RELS 519 - Human Diversity and the Cultures of Medicine

Institution:

University of Pennsylvania

Subject:

Description:

Hufford. Over the past decade there has been a growing awareness of the importance of such basic aspects of human diversity as culture, (religion, language), ethnicity, economic status, gender, age and disability in health care as in other areas of life. This course will deal with (1) the social and cultural foundations of health care in the modern world and (2) the ways that diversity affects and is affected by health care. Because simplistic views of diversity reinforce stereotypes, the course necessarily recognizes that each individual belongs to more than one group--each person has a cultural background, a gender, an age, may have one or more disabilities, and so forth. And even within groups, the experiences and needs of each individual are unique. For example, there is no such person as "the African-American patient" or "the female patient." Proper attention to diversity can enhance both cultural and individually appropriate care for all persons. By dealing with these political, social and cultural aspects of diversity and health care, this course will introduce students to complex and basic issues of social construction ranging from cultural dimensions of medical ethics to the importance of differing health traditions (from folk medicine to foodways to such beliefs as the idea that AIDS is a genocidal government conspiracy).

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.upenn.edu

Phone Number:

(215) 898-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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