Public Health Policy

POLS 526

Fall 2005

Instructor: Prof. Jim Schubert Assistant: Dr. Margaret Ann Curran

Office and phone: ZU 106; 753-9675

Office hours: 2:15 p.m. Monday

Email: t70jns1@wpo.cso.niu.edu mcurran03@aol.com

Course Description

This is a graduate seminar in public policy that meets the requirements of the public policy field at the master’s and doctoral levels in political science. Overall, the course has three main components. The first component of the course is to provide a broad based background in the American Healthcare system as well as policy issues and problems. This will be supported by readings from the book by Patel and Rushefsky. This book should provide preparation for students in the seminar to go out and teach and legitimately offer health policy for undergraduate instruction. The second component of the seminar will look at the contribution that advances in modern neuroscience have made to our understanding of public health problems. The Blank book on brain policy addresses a number of issues that arise from neuroscience most obviously of course is the issue of brain death that has become a significant issue in health policy. The third component of the seminar is to address specialized topics in health policy. The focus is not so much on health care reform, but rather on the aging of the baby boom generation and the problems that this issue places on the resources of this country and its economy. This is the framework under which the issues and topics have been chosen although the topics are not entirely limited to this framework.

Course Requirements:

Grades for this course will be based on two exams, a midterm and a final (30% each), as well as a term paper (40%). Additionally, into this is a graduate level seminar you will be required to choose one of the topics listed on the syllabus that you will present to the class. This will require that you research prior to your class presentation readings that each member of the class should read. This presentation and those readings will form the basis of your term paper. Further information on the requirements will be given throughout the semester.

Readings:

Two books are required for this course and additional readings will be placed on electronic reserve at the library. These additional readings are the readings you will choose for your topic and must be chosen at least two weeks prior to your presentation to the class.

TOPICAL OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

Week	Topic
	PART I – The Health Care System
8/23	Introduction to the course
8/30	History of Social Welfare State	Chapters 1, 2
9/13	Brain Policy	Blank book
9/20	Insurance	Chapters 3, 4
9/27	Access Media/Advertising	Chapter 5
10/4	Prescription Drugs Patient-centered v. physician-centered care
10/11	Population Economy Hospice	Chapters 6, 8
	PART II – Health Problems
10/18	Autism Obesity MIDTERM EXAM due
10/25	Addiction Environmental Health
11/1	Mental Health
11/8	AIDS
	PART III – Professional and Legal Aspects
11/15	Drug companies
11/22	Professional Societies	Chapter 9
11/29	Laws and legal rights	Chapter 7
12/6	FINAL EXAM due