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Community and Behavioral Health

Head

  • Edith A. Parker

Professors

  • Elizabeth Altmaier (Psychological and Quantitative Foundations), Julie Andsager (Journalism and Mass Communication), Leslie Baxter (Communication Studies), Joe D. Coulter (Anatomy and Cell Biology), Kristi Ferguson (Internal Medicine), Paul Greenough (History), Ann Marie McCarthy (Nursing), Edith A. Parker, Jerry Suls (Psychology), Michael Teague (Health and Human Physiology)

Professors emeriti

  • Melanie Dreher (Nursing), Peter Nathan

Adjunct professor

  • Frank Boster

Clinical adjunct professor

  • Gene Lutz

Associate professors

  • Shelly Campo, Faryle Nothwehr, Erica Prussing (Anthropology), Nancy Thompson, Jingzhen Ginger Yang

Clinical associate professors

  • Mary Aquilino, Anne Helene Skinstad, Deb Waldron (Pediatrics)

Adjunct associate professors

  • Kevin Kelly, Connie Kohler

Clinical adjunct associate professor

  • Mary Losch

Assistant professors

  • Sandra Ramey (Nursing), Vanessa Simonds, Briana Woods

Adjunct lecturers

  • Ro Foege, Dawn Gentsch, Kevin Teale, Laurie Walkner
Graduate degrees: M.S. in community and behavioral health; Ph.D. in community and behavioral health
Web site: http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/cbh

The Department of Community and Behavioral Health examines the relationship between human behavior and community health and focuses on creating effective strategies for change. Its faculty members come from a variety of disciplines within the social and health sciences, drawn together by an interest in health behavior and promoting healthy communities.

Community and behavioral health students learn how to design, implement, and evaluate interventions directed toward identified public health problems in communities. They learn how public and institutional policy, the media, and community organizations can promote healthy behavior and effect positive change.

Graduate Programs

  • Master of Science in community and behavioral health
  • Doctor of Philosophy in community and behavioral health

Graduate students in community and behavioral health may earn degrees with or without subtracks. The Master of Science program offers an optional subtrack in health communication. The Doctor of Philosophy program offers two optional subtracks: addiction studies and health communication.

The department also offers two subtracks for the Master of Public Health: the community and behavioral health subtrack and the health communication subtrack. See "M.P.H. Subtracks" below.

Master of Science

The Master of Science program in community and behavioral health requires 35 s.h. of graduate credit, including a thesis. The program prepares students for research and professional positions in community and behavioral health or for Ph.D. study in community and behavioral health. The degree is offered with an optional subtrack in health communication; see "M.S. Subtrack in Health Communication" below.

During the first semester, M.S. students work with their academic advisor to develop a plan of study that satisfies their interests and professional goals as well as the program's requirements. Students are required to attend departmental seminars and to complete all courses required for the degree.

The Master of Science in community and behavioral health requires the following course work.

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH CORE

All of these (9 s.h.): 

171:161 (BIOS:5110) Introduction to Biostatistics3 s.h.
172:101 (CBH:5105) Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention3 s.h.
173:140 (EPID:5400) Epidemiology I: Principles3 s.h.
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CORE

Three of these (9 s.h.): 

172:106 (CBH:6205) Designing and Implementing Interventions3 s.h.
172:110 (CBH:5210) Community Development in Public Health3 s.h.
172:130 (CBH:5205) Social Determinants of Health3 s.h.
172:135 (CBH:8715) Health Disparities and Cultural Competence2-4 s.h.
172:150 (CBH:5220) Health Behavior and Health Education3 s.h.
172:185 (CBH:5420) Communicating with the Community3 s.h.
172:240 (CBH:6210) Health Communication3 s.h.
172:242 (CBH:6215) Persuasion and Health3 s.h.
172:246 (CBH:6220) Health Communication Campaigns3 s.h.
RESEARCH METHODS CORE

Two of these (6 s.h.): 

07P:243 (PSQF:6243) Intermediate Statistical Methods4 s.h.
07P:249 (PSQF:6249) Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models3 s.h.
07P:252 (PSQF:6252) Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Methods3 s.h.
044:106 (GEOG:3505) Foundations of GIS3 s.h.
171:162 (BIOS:5120) Design and Analysis of Biomedical Studies3 s.h.
171:241 (BIOS:6110) Applied Categorical Data Analysis3 s.h.
172:181 (CBH:5305) Evaluation I: Theory and Applications3 s.h.
172:183 (CBH:5310) Qualitative Research for Public Health3 s.h.
172:202 (CBH:6115)/113:202 (ANTH:6115) Ethnographic Field Methods3 s.h.
172:282 (CBH:6305) Evaluation II: Design and Methods3 s.h.
172:285 (CBH:6335) Research Methods in Community and Behavioral Health3 s.h.
CONTENT AREA ELECTIVES

