Course Syllabus

Emphasis is on the attitudes, customs, traditions, perceptions and beliefs held by ethnic minority groups and the impact these attitudes have upon the abilities of public health workers to interact with these individuals.

Graduate standing

Asynchronous online

The laptop requirements set forth by the Hudson College of Public Health as well as other IT resources are available here.

Students are expected to use Canvas throughout the semester for all coursework. Students should also have access to a word-processing software tool, like Microsoft Word.

• Explain the importance of cultural and linguistic competency. 
• Discuss the influence of cultural traditions on health-related decision-making. 
• Describe ways that cultural differences can result in misunderstandings in the healthcare environment and recommend steps to maximize outcomes. 
• Explain how communication barriers and low health literacy impact consumer access to health information and quality health care services.
• Describe cultural, social, environmental, and organizational factors that influence health beliefs, values, traditions, and practices in culturally diverse groups.
• Identify ethical issues that may arise when cultural barriers exist.
• Recommend strategies for effectively navigating challenges when working with culturally diverse groups.
  

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) has stated in its Accreditation Criteria that all MPH graduates must demonstrate the 22 foundational competencies listed under Criterion D2, as well as concentration competencies defined by the college or department for each degree track. The Hudson College of Public Health foundational competencies and concentration competencies are listed here

The following grid lists the CEPH foundational competencies and the department’s concentration competencies covered in this course and indicate where in the course these competencies will be imparted and assessed. 

HPS 5803 Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Health

Competency Map

Competency		Week	Oral Assignments	Written Assignments
FC 6	Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and systemic levels.	7	Class Discussion	Exercises, Reflections, Research Paper, and Presentation
FC 8	Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health polices or programs.	All	Class Discussion	Exercises, Reflections, Research Paper, and Presentation
FC 19	Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.	All	Class Discussion	Exercises, Research Paper, and Presentation
FC 20	Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.	2–8	Class Discussion	Exercises, Research Paper, and Presentation
HPS 1	Demonstrate ethical decision-making in the application of health promotion sciences.	15	Class Discussion	Exercises, Research Paper, and Presentation

 

Students are responsible for reviewing all assigned readings and materials. The following will be available in our Canvas course:

• course syllabus
• handouts
• readings
• assignment instructions
• quizzes
• discussions
• videos and/or pre-recorded video lectures

Please make sure you review each module and complete all tasks as outlined on the weekly "To-Do List'".  Modules will open on Monday for each week. All assignments are due on the date listed.

While an online course does not require physical attendance, ongoing active engagement and participation is necessary to successfully meet the learning objectives.

Students enrolled in this online course are expected to maintain ongoing active course engagement throughout the semester. Maintaining an online presence requires completing course related activities that include, but not limited to, reviewing module content, taking online quizzes, posting meaningful responses to discussion questions, watching lectures, submitting assignments, and carrying out any other requirements set forth by the instructor. All course activities must be completed by the stated deadline each respective week of the semester.

It is a good practice to log in to the course several times a week to stay informed of news, announcements, grades, assignments, and other important course information.

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Distance: Content is offered 100% online or via interactive video. Distance is defined as using one or more of the following technologies to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, synchronously or asynchronously. 

• Anne Fadiman (2012). The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and The Collision of Two Cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN: 0374267812

• Mark Edberg. (2023). Essentials of Health, Culture, and Diversity. 2nd Edition. Jones and Bartlett Learning. ISBN: 9781284226256

• Additional readings may be listed in weekly modules

Ethnographic Research Paper:

Students will be responsible for writing a 10–12-page research paper focusing on a health issue that disproportionately impacts a specific subculture of people. The subculture chosen should represent a minority group. The term minority in this context can refer to groups other than racial minorities (a minority subculture could be a particular ethnic group, religious group, sexual or gender identity-based subcultures, etc.). Students must receive instructor approval of their subculture group and health issue. The paper should include a description of the chosen group; explanation of the health disparity; the cultural values, beliefs, practices, etc. that influence the health and health behaviors of the group as it relates to the health disparity; challenges/cultural barriers to addressing the health issue; and based on resources and evidence available, propose a culturally relevant intervention to improve health outcomes related to the health issue. Detailed instructions and writing tips are available on Canvas (Ethnographic Research Paper Guidelines handout). 

Research Paper Proposal:

Students will write a two-page proposal that will serve as the foundation of the aforementioned Ethnographic Research Paper. The proposal should outline and provide some details related to the major sections required in the final paper and include 8–10 supporting references. Instructor feedback should be used to complete the final paper. Detailed instructions are available on Canvas (Research Paper Proposal Guidelines handout).

Oral Presentation:

Students will be responsible for developing an oral presentation of their research paper to be presented to the class using PowerPoint slides. Detailed instructions and tips are available on Canvas (Presentation Guidelines handout).

