Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

College of Education and Human Services

Introduction to Health

I. Introductory Information

  1. Department Name:Health Science
  2. Department Catalog Number: HLTH105
  3. Course Title: Introduction to Health
  4. Semester Hours of Credit: 3
  5. Clock Hours Per Week: 3
  6. Overlays: None
  7. Restrictions Upon Student Registration: There are no prerequisite courses. This course is open to all students who have not earned a C or greater in another RECR105 or HPED060; students may be added with instructor permission.

II. Description of the Course

An introductory survey of basic health issues, emphasizing the development of health literacy skills to enhance students’ efficacy in reaching and maintaining a lifestyle conducive to health and wellness. A foundation of health content will be covered to serve as a basis for further study of contemporary health issues.

III.Exposition

  1. Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

  1. Define and explain the core concepts as described in the major units for the following topic areas: stress management, sexuality, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, injury prevention, nutrition, and exercise.
  1. Explain the influences of personal health behavior, environment, access to health care and heredity on the health of individuals.
  1. Analyze the effects of media and other influences on health behavior.
  1. Develop injury prevention and management strategies to improve or maintain personal, family and community health.
  1. Develop and evaluate strategies for improving personal and community health.
  1. Evaluate strategies to manage stress.
  1. Analyze scenarios relating to the health education core concept areas and apply decision-making, communication, self-management, goal-setting, and advocacy skills to the scenarios.
  1. Demonstrate and analyze strategies used for effective communication with family, peers and others to decrease risk behavior and enhance health.
  1. Demonstrate strategies to prevent conflict.
  1. Analyze strategies for personal behavior change and goal setting.
  1. Demonstrate the ability to influence and support others in making positive health choices.
  1. Locate valid sources of health information upon which to make health decisions.

B. Activities and Requirements:

1.Participate in class discussion, debates, and small group activities

2.Complete exams and quizzes

3.Complete health literacy assignments

4. Complete behavior change assignment

C. Major Units and Time Allotted: (45 hours)

1.Taking charge of your health (5hours)

  1. Defining health
  2. Overview of health problems: Past, present, and future
  3. Internal and external influences on personal and community
    health
  4. Assessing personal health
  5. Changing behavior
  6. Evaluating health information
  7. Using the library and internet to locate health information
  8. Maintaining health and wellness over the lifespan

2.Mental health (5 hours)

a.Defining/ identifying stress

b.Short-term and long-term effects of stress on overall health and well-being

c.Stress management techniques

i.physical

ii.cognitive

iii.relaxation techniques

iv.counterproductive strategies

d.Defining psychological health

e.Common psychological and emotional disorders

f.Suicide

g.Resources for psychological health

3.Sexuality (7hours)

  1. Communication skills

b. Sexual anatomy and physiology

c.Sexual functioning

d.Maintaining sexual health

i.breast self examination

ii.testicular self examination

iii.annual exams

e.Sexual behaviors

f.Controlling fertility

g.Pregnancy

h.Sexually transmitted infections

i.Sexual responsibility

j.Resources for sexual health

4.Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (5.5 hours)

a.Short and long term effects of alcohol and other drug use, including over the counter medications

b.Short and long term effects of tobacco including smokeless tobacco and secondhand smoke

c.Psychological and sociological aspects of harmful substances, use and abuse

d.Decision-making skills to avoid use/abuse

e.Resources for decreasing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs

5.Nutrition (7 hours)

a.Foundations of a healthy diet

b.Short and long term effects of nutrition on health status

c.Nutritional supplements

d.Making informed decisions about nutrition

e.Sociological influences on nutritional status

6.Exercise (3 hours)

a.Components of physical fitness

b.Exercising safely

c.Short and long term effects of exercise on health status

d.Designing a personal exercise program

  1. Weight Management (2.5 hours)

a.Weight management techniques

b.Fad diets

c.Body composition and obesity

d.Eating disorders

i.anorexia

ii.bulimia

iii.female athletic triad

iv.binge eating disorder

  1. Injury Prevention (3 hours)

a.Unintentional injuries

b.Violence and intentional injuries

c.Sexual assault/date rape

9.Health Literacy Skills (5.5 hours)

