Environment and health
Dr Sharron Pfueller
8 points
* 2 hours per week
* First Semester
* Clayton
*
Prerequisites: Consent of subject coordinator
Objectives To enable students to understand the nature of environmental and human factors in the causation and treatment of infectious, genetic and degenerative diseases; evaluate different health paradigms with respect to the relationship between humans and nature and analyse the factors involved in specific examples of health/environment interactions.
Synopsis This subject explores the interrelationships between environment and human physical and psychological well-being. It examines the view that health and disease are determined by the complex interaction of physical, psychological, spiritual and environmental factors, studying their role in the expression, causation and treatment of genetic, infectious and degenerative disease. It critically examines the ways in which views of health, disease and healing are influenced by society's perceptions of the relationship of humans with the environment. The prevailing biomedical model and its associated health care system focus on specific chemical and biological factors in both causation and treatment. Other health paradigms, however, including those of ancient Greece and Rome, eastern and indigenous healing traditions and alternative (complementary) medical practices give more emphasis to environmental and psycho-spiritual influences. Through both seminar presentations and projects students will study the contributions of pollution, food, psychosocial factors, buildings and lifestyle to health and to specific diseases chosen on the basis of their individual background and interest.
Assessment Project (2000 words): 35%
* Two essays (total of 4000
words): 55%
* Class contribution: 10%
Recommended texts
Evans R G, Barer M I and Marmor T R Why are some people healthy and others not? The determinants of health of populations Aldine de Gruyter, 1994
Illich I Limits to medicine. Medical nemesis: the expropriation of health Penguin, 1978
Hillman J and Ventura M We've had 100 years of psychotherapy and the world's getting worse Harper, 1992
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