Addressing Health Disparities
The term health disparities can be defined in a variety of ways. The National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) describes health disparities in terms of care and status, where healthcare disparities refers to differences in access to or the availability of facilities and services. Health status disparities refers to the variation in rates of disease occurrence and disabilities between socioeconomic and/or geographically defined population groups.
The Department of Health Care Administration teaches the business side of health care. Graduates work as analysts, administrative support staff, customer service, managers, consultant, information specialists in many different kinds of organizations (both public and private), independent business owners in hospitals, managed care organizations (HMOs and PPOs), insurance companies, and governmental health agencies.
The Department of Health Science teaches students an understanding of how to promote the health and well-being of organizations, schools, businesses, and communities. The program focuses on environmental influences, which include the cultural and societal context in which health behavior occurs and also emphasizes the processes for developing and changing individual attitudes and behaviors towards health.
Undergraduate Programs
The School of Nursing is a student-centered program whose mission is to educate undergraduate and graduate students to become quality professionals for entry into practice in diverse community settings. Students are taught to develop an understanding of self and others, and to develop the ability to work with colleagues to identify and resolve the health of individuals and families in a changing society.
Undergraduate Programs
The School of Social Work prepares a diverse student population for Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) and Master in Social Work (MSW) degrees for professional social work practice. Graduates are able to demonstrate competent and ethical practice with diverse and multicultural populations from a base that builds on advances in social work knowledge, values and skills; enhance the well-being and address the needs of diverse and multicultural populations across the life span; and advocate for social justice and social change and for elimination of oppression and discrimination.
