited to the local context of global public health research. Sometimes known as ?action research?, ?rapid assessment, and ?community-based participatory research? these approaches share a commitment to working closely with and in communities to identify health risks and effective interventions for ameliorating them. Although field research may include surveys and other forms of quantitative research, the emphasis in this class will be on qualitative methods with mixed method approaches included where appropriate. The focus will be on introducing the basic content/skills of on-the-ground field research under challenging conditions, i.e., shortages of time and resources as well as cultural/ linguistic differences. There are additional aspects to learning these methods (e.g., data analysis) that require much more time and skill development than is possible in this brief introductory course. Interested students are strongly advised to take additional coursework in qualitative methods.

This course covers selected analytic and design issues that are relevant to policy research and program evaluation. The course is not a comprehensive or exhaustive review of the field of policy-relevant research or program evaluation, nor is it a course in how to evaluate a program. The focus is on impact analysis (rather than process evaluation, performance monitoring, cost effectiveness analysis, or evaluation synthesis) To that end, there is a substantial amount of data analysis both in and out of class. There is also a significant amount of new statistical material presented. All of this is done using real world examples, to solidify the base as you build your career as a practitioner and consumer of the research that informs public policy.

This course will develop an understanding of epidemiologic concepts and methods that will be a backbone to in depth training in specialty areas. It will provide a technical and conceptual training in study design, multivariant analysis, sample size calculations and other key epidemiologic techniques. It will build on the basic core course.

This course will focus on qualitative and mixed methods used in community health research. Research in communities and natural (non-laboratory) settings requires flexibility and adaptability, especially when conducted in global sites where conditions are dynamic and often uncontrolled. Types of inquiry include needs assessments (including rapid assessment), program evaluation, and participatory or action research. Qualitative methods such as ethnographic observation and in-depth interviews (individual or focus group) may be used alone or in combination with quantitative surveys and analyses of clinical or administrative data. Community-based participatory research, photo-voice, mapping and other field techniques will be included as well as the design and conduct of community-engaged interventions. This advanced course assumes the student has had previous coursework in research design and data collection in both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Research methods for identification of population-based needs for public health intervention, development of programs to meet those needs, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention. Application of research methods to proposal writing, budget, planning, project management, and methods of program evaluation. Students research the need for a public health intervention through a formal needs assessment, conduct the intervention, evaluate its impact, and describe these events in a formal paper and presentation. This research project in the culminating experience for the program.

*Students will examine the principles of measurement and testing as applied
to public health research and practice, including the technical
interpretation of test scores using the classical test model. Content of
the course will consider individual measures of constructs and behaviors
measured in public health research and practice. Students will examine and
deconstruct principles and techniques used in psychometric studies to
establish levels of reliability and validity and will utilize statistical
software to conduct analyses. *

Public health practice typically demands competencies in identifying,
extracting, analyzing and interpreting information from large survey and
administrative data sets (e.g., Demographic and Health Surveys), government
reports, qualitative studies, and other data sources. This course will
develop those competencies through a rigorous evaluation of existing
resources, their strengths and limitations, and best practices in data
utilization for situational assessment, monitoring, policy and strategy
development, and surveillance of health outcomes through real-world case
studies and practices. The course will also provide students with skills in
data analysis and data visualization using Microsoft Excel and the online
mapping software CartoDB.

Disasters, whether natural, technological, or man-made, often reveal the strength of our social fabric. They also reveal how much our health and well-being is dependent upon numerous complex systems in our lives. These systems can range from our internal cellular and micro-biological systems; through social and cultural systems; to public health and medical systems; to critical infrastructure and lifeline systems; to larger environmental and ecological systems, among others. This course will employ a number of disciplinary approaches to understanding risk, vulnerability, and resilience as we explore the theories, frameworks and methods for understanding disasters and their relationship to population health. It will be particularly valuable for students interested in public health research and practice.

