BPK 140

CONTEMPORARY HEALTH ISSUES

Summer, 2015 Surrey Campus

LECTURER: Dr. Jim Carter

E-MAIL: carter@sfu.ca

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays 12:30 – 1:30 (SUR 2952)

WEBSITE: http://www.sfu.ca/~carter

TA: Bernard Afram (bafram@sfu.ca)

COURSE PREREQUISITES. None. A science background is not required.

Course Description:

This course is designed to give students an introduction to a wide variety of health issues and is intended for any student who

has an interest in the area of health. This course is useful as an introduction to human sciences and students will develop an

appreciation of critical review of health related research. The course material will also cover issues related to personal health strategies.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will learn to examine critically, many concepts that affect the health of a society and its individual members.

Health will be defined holistically as the physical, psychological and social well-being of an individual.

• Students will gain an appreciation of the importance of personal responsibility for one's health.
• Students will develop and participate in a debate and write a report on issues such as: health care delivery and legislation;

AIDS; nutrition; drug use and abuse, and the environment. These different modes of evaluation (in conjunction with examinations)

will develop students’ ability to discuss and write critically on applied science topics.

Course Content

There will be two hours of lecture and one 50-minute tutorial per week. Tutorial format will vary from week to week and include a recap of lecture material,

student debates, student presentations and discussion of health issues. Attendance at the tutorial is required and you must attend your correct tutorial group.

Course Text

Current Issues in Health, 2nd Edition Stephen Brown, 2015 ISBN 9780864913753

Course Evaluation

Assignments (2) 10%

Debate 10%

Tutorial attendance 10%

Midterm examinations (2x20%) 40%

Final Examination 30%

Lectures commence May 12, Tutorials commence May 19

TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

Lectures: Tuesday 10:30 - 12:20 pm SUR 2740

DATE LECTURE TOPIC CHAPTER

May 12 Course Business. The Concept of Health. 1

Taking Charge of Your Health.

May 19 Evaluating Health Claims. 2

May 26 Infectious Disease 3

June 2 Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes. 4

June 9 Cancer 5

June 16 MID-TERM EXAMINATION No tutorials this day

June 23 Physical Activity 6 

June 30 Nutrition 7

July 7 Body Weight and Weight Management 8

July 14 MID-TERM EXAMINATION No tutorials this day

July 21 Mental Health. Drugs 9 & 13 

July 28 Human Sexuality, STIs, Fertility Management 10, 11, 12 

Aug 4 Health Care Delivery Systems, Environment 14 & 15

FINAL EXAMINATION Monday August 17^th, 8:30 – 11:30am

Handouts will be available on the website.

As discussion in class is encouraged, the above outline is a guide only.

TUTORIAL SCHEDULE

Tutorials commence on May 19

Tutorials:

Group 1: 1:30 – 2:20 pm (SUR 2710)

Group 2: 2:30 – 3:20 pm (SUR 2710)

Group 3: 3:30 – 4:20 pm (SUR 2710)

Teaching Assistant: Bernard Afram (bafram@sfu.ca)

T.A. Office Hours: Will be announced in first week of classes.

You MUST attend your correct tutorial group.

Tutorial format will vary from week to week and may include: recap of lecture material;

discussion health issues; videos followed by discussions; student debates.

Attendance - 10%

As participation in discussion groups is an important part of the course, attendance is mandatory.

One percentage mark will be deducted for each missed tutorial over one (you can miss one).

Tutorial debate: - 10%

Students will work in groups of four or five. The group will select a controversial health issue in consultation with the teaching assistant.

The group will then split into two groups to debate both sides of the issue. The debate will take 25 minutes to complete.

A handout on how to develop and deliver a debate plus the rules of the debate will be provided.

Assignments: - 10%

You will complete 2 assignments. Your first assignment is due on June 2 (week 4) and will be handed in during your tutorial. Your second assignment is due on June 30 (week 8) and will be handed in during your tutorial. For the second assignment you will also give a 2 to 3 minute presentation about your article to your tutorial group. Each assignment is worth 5% of your final grade.

In both assignments you will comment on a health/wellness-related article published in a newspaper or magazine. The article can be published in an online newspaper, magazine or website. The article should be less than ½ newspaper page in length.

Tutorial Outline: BPK 140 2015-02

Date of tutorial	Tutorial description	Notes
May 12	No tutorial
May 19	Questions from lecture material
May 26	Questions from lecture material
June 2	Questions from lecture material	1^st Assignment due – article, critique
June 9	Questions from lecture material	Return assignment
June 16	Midterm – no tutorial
June 23	Midterm review	Debate topics given in class – groups chosen
June 30	2 - 3 min presentation of each assignment	2^nd Assignment due – article and presentation
July 7	Questions from lecture material	Return assignment
July 14	Midterm – no tutorial
July 21	Debates
July 28	Debates
Aug 4	Review	Extra debate if required

Course Downloads:

Debate outline and sample topics

Assignment outline

Week 1 notes