Students work with their advisors to select at least 5 s.h. of course work appropriate to their educational goals and emphasis areas. They may choose from any community and behavioral health courses not already taken, other College of Public Health courses, or other University of Iowa graduate-level courses.

THESIS

The thesis requirement is 6 s.h.

M.S. Subtrack in Health Communication

The M.S. subtrack in health communication is designed for students who wish to gain knowledge and skill in designing, evaluating, and implementing effective communication strategies and messages that use mediated and interpersonal channels to address the health needs of diverse audiences. The program focuses on clinician-patient interaction, family communication, group and organizational communication, and mass media and web-based campaigns.

The health communication subtrack combines the M.S. core course work with additional concentrated learning opportunities. Students fulfill the regular M.S. requirements, using the health communication core to satisfy the content area electives requirement.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION CORE

Four of these (12 s.h.): 

036:371 (COMM:6371) Communication Theory3 s.h.
172:140 (CBH:4825)/019:160 (JMC:4825) Media and Health3 s.h.
172:240 (CBH:6210)/036:270 (COMM:6210) Health Communication3 s.h.
172:242 (CBH:6215) Persuasion and Health3 s.h.
172:246 (CBH:6220)/036:379 (COMM:6220) Health Communication Campaigns3 s.h.

M.P.H. Subtracks

The Department of Community and Behavioral Health offers two subtracks for the Master of Public Health: the community and behavioral health subtrack and the health communication subtrack.

The M.P.H. subtrack in community and behavioral health prepares public health practitioners for a variety of positions in community development, health program implementation, and health education.

The M.P.H. subtrack in health communication prepares public health practitioners for a variety of employment opportunities in health communication strategies, health communication in groups and organizations, and mass media/web-based campaigns in health promotion.

For detailed information about the M.P.H. degree, see Master of Public Health Program in the Catalog.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy program in community and behavioral health requires at least 75 s.h. of graduate credit, including credit from a master's degree. The program prepares individuals for academic, research, and policy-making work in the social and behavioral health sciences. This fast-growing academic specialty offers many career opportunities in academic and research institutions. The Ph.D. is offered with optional subtracks in addiction studies and in health communication; see "Ph.D. Subtrack in Addiction Studies" and "Ph.D. Subtrack in Health Communication" below.

Ph.D. students must successfully complete a qualifying exam, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation—a substantial scholarly treatise. The research topic must be approved by the student's dissertation committee.

During the first semester, students work with their academic advisors to develop a plan of study that satisfies their interests and professional goals as well as the program's requirements. Students are required to attend departmental seminars and to complete all courses required for the degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy in community and behavioral health requires the following work.

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH CORE

All of these (9 s.h.): 

171:161 (BIOS:5110) Introduction to Biostatistics3 s.h.
172:101 (CBH:5105) Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention3 s.h.
173:140 (EPID:5400) Epidemiology I: Principles3 s.h.
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CORE

Seven of these (21 s.h.): 

172:106 (CBH:6205) Designing and Implementing Interventions3 s.h.
172:110 (CBH:5210) Community Development in Public Health3 s.h.
172:130 (CBH:5205) Social Determinants of Health3 s.h.
172:131 (CBH:5415)/113:184 (ANTH:5415) Anthropology and International Health3 s.h.
172:135 (CBH:8715) Health Disparities and Cultural Competence2-4 s.h.
172:150 (CBH:5220) Health Behavior and Health Education3 s.h.
172:173 (CBH:5125)/113:185 (ANTH:3102) Medical Anthropology3 s.h.
172:185 (CBH:5420) Communicating with the Community3 s.h.
172:240 (CBH:6210) Health Communication3 s.h.
172:242 (CBH:6215) Persuasion and Health3 s.h.
172:246 (CBH:6220) Health Communication Campaigns3 s.h.
RESEARCH METHODS CORE

Five of these (15 s.h.): 

07P:243 (PSQF:6243) Intermediate Statistical Methods4 s.h.
07P:249 (PSQF:6249) Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models3 s.h.
07P:252 (PSQF:6252) Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Methods3 s.h.
034:214 (SOC:6170) Introduction to Sociological Data Analysis3 s.h.
034:215 (SOC:5160) Sampling, Measurement, and Observation Techniques3 s.h.
034:216 (SOC:6180) Linear Models in Sociological Research3 s.h.
034:218 (SOC:7170) Advanced Statistical Modeling of Data3 s.h.
034:219 (SOC:7180) Structural Equation Modeling3 s.h.
044:106 (GEOG:3505) Foundations of GIS3 s.h.
171:162 (BIOS:5120) Design and Analysis of Biomedical Studies3 s.h.
171:241 (BIOS:6110) Applied Categorical Data Analysis3 s.h.
172:181 (CBH:5305) Evaluation I: Theory and Applications3 s.h.
172:183 (CBH:5310) Qualitative Research for Public Health3 s.h.
172:202 (CBH:6115)/113:202 (ANTH:6115) Ethnographic Field Methods3 s.h.
172:282 (CBH:6305) Evaluation II: Design and Methods3 s.h.
172:285 (CBH:6335) Research Methods in Community and Behavioral Health3 s.h.
CONTENT AREA ELECTIVES

Students work with their advisors to select at least 18 s.h. of course work appropriate to their educational goals and emphasis areas. They may choose from any Department of Community and Behavioral Health courses they have not already taken, other College of Public Health courses, or other University of Iowa graduate-level courses.

DISSERTATION

The dissertation requirement is 12 s.h.

Ph.D. Subtrack in Addiction Studies

The Ph.D. subtrack in addiction studies is designed for students who wish to gain skill in developing and evaluating addiction prevention and intervention programs. This area of study and practice examines addiction prevention and treatment from both a public health and a biopsychosocial perspective.

The addiction studies subtrack combines core course work from the Ph.D. curriculum with additional specialized training. Students fulfill the regular Ph.D. requirements, using the addiction studies core to satisfy the content area electives requirement.

ADDICTION STUDIES CORE

Students work with their advisor to select 18 s.h. of addictions studies course work offered by the department. Courses focusing on treatment of substance abuse and comorbid psychopathology, prevention of substance abuse and comorbid psychopathology, and assessment and diagnosis of addiction and comorbid psychopathology are under development.

Ph.D. Subtrack in Health Communication

The Ph.D. subtrack in health communication is designed for students who wish to prepare for academic, research, and policy-making careers in the area of health communication.

The health communication subtrack combines the core course work from the Ph.D. curriculum with additional specialized training. Students fulfill the regular Ph.D. requirements, using the health communication core to satisfy the content area electives requirement.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION CORE

Four of these (12 s.h.): 

036:371 (COMM:6371) Communication Theory3 s.h.
172:140 (CBH:4825)/019:160 (JMC:4825) Media and Health3 s.h.
172:240 (CBH:6210)/036:270 (COMM:6210) Health Communication3 s.h.
172:242 (CBH:6215) Persuasion and Health3 s.h.
172:246 (CBH:6220)/036:379 (COMM:6220) Health Communication Campaigns3 s.h.

Admission

The community and behavioral health faculty considers several factors when evaluating applications for admission, including scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test, grade-point averages, letters of recommendation, intent and motivation for graduate study, and research interests. A student with deficiencies in one area may be admitted if all other components of his or her application are very strong.

All applicants must submit academic transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. Forms are available from the Department of Community and Behavioral Health or on its web site (see "Prospective Students").

Applicants to the M.S. program must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 and should hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. No specific undergraduate major is required. Preference is given to applicants with Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test verbal scores of at least 154, quantitative scores of at least 149, and analytical writing scores of at least 4.0 (GRE scores must be less than five years old).

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have a graduate grade-point average of at least 3.40 and should hold a graduate degree from an accredited college or university—ideally, an M.S. in community and behavioral health, or another public health degree, or a related social science degree, or a clinical health degree. Applicants who do not hold a graduate degree should apply to the M.S. program. Preference is given to applicants with Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test verbal scores of at least 154, quantitative scores of at least 150, and analytical writing scores of at least 4.0 (GRE scores must be less than five years old). Ph.D. program applicants also must submit their master's thesis, or if no thesis is available, a sample of their scholarly writing.

Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand must score at least 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants who score 550-599 (paper-based) or 81-99 (Internet-based) are required to take English fluency courses. Applicants who score below those ranges are not considered for admission.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Students enter the program in fall. The application deadline is January 15.

Financial Support

Several forms of financial support are available, including scholarships and awards, student loans, and graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistantships provide a stipend and entitle students to resident tuition and reduced health insurance costs. Research assistantships are competitive and are awarded according to department need and student merit.

Scholarships and fellowships are available through federal agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health, and from private foundations.

Resources

The department houses four centers. The Center for Health Communication and Social Marketing promotes communication research to address today's public health challenges.  The Iowa Tobacco Research Center supports research and education on tobacco use and prevention of tobacco use. It also supports culturally competent and accessible smoking cessation services. The Prairielands Addiction Technology Transfer Center provides state-of-the-art training, curricula, and resources on substance use issues for counselors, health care professionals, and members of the community. The Prevention Research Center for Rural Health focuses on improving the health of rural Iowans.

Graduate students may have opportunities to work with ongoing research projects in the centers.

Courses

172:101 (CBH:5105) Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention3 s.h.
Basic concepts, strategies, and methods of health promotion and disease prevention; health promotion in the context of public health, theories and principles that underpin health promotion; overview of policy formation and health promotion planning, implementation, evaluation. Offered spring semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:106 (CBH:6205) Designing and Implementing Interventions3 s.h.
Background and skills necessary to plan a public health intervention program; program planning models. Offered fall semesters. Prerequisites: 172:150 (CBH:5220). Requirements: admission to College of Public Health.
 
172:110 (CBH:5210) Community Development in Public Health3 s.h.
Concepts, strategies, and methods of community development as major approaches to creating healthy communities and promoting social change; role of public health practitioners as agents of change in organizations, communities. Offered fall semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:115 (CBH:5215) Community Preventive Programs and Services3 s.h.
Current public health problems and associated community preventive interventions. Offered fall semesters.
 
172:122 (CBH:6405) Maternal, Child, and Family Health3 s.h.
Major issues, policies, and programs for health of women, children, and families in the United States; social, political, and economic determinants. Offered spring semesters. Prerequisites: 096:030 (NURS:1030) and 173:140 (EPID:5400).
 
172:130 (CBH:5205) Social Determinants of Health3 s.h.
Relationship between social factors and health, with focus on family, neighborhood, community, and social group levels. Offered spring semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:131 (CBH:5415) Anthropology and International Health3 s.h.
Anthropological contributions to and critiques of the international health enterprise; case studies illustrating anthropology and international health's intersection, and their differences. Offered spring semesters. Same as 113:184 (ANTH:5415), 152:184 (GHS:5415).
 
172:133 (CBH:5140) The Anthropology of Women's Health3 s.h.
How female gender intersects with culture, environment, and political economy to shape health and illness; reproductive health, violence, drug use, cancer; readings in anthropology, public health. Prerequisites: 113:003 (ANTH:1101). Same as 113:133 (ANTH:4140), 131:133 (GWSS:4140).
 
172:135 (CBH:8715) Health Disparities and Cultural Competence2-4 s.h.
Characteristics, causes, and effects of health disparities in the U.S. health care system; foundation for development of knowledge, attitudes, and skills required of culturally competent health care providers; definitions and models of cultural competence, characteristics of culturally effective practitioners and workplaces; health disparities among specific populations, evidence for cultural competence as a remedy; taking a culturally appropriate history; working with interpreters; legal and professional imperatives for cultural competence. Same as 046:377 (PHAR:8715), 096:125 (NURS:3715).
 
172:140 (CBH:4825) Media and Health3 s.h.
Potential and limits of mass media's ability to educate the public about health; research and theory on the influence of information and entertainment media; theories, models, assumptions of mass communication in relation to public health issues. Same as 019:160 (JMC:4825).
 
172:150 (CBH:5220) Health Behavior and Health Education3 s.h.
Common theories of health behavior and health education and their application to varied public health problems and settings. Offered spring semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:155 (CBH:5230) Public Health Issues in Overweight Management3 s.h.
Overview of overweight and obesity from a public health perspective, including epidemiology, measurement issues, and intervention approaches at individual, community, and policy levels. Prerequisites: 170:101 (MPH:5100) or 172:101 (CBH:5105).
 
