Description: Introduces the epidemiology of psychiatric and substance use disorders. Addresses conceptual and methodological considerations in psychiatric research, descriptive and analytic epidemiology of common psychiatric and substance use disorders, and issues of classification and measurement for epidemiologic research. Students analyze epidemiologic data pertaining to psychiatric and substance use disorders.
Learning Objectives: Upon completing this course students will be able to:
-Describe the epidemiology of the major psychiatric and substance use disorders of childhood, adulthood, and late adulthood
-Understand epidemiologic methods used to assess psychiatric and substance use disorders in the community
-Demonstrate the ability to critically assess epidemiologic data and scientific articles pertaining to psychiatric and substance use disorders
-Demonstrate ability to obtain and analyze various epidemiologic data sources with information pertaining to psychiatric and substance use disorders
-Prepare a scientific paper pertaining to epidemiology of psychiatric or substance use disorders
-Improve public communication skills through class presentations and discussions
Advisory Prerequisites: A grade of B or better in an introductory course in psychology/sociology and in an introductory quantitative science course (statistics, mathematics, physics, etc.).
Description: Overview of population mental health in the US context. Case-examples (autism, depression, substance use, etc.) will be used to illustrate social patterning, issues of nosology and measurement, and mental health treatment/services. Students will consider how social stigma impacts assessment and services for mental health conditions through readings the course project.
Learning Objectives: 1. Become familiar with data and surveillance systems for population mental health in the US
2. Understand the role of social, biological, and environmental determinants of mental health
3. Discuss the role of social stigma in the assessment and treatment of mental disorders
4. Interact with various stakeholders in public mental health systems