Abstract
As public health education expands to include undergraduate students, it is important to include discussion of local public health topics and issues to provide a sense of place to the educational experience. Inclusion of Native Hawaiian and indigenous issues and perspectives is also an established priority of the University of Hawai‘i system. To address both needs, a required course was created during development of a new Bachelor of Arts (BA) public health program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa to specifically focus on discussion of local and indigenous public health topics of interest. Public Health Issues in Hawai‘i is an introductory course included early in the recommended undergraduate curriculum and emphasizes the application of public health skills and principles to local issues (e.g., state-level legislative awareness and local sustainability topics). The Public Health Issues in Hawai‘i course further challenges students to recognize public health practice in their daily activities, and encourages them to become actively engaged in local community issues early in their public health educational careers. Among multiple advantages, improved awareness of local health challenges and early connections to community members and organizations have been instrumental in actively engaging local students in their education, and has also proved beneficial for students participating in required undergraduate applied learning capstone experiences and entry-level public health careers following graduation. Here we present insights into course development, articulation with broader program curricula, and successes and challenges in the past 4 years of implementation and instruction.
Highlights
AND RATIONALEDuring development of the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BAPH) program at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM), faculty sought out opportunities for students to [1] connect and apply newly acquired public health content and skills to their individual communities, and [2] gain repetitive exposure to core public health content
Oral communication skills are consistently emphasized, as is the need for students to work collaboratively with peers on in-class activities and projects. This class serves as a key component of our introductory core series, and as a compliment to a required global health course [1]
Following a broad introduction to public health, students are asked to use and apply public health content and skills in both a local context (PH 202: Public Health Issues in Hawai‘i) and a global context (PH 203: Introduction to Global Health), further providing opportunities for students to engage in issues of diversity and global learning
Summary
During development of the Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BAPH) program at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa (UHM), faculty sought out opportunities for students to [1] connect and apply newly acquired public health content and skills to their individual communities, and [2] gain repetitive exposure to core public health content. The course has 12 learning objectives: [1] Develop a respect for culture and place in Hawai‘i; [2] Understand health disparities caused by historical and cultural trauma among indigenous peoples, those of Pacific Island descent; [3] Discuss the implications of culture on health and identify the need for culturally sensitive care; [4] Connect the need for sustainability and the importance of environmental health to human health; [5] Develop connections between students and local communities, and encourage student participation as engaged citizens; [6] Identify local community strengths and resources; [7] Promote self-reflection to identify and recognize personal skills and how they may be applied to contribute to local communities; [8] Develop an understanding of the legislative process, and an appreciation for the complexities of that process; [9] Translate social justice issues and health priorities into actionable steps; [10] Empower students to engage in health policy and advocacy; [11] Develop confidence in oral communication and public speaking; and [12] Develop skills in teamwork and collaboration among peers. Student feedback from end-of-semester evaluations and periodic mid-semester assessments, are used to refine course
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