COMM 479 Communication for Health Equity
Students will learn to apply an equity lens to multiple facets of health
communication including: how race, culture, and bias play a role in
patient-provider communication, health communication campaigns,
and mediated representations of health issues in the U.S. context.
Students will learn about the historical sources and causes of health
disparities as well as learn ways to improve health disparities across
these areas. Students will also be exposed to a community engagement
component and have the opportunity to work with health disparities
researchers and organizations.
Prerequisites
4 Undergraduate credits
Effective August 18, 2025 to present
Learning outcomes
General
- Explain how racism, culture, and other social determinants influence health outcomes
- Describe the historical basis of health disparities
- Analyze how communication both interpersonally and in mediated contexts shapes how different audiences receive and use health messaging
- Apply health disparities knowledge to a health equity issue in the community
- Create job materials using knowledge learned from class to translate their skills and knowledge to explore career options in health equity
- Apply equity lenses and critical theories in the context of health communication
- Evaluate current efforts to address health disparities in the U.S.
- Develop health communication plans and materials to promote health equity