This course will explore reseThis course will explore research and public policy issues related to the health and well being of the public in the international community. During the course, ethical principles will be explored in the context of goal-based, duty-based, and rights-based morality. Contemporary research studies, public policies (past and present), and private sector practices will be evaluated. Consideration will be given to important standards such as The Declaration of Helsinki, the Geneva Accords, (U.S.) National Research Act, and the Belmont Report as standards as well as the Code of Ethics for Public Health with regard to decision-making in research, public policy, and practice. The application of the ethical principles of Beneficence, Respect for Autonomy, and Justice will serve as the foundation for ethical reflection in this course. Aspects of social justice relevant in the international community will be studies, particularly applied to issues surround HIV, stem cell research, human rights, corporate conduct, and the conduct of clinical trials in developing countries. A case study approach will be used throughout the course to explore and elaborate these issues. Texts, movies, and readings will be studied to gain an understanding of global issues that influence public health principles and practice. Issues will be explored in a general manner that will apply to later reflection in concentration course work and in the integrated seminars. The course endeavors to be a vehicle which deepens understanding and expands individual student?s perspectives about the impact of public health and public health policy. Time will be devoted to exploring issues of man-made and natural catastrophes as a public health issue. Special topics like confidentiality, decision-making, informed consent, using confidential information in research, and requirements.

This course examines the core interdisciplinary theories, knowledge,
research, and methods evidenced in in understanding LGBTQ health
and disparities evidences in the LGBTQ population. The course introduces
students to the main conceptual frameworks for the study of LGBTQ
individuals, communities, and populations across the lifespan and overviews
existing knowledge about LGBTQ health in the United States and globally.
The course highlights research design, measurement, ethics, and analysis
issues in population research in LGBTQ health.

This course provides an overview of the epidemiology, public health issues
and international policies related to psychoactive drugs, including
tobacco, alcohol and prescription drugs, as well as numerous commonly used
illicit drugs. World Health Organization (WHO) and US policy and programs
provide a general reference for efforts by countries worldwide to decrease
the burdens of mortality and morbidity secondary to psychoactive drug use.
In addition, pharmacological properties and effects of drugs are reviewed
and linked to health, economic and societal problems. Best clinical
practices in prevention and treatment and controversies over management of
addiction will be discussed, along with ethical issues of interest to
health providers and public health practitioners.

This course focuses on the integration of three public health disciplines
for emergency action: epidemiology, behavioral health/ intervention
research and public health communication to provide students with a
knowledge base and foundation of skills to be able to design and implement
strategies in disease prevention and response in outbreak situations, with
a focus on the reemergence of Polio and Ebola.

This course introduces the student to the
major health issues facing women in low resource countries and how to
analyze existing programs geared towards improving women's health. Students
will learn how biological, environmental, and societal issues affect
women's health, the outcomes of pregnancy, and child survival. Topics
include reproductive and obstetric health, women's rights, gender-based
violence, access to health education, family planning, female genital
cutting, and the public health interventions proven to positively impact
these issues. Students will intensively evaluate and analyze the
interventions created to improve the lives of women and identify key
elements that constitue an effective global women's health program.
Students will learn the necessary skills to generate solutions to the
complex circumstances affecting the health of women globally.

This course approaches global health and justice from international human rights and humanitarian law. The course is designed to provide public policy and public health students with the basis for literacy about human rights and humanitarian law. Through lectures, case studies and practical training, students will be able to gain knowledge and skills to determine how rights violations impact health, and how to engage in using the human rights approach to improve health outcomes. Topics, including HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive rights, the right to health in war and disasters, access to medicines and the ethical obligations of public health professionals, will be used to illustrate practical applications of human rights to global health.

Students will examine, analyze, apply, & evaluate theoretical paradigms & research, drawn from the disciplines of psychology, public health, & education as well as artistic/media reactions in relation to HIV prevention & counseling. Students will consider the HIV/AIDS epidemic as it is manifested in the United Sates (U.S.) across all developmental stages for those affected by, infected with, or at risk for HIV transmission. The course utilizes a biopsychosocial framework that emphasizes on theory-based HIV prevention & practice. Students will consider the response to the HIV epidemic in the U.S. from a cross-cultural perspective. Students will participate in on-site visits to local AIDS service organizations in New York serving those affected by the disease. Local experts in New York will provide guest lectures on the issues of prevention & counseling as they are undertaken in the U.S. Students will conduct work with & within the community itself, & consider how the U.S. have responded to the HIV epidemic over the last 30 years.

