2018-2019 Academic Catalog

Apr 19, 2024

2018-2019 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

ID 205 - Risks and Rumor in Global Health

This course will look into different dimensions of risk in global health, including the role of rumors, which can be a consequence or catalyst of unsafe health behaviors. In some situations, rumors can have a positive role, lending information on outbreaks, or conveying appropriate caution. Risk will be considered at a number of levels from external risks such as natural disasters, terrorism, epidemics and disease vectors to individual risks such as risk-taking behavior around sexual and reproductive health. Vulnerability will also be examined as a factor which puts some communities and individuals more at risk for negative health outcomes than others. Rumor and the power of “word of mouth” in spreading positive as well as negative information on health will be looked at. Rumor and word of mouth will also be investigated as a means to mobilize communities to demand or reject public-health initiatives. While there are a number of newer risks facing global health, challenges and misperceptions are not new to public-health initiatives. The course will start by taking a look at historical obstacles to public-health initiatives such as early rejection of the smallpox vaccination campaigns. The course will examine of a number of case studies where health projects or initiatives did not go “as planned”; often situations where risks were not adequately considered and prepared for in the planning. Students will investigate what went wrong and what measures could have been taken to better anticipate or prevent the unexpected outcome.

Anticipated Terms Offered: n/a