Social epidemiology: A framework for public health nursing students to assess social inequality

Background: Social epidemiology examines how social conditions such as poverty, socioeconomic status and discrimination effects the health of the population. The concept of social justice illustrates this. Social epidemiology can provide a theoretical framework and research mechanism for public health nursing students which facilitate the movement of students beyond individual risk factors towards thinking about the societal conditions in which disease occurs. If we expect public health nursing to redress health disparities, then we need to educate students about social epidemiology and social justice.

Description: This presentation provides an overview of the principles of social epidemiology and its convergence with social justice principles. Social epidemiology examines how social inequality has a role in disease causation. Assessing social inequality can also explain how social justice principles can positively redress health disparities.

Lessons learned: Epidemiology provides nursing students with methods to identify the prevalence of diseases in communities. Cultural competence is taught so that students gain an understanding about cultural beliefs and health. Epidemiology and cultural competence alone, however, lack a broader world view needed to investigate and construct social interventions.

Recommendations: Incorporation of social epidemiology into the nursing curriculum provides students with a broader recognition of methods to assess and evaluate health disparities in ways that examine the problem from a social justice perspective.