select an infectious or chronic disease and provide a brief history and overview of this topic and how it is currently impacting public health today.

Students will be required to complete a 7-10 page final paper for this course. The final paper will require the student to select an infectious or chronic disease and provide a brief history and overview of this topic and how it is currently impacting public health today. Since topics may vary, formatting will as well; however, students will need to provide:

� Abstract

� History of the disease

� Symptoms of the disease

� The cause of the disease (and how/when the cause was discovered)

� Method to spread the disease (if chronic disease, populations most affected in the US)

� Methods to contain the disease

� Number of people infected or affected today (number of deaths, if applicable); may also use graphs and tables

o Use descriptive epidemiology concepts

� Public health costs (i.e. local, federal, hospitalizations, nursing, hospice)

� Treatments, in any available

� Current and future educational efforts needed by public health professionals to reduce spread of disease

2

“Growth of Hospitals and Health Care Systems with Benefits of Long-Term Care Facilities” Please respond to the following:

• • Predict the type of long-term care needed as the 21st Century America advances in age. Defend or critique the type of care patients obtain in private nursing homes as compared to public institutions or in-home care. Provide a rationale for your response.

• • “Mental Health Care Administration and Payment Plan”  Please respond to the following:
    • Critique the efficacy of the use of public and / or private resources to address mental health problems in the U.S. Provide at least two to three (2-3) examples of the types of mental health care available in the U.S.
  • “The High Cost of Medications and Shortage of Health Professionals ”  Please respond to the following:

    • Analyze the role of U.S. pharmaceutical companies in the health care industry, and give your opinion on whether or not you believe the protocols used in their business transactions falls under ethical / moral considerations. Defend or critique the pharmaceutical industry’s use of direct to consumer (DTC) ads in order to advertise its business. Provide a rationale for your response.