Reflective Essays:

Students will be responsible for writing 4 reflective essays related to the assigned readings in the book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Each essay must be three pages in length, with one-inch margins, double-spaced, and in 12-point Times New Roman font. Essays should be written in narrative form, using full sentences and paragraphs to organize thoughts. Reflective essays should not simply be a summary of the materials read—although, it is acceptable to give a recap of the most important aspects of the reading or provide specific examples, when needed, to support your perspectives/opinions. Additional information and tips are available on Canvas (Reflective Essay Guidelines handout). Due by 11:59 pm on the dates outlined on the Course Outline. 

Discussion

To receive participation points for the course, students are expected to actively contribute to online, asynchronous class discussions via the course discussion board each week of the semester. The purpose of the discussion board is to: build a sense of community; reflect, brainstorm, and generate ideas related to module topics and themes; compare and contrast interpretations, knowledge, and real world-experiences; and draw connections to information and ideas presented in the course material.

Each week, students are required to make three posts, 1 original post in response to the posted prompt and 2 replies to classmates. Specific details and instructions are available on Canvas (Weekly Discussion Posts handout).

Quizzes

Ten quizzes, based on textbook content, will be given online. Each quiz is worth 10 points. Quizzes must be taken within the scheduled time frame. You are expected to take all quizzes – if you miss a quiz it will count as a “0”. Questions consist of multiple choice, and true/false questions. Quizzes close at 11:59 pm Sundays.

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Evaluation Methods

Grading Rubrics

Student Evaluation of the Course

 

This table contains a weekly breakdown of the course topics and activities.

Week	Weekly Topic	Activities
1	Course Introduction and Overview •    Navigating the online course •    Course mechanics •    Introductions	•    Explore the course Canvas page •    Review the syllabus •    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Complete the Personal Reflection
2	Health, Culture, and Diversity •    Concept of culture and diversity in the U.S. •    Ways in which culture and health cross paths	•    Take the Module 2 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
3	Ethnomedical Systems •    Defining deviations from a culturally defined state of well-being: Creating the spaces for illness •     Defining and categorizing illnesses, causes, treatments, and treaters •    Does an ethnomedical system of belief cause illness? Define the nocebo effect.	•    Take the Module 3 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Choose U.S. Subculture (for ethnographic research paper)
4	Ethnopsychiatric Systems—Culture, Mental Health, and Emotion •    Culture, the mind, and psychology •    Culture-bound syndromes •    Culture and emotion	•    Take the Module 4 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
5	Culture, Health, and The Moral Dimension •    The relationship between cause (of an illness) and moral blame •    Illness behavior, illness roles •    Stigma: Illnesses that represent moral condemnation •    Leprosy and AIDS as stigma archetypes	•    Take the Module 5 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
6	Culture and Healing •    The social institutions of healing •    Healers and healing practices in relation to ethnomedical systems •    Shamans/shamanic practice •    Non-biomedical healing in Western contests •    Integrated healing	•    Take the Module 6 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
7	The Role of Social-Cultural Ecologies in Disease •    The creation of vulnerability •    The reciprocal relationship—culture, environment, disease •    Political ecology—health and its relationship to social stratification, wealth inequity, political, and economic systems	•    Take the Module 7 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
8	Culture, Subculture, and Relative Risk—Differences in Perceptions of Health Risk •    The shaping of health risk •    Subcultures and diverse social ecologies of risk	•    Take the Module 8 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Ethnographic Research Paper Outline Due
9	The Lee Family	•    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Write Reflection Paper
10	The Lee Family	•    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Write Reflection Paper
11	The Lee Family	•    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Write Reflection Paper
12	The Lee Family	•    Respond to the discussion board posts •    Write Reflection Paper
13	Case examples—three health issues (domestic and global) •    HIV/AIDS •    Obesity and its consequences •    Youth violence •    COVID-19	•    Take the Module 13 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
14	Application—Incorporating culture in health promotion interventions •    Program development and implementation •    Program evaluation •    Case examples	•    Take the Module 14 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
15	Reflecting on cultural competency •    Defining cultural competence •    Broad guidelines on cultural competence •    Cultural competency in practice	•    Take the Module 15 Quiz •    Respond to the discussion board posts
16		•    Submit Presentation •    View Class Presentations •    Ethnographic Research Paper Due

 

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This syllabus is intended as a guide for this course. Dates, assignments, and evaluation are subject to revision by the instructor. Any such revisions will be announced in advance

Updated 8-28-2023

This syllabus and all related course material are protected under US Copyright Law and may not be further disseminated in any form or format without the prior explicit written consent of the faculty member. Failure to comply with this provision may subject the student to disciplinary action and/or state or federal action. 

Ethical and professional behaviors are considered a core competency in an academic program and thus are key factors in a student’s good academic standing. Upon acceptance of an offer of admission, the student commits to comply with all professional conduct regulations established by the University, respective college, and program.  
The complete Student Professional Behavior in an Academic Program policy is at www.ouhsc.edu/provost/documents/FacultyHandbookOUHSC.pdf.

