Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An in-depth overview of the sociocultural, epidemiological, and policy aspects of population and public health. May be repeated for credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Adequate housing is not only an important social determinant of health, it is also a human right. However, despite this right, homelessness has become a global public health crisis. While homelessness affects many populations, people experiencing chronic homelessness are more likely to be experiencing a serious mental illness. But why? In this course, we will examine the emergence of mass homelessness, with an emphasis on people experiencing serious mental illness in Canada. We will begin with a discussion of key terminology and concepts as well as epidemiological findings regarding the prevalence and adverse health and social effects of homelessness. We will then examine the social conditions which gave rise to mass homelessness and the roots of contemporary models of service provision for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness concurrently. Social movements and paradigmatic shifts in the organization and delivery of relevant public services over time will also be discussed. Importantly, we will examine relevant prevention strategies, and how housing, health, and other social policies can be designed and used to address homelessness among people experiencing serious mental illness. Students will have opportunities to critically evaluate major theories, models, and local and national policies relevant to homelessness.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Define key course terms and concepts (e.g., homelessness and houselessness)
• Describe ways homelessness can be measured, including strengths and limitations of each approach
• Describe and critically evaluate epidemiological findings regarding the prevalence, health and social effects, and structural and individual-level risk factors of homelessness
• Critically examine housing as a social determinant of health and its relationship to other determinants of health
• Describe the history and emergence of mass homelessness in Canada, including proposed structural causes
• Explain and critically evaluate major theories and models underpinning different housing and support services for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness
• Describe evidence-based interventions for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness
• Describe homelessness prevention strategies
• Critically evaluate current programs and policies in Canada addressing homelessness among people experiencing serious mental illness and make recommendations to improve them based on empirical evidence

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

All readings will be available online via the SFU Library.

REQUIRED READING NOTES: