Impact of Social and Cultural Environment on Health

Course overview

Course Description: The Impact of Social and Cultural Environment on Health begins by presenting an overview of past research into the topic, including a discussion of educational attainment, income, occupational status, social supports, and social networks. The aspects of health which are influenced by the social environment are then presented. In short, this course expounds upon the state of the field in the measurement of social-environmental variables and reviews the empirical understanding of the mechanisms by which these variables influence disease onset and progression. This course is based upon material published by the National Academies Press for the National Academy of Sciences and is available as an open access article. This course on the impact of social and cultural environment on health is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their understanding of the health impacts of social and cultural environment. The course material includes a review of the current state of the field in measuring social-environmental variables and how they influence disease onset and progression. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require clinical continuing education courses for license renewal. Authors: Lyla M. Hernandez and Dan G. Blazer (Eds) Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding the impact of social and cultural environment on health. Specifically, a professional will: •Describe past research into the influence of social and cultural variables on health •Identify the importance of social connections for health •Recognize the aspects of health influenced by the social environment Citation: Genes, Behaviors, and the Social Environment: Moving Beyond the Nature-Nurture Debate (2006). Committee on Assessing Interactions among Social, Behavioral, and Genetic Factors in Health. Lyla M. Hernandez and Dan G. Blazer, Editors. ISBN 0309660459. Visit us online for a full year of unlimited online CEUs.