Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
Competency
Here, I outline my knowledge and understanding of the behavioral, social and health sciences, highlighting the vital role the conditions of life play in influencing the health of individuals and entire communities.
Artifacts
The pieces that matter most.
HLTH 2400:
Determinants of Health
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Course objective:
Analysis of health behaviors based on psychological, social, cultural, and environmental factors. Introduces health behavior theories.
01
For HLTH 2400, I analyzed existing research on sleep deficiency in low-income populations in the United States while focusing on how factors such as housing instability, demanding work schedules, and limited access to healthcare disproportionately affect sleep quality. Some findings challenged my assumptions. What shocked me most was discovering the extent to which chronic stress in economically unstable individuals can create such harmful environments for one's sleep health. I also found some gaps in the health literature regarding interventions targeted toward reducing the incidence of sleep deprivation cases; for example, some of the existing programs lack cultural sensitivity and feasible options for low-income individuals/families. These gaps highlight important areas for future research in public health strategies to reduce disparities. Writing this review deepened my understanding of systemic barriers to health equity and the critical role of social determinants of health in shaping population behavior. I also became better at synthesizing research, evaluating the efficacy of public health interventions, and proposing mitigating policies/solutions to fill in the gaps. These skills will be essential in my public health career as the job may someday require that I design effective programs to tackle the ever-present issue of inequity.
HLTH 4700:
Global Health
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Course objective:
Deepen students’ knowledge of global health and how public health work is conducted internationally. Introduction to assessment of international health needs and designing, implementing, managing, and evaluating public health programs in international settings.
02
In HLTH 4700, students were tasked with analyzing and applying global health knowledge to make evidence-informed recommendations for health improvement in a low- or middle-income country via a final term paper. We were expected to do this by first identifying the biggest threat to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3), “Good Health and Well-being,” in the country of interest. This paper analyzed the interconnectedness of social, economic, and political determinants of health and its role in hurting health outcomes in Ukraine -- a middle-income country at war. Doing this allowed me to apply the theoretical frameworks of global health to a real-world case study, which ultimately enhanced my ability to think critically about the structural factors/influences of health disparities. Developing this paper helped me strengthen my research synthesis skills and my ability to present/criticize evidence-based intervention strategies. These are both essential skills for tackling public health concerns in diverse settings. Additionally, by engaging myself with international data and policies, such as those published by the IHME, I refined my understanding of the, albeit already complex, social behavior theory, which is a critical component to exceeding in public health. But, perhaps most importantly, this research paper highlights the detrimental and cruel impact of war on a country's people, economy, faith, and overall quality of life.
HLTH 4900:
Research and Evaluation Strategies for Public Health
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Course objective:
Discussion of research in health. Focuses on analysis of reported research. Ethical, moral, and legal issues are discussed.
03
Toward the end of the semester, students enrolled in the HLTH 4900 course were tasked with completing a final project designed to incorporate the skills previously accumulated through class activities, unit exams, lectures, and in-class reviews/discussions. Using SPSS Software, groups were given a dataset to add to each member's responses to questionnaires aimed at defining common characteristics, assessing anger proneness, measuring self-gratification, and asking questions pertaining to the individual's eating, sleeping, and fitness habits. To answer my specific research questions, I had the software run for descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics. Two of my three research questions were specifically run for simple linear regressions. I concluded the report with an interpretation of the results and a few sentences applying previously discussed class concepts to the study itself (mostly issues to validity).
Community-Specific Research
In some courses, students were required to identify key stakeholders or populations most affected/impacted by a specific issue previously discussed in greater detail throughout the semester.
SPAN 4190:
Health and the Hispanic Community
Course objective:
Study of cultural aspects of health and health services in Hispanic populations. Taught in Spanish.
01
The main assignment for SPAN 4190, to which most of the semester was dedicated, was a literature review directed at studying a health issue affecting the Latinx community in the United States through the lens of Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner's Socioecological Model (SEM). For my paper, I chose to investigate Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the Social Determinants of Health (SDOHs) most relevant to the disease, and some evidence-based intervention strategies/programs that were successful in reducing its prevalence in Latinx. Two SDOHs were identified for each level of the SEM: macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem, microsystem, and ontosystem. The paper concluded by discussing the current gaps in the literature and giving recommendations for future research done in public health.
SOC 4010:
Rural Sociology/Human Ecology
Course objective:
Analysis of the interrelationships between the physical world, modifications in natural environments, human settlement patterns, and institutions that both encourage and regulate environmental modification. Emphasizes conditions whereby natural resources become public policy concerns.
02
As one of the two sociology courses offered on the LIH undergraduate Course Plan of Study (CPoS), RS 4010 challenged students of various backgrounds to think critically about the seemingly small social issues that impact millions across the country every day. Groups were assigned to design a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) based on common interests. Our group particularly assessed the impact of on-campus housing on Clemson residents, landowners, shop owners, students, employees, and staff (primary and secondary stakeholders). At the time of writing, on-campus housing was a topic of great concern and "the talk of the town" as construction and development never seemed in favor of the majority.