A cross-cultural framework is used to compare the health status of populations and families and factors that affect their health in societal subgroups (for example, urban, rural, poor, women and children, and the elderly). The course emphasizes the effects of secular changes in women's roles and status and other societal, economic, and environmental trends on population and family health.

This course will provide an overview of key topics in public health for migratory persons: demographics; specific population groups and their circumstances and rights, including refugees, immigrants, asylees, and migrants; epidemiologic issues of displaced persons, including the shifting burden of disease, nutrition, environmental and occupational concerns; health and human rights; ethics; torture and other violence; PTSD, and other acute and chronic mental health concerns. Immigrant and Migratory Health will be approached from various perspectives, including historical, demographic, epidemiologic, access(economic, legal, linguistic, cultural, and institutional), life cycle, environment, including occupation and nutrition, and policy. The course will impart to students the skills necessary to develop an integrated approach to the care of immigrant and migratory populations.

Common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance use
disorders are leading causes of disease burden in the world today, rivaling
HIV, malaria and heart disease in that respect. They are associated with
serious functional impairment, reduced quality of life, unemployment and
homelessness and exacerbate risk for, and severity of, medical illness. Yet
they tend to get lost on the global health agenda. Lack of familiarity with
interventions, measuring challenges, and stigma are, in part, to blame.
Public health approaches to common mental disorders are also only recently
demonstrating new rigor and maturity. This course provides exposure to this
increasingly relevant public health challenge from a global perspective,
with a particular focus on the epidemiology, risk factors and consequences,
individual- and population-level approaches to treatment and prevention,
and delivery of care for mental health problems in different settings
worldwide. This course will challenge students to think critically about
the existing literature in this area and about the role of culture, context
and stigma in shaping public health responses to mental disorders.

This course will contrast US and international approaches to public health
emergency preparedness and response. Rotating among different sites within
NYU's Global Network, the course will focus on aspects of public health
emergencies systems germane to the host country. In Tel Aviv, we will focus on
the planning and deployment of international humanitarian aid missions,
preparedness and response to terrorism, public health ethical issues that
arise in conflict situations, and disaster mental health and community
resilience. The course will also review principles of surveillance,
mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery from natural and man-made emergency
events, and cover both US and international emergency management and public
health frameworks.

A cross-cultural framework is used to compare the health status of populations and families and factors that affect their health in societal subgroups (for example, urban, rural, poor, women and children, and the elderly). The course emphasizes the effects of secular changes in women's roles and status and other societal, economic, and environmental trends on population and family health.

This course (part of a two-semester series; Thesis I and Thesis II)
introduces the thesis as the culminating experience for MPH candidates in
the Epidemiology (EPI), Public Health Policy and Management (PHPM), and
Social and Behavioral Science (SBS) tracks, and allows students to develop
skills in conducting public health research, analyzing and interpreting
data and presenting study findings. The thesis is intended to reflect the
training students have received in the MPH program and demonstrate their
ability to integrate, synthesize, and apply the knowledge and skills from
coursework and practicum experiences to a real world public health problem
or issue that is relevant to their major field of interest. In Thesis I
students will also have the opportunity to reflect on their practice
experiences, most often in the site from which the thesis is drawn. The
course provides students with the knowledge and skills to develop and
refine research questions, conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of
the literature relevant to the topic of interest, select a theory or
organizing framework, outline the methods, formulate a plan for data
collection and analysis, and develop an annotated outline of the project.

This is the second course in a two-course series that continues work on the
culminating activity, the thesis, for MPH candidates in the Epidemiology
(EPI), Public Health Policy and Management (PHPM), and Social and
Behavioral Science (SBS) tracks. The focus of the course is on completing
the proposed thesis product (e.g., journal style
manuscript, research proposal, program development proposal, proposal
for evaluation research study) and preparing for the presentation of the
final project. Students will work closely with their Faculty Sponsor during
the semester, but the course instructor will provide guidance on the
aforementioned sections of the thesis. The thesis should demonstrate the
student’s ability to think critically, provide understanding and insight
into a substantive area of inquiry, and convey ideas effectively to an
intended audience.