Teaches students to frame public health issues using a life course perspective. Introduces and examines basic principles of human development across the life span, from the prenatal period through senescence, and the idea that health outcomes reflect developmental processes. Provides a conceptual framework with which to understand the interrelationships among biological, psychological, and social factors and their influence on development and health. Also illustrates the application of this perspective to gain a critical understanding of public health issues.

After taking this course, students should be able to:

• Describe the components of a life course perspective on health, the advantages of using this approach in public health, and the challenges involved in doing so.  
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the life course and human development and its relationship to individual health.  In particular, students should be able to identify the meaning and measurement of “health” at particular life stages and and articulate interrelationships among the biological, psychological, behavioral and social processes that shape health across the life course.  
• Develop a conceptual framework illustrating a life course approach to a specific outcome of concern to public health.
  

The class is divided into three parts, corresponding to the three objectives.  Part One consists of the first three lectures and associated readings which will cover the components of the life course perspective and building conceptual frameworks.  Part Two consists of all but one of the remaining class sessions, which will cover life course stages: the fetal period; infancy and early childhood; school age and adolescence; adulthood; later life.  For each stage, one class session will be devoted to a lecture providing an overview of the stage and a second session will be devoted to a discussion of life course issues particular to that life stage.  Much of this discussion will take place in small groups.  Part Three consists of individual work developing a conceptual framework for a health outcome of the student’s choice.  Students will build their framework through a series of three assignments in which they identify an outcome, prepare an annotated draft of a conceptual framework illustrating the determinants of this outcome, and complete this conceptual framework along with text describing it.  Detailed information about these assignments’ requirements is available in a separate document posted on the course web site.  One class session will be devoted to an in-depth discussion of conceptual frameworks.

The requirements for the course are as follows, with the percentage that each requirement contributes to students’ final grades in parentheses.

Class Participation (5%)

Students are expected to complete required reading prior to the appropriate session and to participate fully in group discussions.  Students will be assessed on both active participation and attention throughout the duration of the course.

Topic for Conceptual Framework (10%)

Annotated Draft of Conceptual Framework (40%)

Completed Conceptual Framework with Accompanying Description (45%)

Detailed information about all three assignments is available in a separate document posted on the course web site.

Instructor Robert Blum: rblum@jhsph.edu Department of Population and Family Health Sciences The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 North Wolfe Street, E4527 Baltimore, MD 21205 410-955-3385 Co-Instructor M.E. Hughes: mehughes@jhsph.edu The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 North Wolfe Street, E4648 Baltimore, MD 21205 (410) 502-8772 Teaching Assistant Rebecca Callahan Email: rcallaha@jhsph.edu

We value your feedback in evaluating this course. An online evaluation form is attached to each lecture page for you to complete. This information will be given serious consideration in future updates to the course.