Teaching health disparities and equity to diverse undergraduates at an urban public university: Participatory Health Promotion models and methods as tools for inspiring leadership for social change

This presentation describes curriculum and teaching methods for two Psychology courses in General Education designed to introduce diverse undergraduates on a commuter campus to public health careers supporting leadership development for social change. Students come from communities affected by health and educational disparities but lacking knowledge about opportunities in public health for “Making a Living while Making a Difference”. The courses, a First Year Seminar “Diversity, Disparities and Health Equity” and Capstone “Gender, Culture and Health” integrate interdisciplinary Social Ecological models and participatory research methods in health psychology, community-based health promotion, and public health. Both courses apply critical pedagogy to examine U.S. and global perspectives on social determinants of health disparities and equity, teaching diverse students tools for personal and shared exploration of lived experiences in struggling with and transcending adversity. Ecosystemic models and participatory research methods help students examine unequal distribution of resources and stressors in multiple systems, linking personal and community health and wellness. Students learn foundations of participatory research, complete IRB training, and contribute to a Health Promotion Research project on campus or in the community. Both courses introduce students to the wide range of careers in changing health care and community-based public health, and ways innovative frameworks and methods including critical health psychology and public health, health and human rights, and participatory/inclusive research and practice methods can address health inequities and promote positive health outcomes for diverse communities. The presentation will include examples of student research projects illustrating how health promotion education inspired new career directions.