The Academic Misconduct Code describes academic misconduct as any acts intended to improperly affect the evaluation of a student’s academic performance or achievement. Academic Misconduct includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, fraud, destruction, bribery or intimidation, assisting others in any act proscribed by the Code, or attempting to engage in such acts.  
The policy and procedures related to academic misconduct are detailed in the Academic Misconduct Code found in Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook at www.ouhsc.edu/provost/documents/FacultyHandbookOUHSC.pdf.

The Academic Appeals policy outlines the procedure a student must follow to request a hearing for appeals related to evaluation in a course, thesis or dissertation defense, or general or comprehensive exam. It also outlines the appeal process for a suspension or dismissal or under the Student Professional Behavior in an Academic Program Policy and for appeals of decisions resulting in dismissal, expulsion, or suspension from a program or of being required to repeat a semester of year. The sole basis for an academic appeal is an alleged prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation or decision. 
Policy and procedure details are in Appendix C of the Faculty Handbook at: www.ouhsc.edu/provost/documents/FacultyHandbookOUHSC.pdf.

The University of Oklahoma is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. Accommodations on the basis of disability are available by contacting the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) by email at adrc@ou.edu or by calling (405) 325-3852 or Voice (405) 217-3494 (VP). Information on policies and registration with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center may be found on the ADRC website at: www.ou.edu/adrc. Students requesting accommodations related to work in a course must contact the ADRC as soon as possible; accommodations are not made retroactively. 

For issues regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including Advocates-On-Call 24/7, counseling services, mutual “No Contact orders,” scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Information is available from the Institutional Equity Office at (405) 325-2215 (8AM-5PM) or the OU Advocates at (405) 615-0013 (24/7). 

Students needing modifications or adjustments to course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues should contact the college’s Assistant/Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or academic advisor) or the Accessibility and Disability Resources Center (www.ou.edu/adrc) as soon as possible to discuss. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability.  
See www.ou.edu/content/eoo/faqs/pregnancy-faqs.html for answers to commonly asked questions. 

The student is responsible to submit required University paperwork before the deadlines to drop or withdraw from a course, shown in the Academic Calendar at http://admissions.ouhsc.edu/AcademicCalendar.aspx. Missed homework and examination grades will be entered as a grade of zero if a student fails to formally drop the course or withdraw from the University. 

In advance of examinations, students must check that their laptop or PC includes up-to-date encryption software and the necessary programs for securing the device. Students who obtain new or replacement devices at any time can request access to the Student Virtual Desktop at http://ouhsc.edu/sde. OU IT will grant student access within 24 hours of request submission. Students can log in at https://mydesk.ou.edu. All students should continue to encrypt their devices with Windows 10 and MacOS encryption tools and install anti-virus software.  
Instructions and recommendations are linked at:  

• Windows 10 Encryption
• MacOS Encryption, and
• Anti-Virus Software

If you will be absent from a course activity for any reason, it is your responsibility to notify the instructor as specified by the course syllabus. 

The University of Oklahoma faculty are committed to creating a safe learning environment for all members of our community, free from gender and sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. 

Please note that Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Harassment Policy designates all faculty members, including teaching assistants, as “Mandatory Reporter OR Responsible Employees.” Under the Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Harassment Policy all Mandatory Reporter OR Responsible Employees” must report all disclosures of sex or gender-based discrimination or violence to the University’s Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator will reach out to provide resources, support, and information after receiving a report, but community members are not required to respond to such outreach. Reported information will remain private. 

If you have (or someone you know has) experienced any form of sex or gender-based discrimination or violence and wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact OU Advocates at 405-615-0013, HSC Student Counseling Services at 405-271-7336, or Student Health Services, call 405-271-9675. For more information regarding the University of Oklahoma’s Title IX procedures, reporting, or support measures, please visit the Institutional Equity Office, or call 405-325-3546. 

Disclosures of gender and sex-based discrimination or violence made in relation to an assignment and/or educational prompt will not result in a referral to the University of Oklahoma’s Title IX Coordinator unless requested otherwise. 

The University of Oklahoma complies with all federal and state laws related to the confidentiality of patient and research participant medical information, including the Privacy and Security Regulations issued pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Students are required to comply with these laws and related University policies and procedures, including the HIPAA Privacy and Security policies http://ouhsc.edu/hipaa/policies.asp. Students are required to complete the University’s mandatory annual HIPAA training at http://ouhsc.edu/hipaa. Students must also comply with the related policies and procedures of their departments and any facilities in which they rotate. 

Students, as members of the University community, have the responsibility to ensure the integrity and ethical standards of any research activity with which they are associated directly or of which they have sufficient knowledge to determine its appropriateness.  
Students are governed by the Policy on Ethics in Research (Faculty Handbook Section 3.25) at www.ouhsc.edu/provost/documents/FacultyHandbookOUHSC.pdf. 

In a Distance Learning Classroom (DLC), a student’s voice, physical presence, materials, and participation in classroom activities may be transmitted to distance learning sites and videotaped or digitally captured. DLC video/digital archives are used internally by the University for educational and informational purposes. 

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