172:161 (CBH:5435) Substance Abuse Prevention and Early Intervention3 s.h.
Prevalence and characteristics of several substance use disorders and the impact of such disorders on the individual, the community, and public health workers; how prevalence of substance use disorders varies among different ethnic and cultural groups, between men and women, across the life span, and through different socio‑economic levels; how outcomes of substance abuse disorders vary at both the individual and community level as a function of these factors. Requirements: graduate standing and substance abuse course.
 
172:162 (CBH:5440) Prevention and Early Intervention of Mental Health Disorders3 s.h.
Prevalence and characteristics of mental health disorders; differences between ethnicity and culture, gender, age, and socioeconomic background; primary and secondary prevention; assessment and tertiary treatment approaches to mental health disorders.
 
172:170 (CBH:6410) Special Topicsarr.
Didactic material in community and behavioral health that may include tutorial, seminar, or faculty‑directed independent work (e.g., literature search, project, short research project).
 
172:173 (CBH:5125) Medical Anthropology3 s.h.
Major theoretical, methodological approaches; international health and development; biomedicine as a cultural system; ethnomedicine; anthropology and AIDS, human reproduction, epidemiology, ethnopsychiatry. Prerequisites: 113:003 (ANTH:1101) or 113:010 (ANTH:2100). Same as 113:185 (ANTH:3102), 152:185 (GHS:3102).
 
172:181 (CBH:5305) Evaluation I: Theory and Applications3 s.h.
Program evaluation methods in public health; overview of evaluation theory and models of program evaluation, examples of public health program evaluation, criteria for judging evaluation methods and products. Offered fall semesters. Prerequisites: 172:150 (CBH:5220) and 173:140 (EPID:5400). Requirements: public health student.
 
172:183 (CBH:5310) Qualitative Research for Public Health3 s.h.
Introduction to methods and theories of qualitative research that facilitate description and explanation of social phenomena related to health behavior, illness, prevention, and treatment in the public health domain. Offered fall semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:185 (CBH:5420) Communicating with the Community3 s.h.
Communication skills for research and practice settings, taught from a cultural perspective with reference to gender, age, ethnicity; individual and constructive interviewing, public speaking, conducting focus groups. Offered fall semesters. Requirements: graduate standing.
 
172:202 (CBH:6115) Ethnographic Field Methods3 s.h.
Basic data‑gathering techniques for field research in sociocultural anthropology. Same as 113:202 (ANTH:6115).
 
172:240 (CBH:6210) Health Communication3 s.h.
Theories, concepts, research associated with health communication; interpersonal and mass communication approaches. Offered summer sessions. Same as 036:270 (COMM:6210).
 
172:242 (CBH:6215) Persuasion and Health3 s.h.
Theories of persuasion and social influence; attitude formation, relationship between attitudes and behavior, persuasion theories and their applications across health topics. Offered spring semesters.
 
172:246 (CBH:6220) Health Communication Campaigns3 s.h.
Design and analysis of health campaigns; theory, practice, methods; mass media, community, organization, and interpersonal approaches. Offered spring semesters. Same as 036:379 (COMM:6220).
 
172:248 (CBH:6225) Health Information and Health Literacy3 s.h.
How health information is accessed, sought, used, and delivered in various health information contexts; current issues about health information and literacy, including concepts, measures, factors, consequences, interventions.
 
172:270 (CBH:6415) Independent Study in Community and Behavioral Healtharr.
Pursuit of an interest in community and behavioral health requiring substantial creativity and independence.
 
172:282 (CBH:6305) Evaluation II: Design and Methods3 s.h.
Research design and methodology for evaluation of public health and related programs; causality, evaluation theory, threats to validity, selection and comparison of research designs, sample selection and size, survey and scale construction, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, data management, reporting; based on case study of an infant mortality prevention program. Offered spring semesters. Prerequisites: 172:181 (CBH:5305). Requirements: biostatistics or statistics course.
 
172:285 (CBH:6335) Research Methods in Community and Behavioral Health3 s.h.
Overview of quantitative research methods for community and behavioral health; major elements of behavioral and social science research, critical evaluation of research related to community and behavioral health, application of research methods in public health practice; opportunities for students to build skills for evaluation of research and application of quantitative research methods. Prerequisites: 171:161 (BIOS:5110) and 173:140 (EPID:5400).
 
172:300 (CBH:7505) CBH Thesis/Dissertationarr.
Work on M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation in community and behavioral health, with thesis/dissertation advisor.