Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/environmental-health-the-foundation-of-global-public-health

Introduction

### Course Review and Recommendation: Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health on Coursera In an era where public health is intrinsically linked to the environment, understanding the impact of environmental factors on health has never been more critical. Coursera’s course, **Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health**, serves as an excellent starting point for anyone interested in delving into environmental health sciences (EHS) and grasping their significance in the broader context of public health. #### Overview This course marks the beginning of the **Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health** specialization. It offers a comprehensive foundation in EHS, exploring crucial elements that influence human health through environmental factors. With a focus on the exposure-disease model, this course provides an innovative framework for students to analyze the interactions between environmental conditions and health outcomes. #### Detailed Syllabus Breakdown **Week 1: Welcome & Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences** The course kicks off with an orientation week designed to familiarize students with essential concepts in EHS and identify various environmental hazards. Highlights include engaging discussions and introductory materials that lay a solid groundwork for understanding the intricate relationship between the environment and public health. **Week 2: Environmental Health Policy** In week two, students dive into the governance surrounding environmental health. This module addresses the laws and policies that shape our environmental practices and health initiatives. It is an enlightening segment that encourages students to critically assess the impacts of legislation on public health. **Week 3: Exposure Pathways & Systems Thinking in Environmental Health** Week three introduces systems thinking as a powerful tool for analyzing environmental health issues. This approach aids students in recognizing diverse exposure pathways and the multifaceted interactions at play. By the end of this module, students will appreciate how holistic thinking can inform environmental health strategies. **Week 4: Occupational Health** The course concludes with a focus on occupational health, emphasizing the varying risks associated with different jobs. Through case studies and examples, students will understand how occupational environments contribute to health outcomes. This final module serves to tie together the concepts learned throughout the course, providing practical insights into addressing occupational hazards. #### Course Strengths 1. **Comprehensive Content**: The course covers a wide range of topics essential for understanding environmental health, from fundamental concepts to specific policy implications. 2. **Interactive Learning**: The course design promotes community engagement and interaction, enabling learners to collaborate and share insights. 3. **Real-World Applications**: The inclusion of case studies and examples allows for a practical understanding of how environmental health principles apply in real-world scenarios, especially in occupational contexts. #### Recommendations I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in public health, environmental sciences, policy-making, or occupational safety. It is suitable for students, professionals, or even casual learners who want to broaden their understanding of how environmental issues affect health on a global scale. Whether you are pursuing a career in public health or simply want to become more informed about the environmental factors affecting human health, this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to engage meaningfully with these critical issues. Enrolling in **Environmental Health: the Foundation of Global Public Health** on Coursera is a valuable investment in your education and a step towards becoming a well-informed global citizen capable of contributing positively to public health discussions in your community and beyond.

Syllabus

Week 1: Welcome & Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences

Welcome to Week 1! We start this week with an orientation to the course and our learning community. Then, we start our course by covering two main topics: Basic Concepts of Environmental Health Sciences, and Environmental Hazards. Let’s find out more about these topics, and more, in the Week 1 module.

What laws and policies govern our actions toward our environment? Who is responsible for enacting these laws and policies? How do we assess the impacts of laws and policies on the environment? Let’s find out the answers to these questions, and more, in the Week 2 module.

There are many ways of thinking about the world around us; design thinking, critical thinking, computational thinking, etc. But have you heard of systems thinking, and how it can be an effective approach to think about our environment? Let’s find out how we can use systems thinking for environmental health purposes, and more, in the Week 3 module.

Different jobs involved exposures to different hazards and varying levels of risk. A construction worker is far more likely to be injured than a store cashier, for example. But all jobs involve potential occupational hazards. Let’s find out about occupational health (OH for short) and how we can approach it in the Week 4 module - the last one of this course.