Foundations of Community Health

Course Description

Traces the biological foundations of the stress response in contemporary society. Associates stressors with factors that may lessen or increase effects. Concept of allostatic load and disease occurrence considered. Specific strategies to manage stress presented.

Learning Outcomes

• Distinguish between astress, eustress, and distress.
• Describe physiological changes associated with increased distress and chronic distress.
• Assess distress from community, occupational, interpersonal, and individual perspectives.
• Explain public health interventions to reduce distress: education, regulation, legislation, litigation.
• Demonstrate the association between levels of allostatic load and health outcomes.
• Analyze stress management strategies from a personal, organizational, and community perspective.
• Classify sources of distress according to their impacts on health status.
• Assess the interactions and interdependence of biological, psychological, social, and systems factors affecting health in relation to levels of stress at individual, family, organization, and community levels.