UNIVERSITY
AT ALBANY
Sociology 475Z
Demography
of Black Community Health
Spring
2002
Call
#3781
Professor
Office Hours
Class Meetings
Dr. H. D. Horton
T 10 ~ 11:30am
T 5:45-8:30 PM
Social Science 356
T 2:30 ~ 4pm
ES 140
email: hdh@csc.albany.edu
W 10 ~ 11:30am
website:www.albany.edu/~hdh
TH
2:30 ~ 4pm
Phone: 442-4907
or by appointment
Course
Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to provide the student with an introduction to the
demography of health and healthcare issues of the black community. Specifically, the
course emphasizes how racism in American society is a major determinant of the
levels of sickness, disease and death that afflict black people. After a critical analysis of the epidemiology of
slavery, the course precedes to provide linkages between racism, the access to health
care, and morbidity within the black community. In
addition, along with discussions on heart disease, diabetes, stroke, AIDS/HIV and other
health issues, the topic of biological warfare against the black community will be
addressed. An analysis of the impact of age, gender and social class on black health and
healthcare will likewise be highlighted. Finally,
the course concludes with a critical analysis of contemporary health policy in the U.S.
and its implications for the black community in the 21st century.
It is important to note that this is a writing-intensive
course. It is specifically designed for senior-level
sociology majors. Hence, students are
expected to have successfully completed the prerequisite courses: Soc 220, Soc 221, and
Soc 235. Students who are neither
sociology majors nor seniors should not be in this course.
Sociology seniors who have not met these requirements should consult with the
professor as to the advisability of remaining. Finally,
given that this is a writing intensive course there is a considerable amount of work
required. The reading is extensive and of
course, the writing is- - intensive. Students
who are unwilling or unable to commit the time and the quality of effort that this course
demands should drop.
Texts: Briathwaite, Ronald L. and Sandra
Taylor. 2001. Health Issues in the Black
Community
Braithewaite, Ronald L. et al. 2000. Building Health Coalitions in the Black Community
Jones, James H. 1993. Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
Roberts, Dorothy. 1997. Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction and the Meaning of
Liberty
Course
Requirements: Assigned readings and class attendance: The assigned readings
for this course are all required. For the
most part, these readings are easily understood. Consequently, the instructor will spend
little time repeating or summarizing what you are required to read. These materials will
be discussed in class, and you are encouraged to raise questions for purposes of
clarification and elaboration. Because much additional material will be provided in class,
and because this material as well as assigned readings will be covered on exams, regular
class attendance (90%) is necessary for a high level of performance and high grade. It is
the responsibility of the student to obtain missed lecture notes, changes in course
assignments, etc.
Group
Assignments: The class will be divided into groups for the purpose of
discussing and presenting the assigned readings. This is a very important part of the
course because it provides students with presentation skills and the opportunity to
collaborate: two very essential professional tools in modern society. Students will be graded based upon group
participation. The grading will have two
components: the grade from the professor (90%) as well as a peer-evaluation (10%). To avoid scheduling problems, all official group
meetings will occur in class.
Written
Assignments: Students will be required to submit 3-5 page book reports as
well as written one-page summaries of articles assigned.
Submissions must be typed and double-spaced. These assignments encourage
preparation and facilitate class discussion. Students
will lose 5 percentage points per day for late assignments.
Take
Home Exams: There will be 4 take home essay exams. Each exam will consist of five questions. These exams must be typed and double-spaced. Students will be graded based upon the substantive
knowledge that they demonstrate, the originality of their thinking and the quality of
their writing. Exams will be due at the
beginning of the next class period. All
late exams will lose 10 percentage points per day.
Term
Paper: A minimum 10 page research paper is required. Students must submit a one-page paper proposal
prior to beginning work on the paper. The
paper must adhere to the guidelines that the professor will provide in class. Papers must be submitted by the deadline in order
to receive full consideration. Deadline for
proposal: February 5, 2002. Deadline
for paper: April 2 2002. Late
papers will lose 5 percentage points per day. Students
have the option of submitting an early draft of their papers for comments and suggestions
by March 5, 2002. Papers received
after this date will be considered as final drafts.
Grading:
Essay Exams
25%
Term Paper:
25%
Book Reports:
20%
Article Summaries: 15%
Group Participation
15%
Policy on
making-up missed worked: Students will be allowed to make-up missed work only under the
following circumstances:(1) written certification from a physician is presented indicating
that the student was too ill to be present on the due date; (2) a written certification of
a death in the family is presented; (3) written certification from a coach is presented
stating that attendance was necessary at a previously scheduled intercollegiate event; (4)
when written certification is available for some other extra-ordinary event that makes
class attendance and/or assignment submission impossible.
COURSE OUTLINE
I. Introduction
to the Demography of Black Community Health
Roberts, Dorothy. Killing the Black Body. (in its entirety)
Taylor, Sandra and Ronald Braithwaite. 2001. “African American Health: An Overview.” Chapter 1 in Braithwaite and Taylor (hereafter, B
& T).
Chohall, Alwyn T. and Hope E.
Bannister. 2001. “The Health Status of Children and Adolescents.” Chapter 2 in B & T.
Taylor, Sandra. 2001. “The Health Status of Black Women.” Chapter 3, B & T.
Braithwaite, Ronald L. 2001. “The Health Status of Back Men.” Chapter 4, B & T.
Jackson, James S. and Sherill L.
Sellers. 2001.
“Health and the Elderly.” Chapter 5, B & T.
Neighbors, Harold W. and David R.
Williams. “The Epidemiology of Mental
Disorder, 1985-2000.” Chapter 6 in B
& T.
EXAM ONE
II. Chronic Diseases and the Black Community
Flack, John M. et. al. 2001. “Hypertension and Other Risk Factors for
Stroke.” Chapter 10, B & T.
Elders, Joycelyn M. and Frederick G. Murphy. 2001. “Diabetes.”
Chapter 12 in B & T.
Essien, Joyce et. al. 2001. “Pediatric
Asthma in African American Children.” Chapter 15 in B & T.
Whitten, Charles F. 2001. “Sickle Cell
Anemia.” Chapter 13 in B & T.
Ellis, Herman M. and Robert S. Levine. 2001.
“Tuberculosis.” Chapter 14
in B & T.
Jones, et al. 2001.
“Cancer.” Chapter 11 in B & T.
Callender, Clive O. and Margruetta B.
Hall. 2001. “The Dilemma of Organ and
Tissue Transplantation.” Chapter 9 in B
& T.
EXAM TWO
III. Lifestyle Behaviors and Institutional Racism
Jones, James H. Bad Blood (in its entirety).
Hammond, Rodney W.
and Deborah Prothrow-Stith. 2001. “The
Epidemic of Homicide and Violence.” Chapter 8 in B & T.
Taylor, Wendell et.
al. 2001. “Physical Activity.” Chapter
21 in B & T.
Kumanyika, Shriki
and Angela Odoms. 2001.
“Nutrition.” Chapter 20 in B &
T.
Harper, Frederick D.
2001. “Alcohol Use and Misuse.” Chapter 19 in B & T.
Headen, Sandra W.
and Robert Robinson. 2001. “Tobacco:
From Slavery to Addiction.”
Chapter 17 in B
& T.
Strickland, Tony L. 2001. “Substance Abuse.” Chapter 18 in B & T.
Sweet, Loretta et
al. 2001. “HIV/AIDS.” Chapter 16 in
B & T.
EXAM THREE
IV. Black Community Health and Policy Issues
Braithwaite, Ronald
et al. 2000. Building Health Coalitions in
the Black Community.
(in its entirety)
Wimberly, Anne E.
Streaty. 2001. “The Role of Black Faith
Communities in Fostering Health.” Chapter
7 in B & T.
Thomas,
Stephen B. And Sandra Crouse Quinn. 2001.
“Closing the Gap: Eliminating Health
Disparities.” Chapter 26 in B & T.
Bullard,
Robert D. et al. 2001. “The Quest for
Environmental Justice.” Chapter 22 in B
& T.
Resincow, Ken
and Ronals Braithwaite. 2001. “Cultural Sensitivity in Public Health.” Chapter 25 in B & T.
Corbin-Smith,
Giselle and Kimberly R. Jacob Arriola. 2001. “Research Ethics: A Legacy of Distrust.”
Chapter 23 in B & T.
Walker, Bailus
Jr. 2001. 2001. “Health Policy
Challenges.” Chapter 24 in B & T.
FINAL EXAM