Making Public Health Matter: Reimagining Health-Based Journalism

Spring 2013 quarter

Faculty

Nancy Anderson community and international health , Suzanne Simons writing, journalism, sociology

Fields of Study

cultural studies, health and writing

Preparatory for studies or careers in

health-related fields, public administration, journalism, public information planning, education

Description

Public health and prevention are often the invisible part of health policy.  Those who are healthy or whose diseases have been prevented never know what they missed.  But the decay in preventive health infrastructures has clear consequences: population health and well-being suffer with consequences for our futures. How can the importance of public health be made clear to those who pay for preventive services – funders and taxpayers? For many people, health awareness begins with a personal crisis or insight that later is generalized to a population overall.  The individual narrative can serve as a beacon, catalyzing an understanding of the importance of what we don’t see. This program will explore the importance of narrative as a source of advocacy through exploration of health journalism ranging from students’ own personal health narratives to tracking and critiquing public health journalism in a variety of mainstream, alternative, and specialty media.  Students will also write a public health article based on attending a public policy meeting or hearing with public health implications. This preliminary work will ground us in envisioning and creating advocacy narratives of new models for health systems that emphasize the primacy of prevention and well-being. As final projects, students will work in small groups to design a vision for a health care system that meets these criteria, creating narratives for specific target audiences.

Advertised Schedule

10a-5p Sat (Apr. 6, 20, Jun. 1, 8) plus special meetings Sat. Apr. 13, Wed. Apr. 24, Fri. Apr. 26, Thu. May 2, Sat. May 4, Mon. May 6, and Sat. May 18.

Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Hybrid Online Learning < 25% Delivered Online

Books

Greener Store

Required Fees

$80 for conference admission

Offered During

Weekend