Behavioral and Psychosocial Aspects of Health, Mental Health and Disease

This course will survey the distribution, determinants, and psychological and behavioral aspects of health, mental health and wellness across the life span. Social, economic, environmental, and cultural variations in and determinants of health, mental health, disease, and quality of life will be addressed, including the influence of factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and biological and genetic factors. Barriers to access and utilization, geopolitical influences, environmental justice, social injustice and racism, historical trends, and future directions will be reviewed. Health beliefs and models of health behavior will be presented, including help-seeking and utilization of health services. Stress, coping and social support, adaptation to chronic illness, the influences of privilege, stigma and discrimination, and quality of life, will also be covered. Classification systems of adult mental functioning and mental disorders will be presented, such as DSM-IV. Students will be taught to critically understand the strengths and limitations of the DSM classification system and its application within healthcare settings.