  1. Accessing valid health information and health promoting products
  2. Analyzing influences on health, including intrinsic factors and external factors such as media and environment
  3. Decision making regarding health behaviors
  4. Goal setting for improving health status
  5. Interpersonal communication to enhance health
  6. Self management for achieving and maintaining health
  7. Advocacy for personal, family and community health

10.Influence and effects of aging on personal health (1.5 hours)

D. Materials and Bibliography

1. Suggested textbooks

Insel, P. M., & Roth, W. T. (2011). Core concepts in health(12th ed.Brief). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

2. Other materials

American Psychological Association. (2011). APA help center. Retrieved

from

Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. (2011). Retrieved from

Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Health Promotion. (2011). Retrieved from

Mental Health America. (2011). Retrieved from

National Cancer Institute. (2011). Evaluating health information on the Internet. Retrieved from

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.) Aim for a healthy weight. Retrieved from htm

National Institute of Mental Health. (2011). Retrieved from

National Library of Medicine, Medline Plus. (2011). Retrieved from

Planned Parenthood. (2011). Retrieved from

Tobacco Information and Prevention Source, Centers for Disease Control and Health Promotion. (2011). Smoking and tobacco use. Retrieved from

United States Department of Agriculture. (2011). Choose My Plate. Retrieved from

United States Department of Agriculture. (2005). Food and nutrition information center. Retrieved from

3. Bibliographic support

Hart, C., Ray, O., & Ksir, C. (2011). Drugs, society, and human behavior (14th ed.).Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Crowley, L. (2010). An introduction to human disease: Pathology and pathophysiology correlations(8th ed.). Jones and Bartlett: Boston.

Greenberg, J. S. (2010). Comprehensive stress management(12th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Pruitt, B. E., & Stein, J. J. (2004). Decisions for healthy living.San Francisco,CA:Pearson.

Spector, R. E. (2009). Cultural diversity in health and illness (7th ed.).Upper Saddle River, NJ:Pearson Education.

Strong, B., DeVault, C., Sayad, B., & Yarber, W. (2010). Human sexuality: Diversity in contemporary America.Boston, MA:McGraw-Hill.

Whitney, E. N., & Rolfes, S. R. (2008). Understanding nutrition(11th ed.).Minneapolis, MN:Wadsworth.

IV. Standards

Grades will be assigned in accordance with university policy.

V. Rationale and Impact

  1. This course is being updated as part of the departmental review process.
  2. This course fulfills the wellness general education requirement and is the recommended wellness general education requirement for students in the Department of Health Science.This syllabus will not affect existing academic programs or departments.

VI. Cost and Staff Analysis

  1. This is not a new course offering. No additional faculty members will be needed.
  2. This course will be offered each semester.

VII.Relationship among Course, Program and University Student Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes
(Objectives)
Upon successful completion of this course, the students will be able to do the following: / Program Student Learning Outcomes / University-level Student Learning Outcomes
Define and explain the core concepts as described in the major units for the following topic areas: stress management, sexuality, tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, injury prevention, nutrition, and exercise. / Demonstrate general knowledge in human anatomy and physiology in both healthy and disease states / Responsible: Wellness
Knowledgeable: Natural Science
Explain the influences of personal health behavior, environment, access to health care and heredity on the health of individuals. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Knowledgeable: Social Science
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Analyze the effects of media and other influences on health behavior. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Knowledgeable: Social Science
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Develop injury prevention and management strategies to improve or maintain personal, family and community health. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Develop and evaluate strategies for improving personal and community health. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Responsible: Citizenship
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Evaluate strategies to manage stress. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Analyze scenarios relating to the health education core concept areas and apply decision-making, communication, self-management, goal-setting, and advocacy skills to the scenarios. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Communication
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Demonstrate and analyze strategies used for effective communication with family, peers and others to decrease risk behavior and enhance health. / Demonstrate effective verbal, written and technological communication / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Communication
Demonstrate strategies to prevent conflict. / Demonstrate effective verbal, written and technological communication / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Communication
Analyze strategies for personal behavior change and goal setting. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking
Demonstrate the ability to influence and support others in making positive health choices. / Demonstrate effective verbal, written and technological communication / Responsible: Wellness
Thoughtful: Communication
Locate valid and reliable sources of health information upon which to make health decisions. / Develop and apply critical thinking skills / Thoughtful: Information Literacy
Thoughtful: Critical Thinking