Section outline

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    • Advanced Concepts and Methods in Research on Health Disparities and the Social Determinants of Health

              Spring 2017 (2 units)
      .
      Course Director: Christine Dehlendorf, MD, MAS
      Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine
    • News forum

  • Monday, April 3, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Classic conceptual papers

    Seminal theories and frameworks that have shaped discourse about the nature and etiology of health disparities and the role of social determinants of health.

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:       Mission Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Slides:

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Link BG, Phelan J. Social conditions as fundamental causes of disease. Journal of health and social behavior. 1995 Jan 180-94 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Lynch J and Kaplan G. Chapter 2, Socioeconomic Position. In: Berkman LF and Kawachi I (eds). Social Epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press (2000), pp. 13-35 URL
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Krieger N. Theories for social epidemiology in the 21st century an ecosocial perspective. International journal of epidemiology. 2001 Aug 1;30(4)668-77. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • Krieger N. Epidemiology and the web of causation has anyone seen the spider. Social science medicine. 1994 Oct 1;39(7)887-903. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Phelan JC, Link BG. Is racism a fundamental cause of inequalities in health. Annual Review of Sociology. 2015 Aug 14;41311-30 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Susser M, Susser E. Choosing a future for epidemiology I. Eras and paradigms. American Journal of Public Health. 1996 May;86(5)668-73. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • McMichael M. Prisoners of the Proximate Loosening the Constraints on Epidemiology in an Age of Change. Am J Epidemiology 1999 149;10887-97. File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment:

      Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. How would you describe the fundamental shift in thinking within epidemiology that the authors of all these papers all urge?
      2. According to these classical conceptual papers, what are some of the most important causes of ill health and health disparities?
      3. At what level(s) should these root causes of disparities be addressed?
      4. Describe the central concept of embodiment.

  • Monday, April 10, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Multi-level and causal analyses

    Approaches to analyzing complex data to investigate influence across multiple levels and to estimate causal effects.

    Faculty:  Maria Glymour

    Location:      Mission Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Slides:

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Arcaya Multilevel File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Diez-Roux multilevel File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Hamad EITC ChildDev File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Kawachi CausalInf MoneySchoolingHealth File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. Why do observational studies where participants have not been randomized to exposures of interest, such as    income or exposure to a policy change, face such great challenges in proving causation?
      2.  What are some ways that researchers get around these challenges in an attempt to make causal claims in observational studies?
      3. How do multi-level models attempt to address the macro-level factors the authors of last week’s articles considered so important?
      4. What research questions in your area of interest do you think could benefit from multi-level analyses? Why?

       

  • Monday, April 17, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Racism and Intersectionality

    Methods for investigation of impact of racism, as well as the intersection between different dimensions of vulnerability

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:      Mission Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Bowleg Intersectionality 2012 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Coley birth File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • wemrell File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • Viruell-Fuentes IntersectionalityImmigration 2012 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Williams racism review 2009 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. How do racism and other forms of discrimination lead to health disparities?
      2. How has discrimination and its impact on health been measured?
      3. Using a framework of intersectionality, describe why what influences women’s health goes beyond sex and gender differences.
      4. Discuss methodological challenges to the study of intersectionality as it relates to your area of research.

  • Monday, April 24, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Community based participatory research

    Theory and practice of community-based participatory research, including its challenges and benefits.

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:       Mission Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Vasquez CBPR File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Andrews CBPR File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Yeary CBPR File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Minkler CBPR File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • Comm Engaged Research Guide USC File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Wallerstein and Duran 2010 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • AJPH.2014 Cacari Wallerstein Garcia Minkler File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. What are the central tenants of the CBPR research paradigm?
      2. What are some challenges often faced by CBPR project teams?
      3. In what ways is a CBPR approach well suited to promoting real change in health care and policy, in comparison with a traditional research approach?
      4. Describe the spectrum of ways in which target populations can be involved in CBPR projects.

  • Monday, May 1, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Measurement

    Focus on research to develop and validate measure in diverse populations, as well as understand heterogeneity in scale response by sociodemographic characteristics and implications of failing to consider these factors.

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf/Kelsey Holt

    Location:       Mission Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Ram-rez et al-2005-Health Services Research File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Stewart1 measurement File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Stewart et al-2007-Health Services Research File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • McMahon measurement File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. What does it mean to "validate" a measure?
      2. What are differing explanations for heterogeneity in scale response by sociodemographic characteristics?
      3. What are the implications of failing to consider differential functioning of a measurement tool among different groups?

  • Monday, May 8, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Health care disparities

    Influential papers establishing health care disparities as a factor contributing to health disparities, as well as studies using novel methodologies to investigate and address health care disparities, including standardized patients and between and within hospital comparisons.

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:      MIssion Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Cooper File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • AJPH.2015.302903 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Li Y.JAMA.2011.Lect.2pdf File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • neff File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • Dehlendorf File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • dovidio File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. What novel methods have been applied to the study of health care disparities?
      2. What other ideas do you have for innovative ways to study health care disparities?
      3. What interventions do you think would be most effective to decrease health care disparities?

  • Monday, May 15, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Epigenetics

    Studies investigating relationship of genetic ancestry with race/ethnicity and implications for health disparities.

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:      MIssion Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Thayer Kuzawa 2011 Epigenetics File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Kuzawa et al-2009-American Journal of Human Biology (1) File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • parets epigenetics File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Optional Reading:

    • critphilrace.1.2.0190 File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • Gravlee-2009-American Journal of Physical Anthropology File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02
    • wallack epigenetics File
      Not available unless: Your ID number contains 02

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

      1. According to epigenetics, what are some mechanisms through which aspects of social status affect biology?
      2. How do these epigenetic mechanisms further entrench health disparities?
      3. What would those studying epigenetics say about whether it’s genetic ancestry or social status that explains why African Americans have disproportionately higher rates of many illnesses than their White counterparts?
      4. Describe the intergenerational nature of health disparities and the role of epigenetic mechanisms.

  • Monday, May 22, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Student led-discussions

    Research on relationship of incarceration and the penal system on health outcomes and health disparities, as an example of research on a policy-level social determinant and its downstream impacts.

    Faculty:  Meghan Morris

    Location:      MIssion Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Optional Reading:

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

  • Monday, May 29, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  No Class - Memorial Day

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:      MIssion Hall, Conference Room 2700

  • Monday, June 5, 2017; 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    Lecture:  Student led-discussions

    Faculty:  Christine Dehlendorf

    Location:      MIssion Hall, Conference Room 2700

    • Session Audio/Video Recording (Access restricted to registered students):

    • Required Reading:

    • Optional Reading:

    • Resources:

                 WebEx Login information

                 https://webmeeting.ucsf.edu

                 Meeting Number: 991 016 883

                 Audio Connection: +1 415-514-1000 (Toll)

    • Assignment: Below are discussion questions we will consider in class, that you should be thinking about as you do the reading. If you will not attend class, please submit written responses to each question of approximately one half to one page per question (email to christine.dehlendorf@ucsf.edu).

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