BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California State University Bakersfield is introducing a new health equity course for Fall 2023. The course will teach students about social and cultural issues surrounding health care access and outcome disparities.
The public health program is fairly new to CSUB, just having started back in 2021. A professor in the program, Andrea Lopez, says the goal is not only to teach students about health disparities and inequities, but also how to strategize and come up with solutions to achieve health equity.
"Health equity," Lopez explained, "is the idea that everybody deserves the opportunity to be as healthy as they can be. We know that some groups face more obstacles than other groups in order to be able to achieve health."
Lopez says they plan to begin the course talking about social determinants of health, such as housing, transportation, and location. She goes on to add that students in the CSUB public health program will also learn about health disparities in different groups, and talk about what solutions they have seen work in other communities, using that knowledge to discuss whether and how those solutions might be incorporated into our own community.
"Really, the goal is that students leave feeling confident in their ability to talk about health disparities and health equities, and feeling confident in their ability to engage the community in having conversations around these issues, so when they're in the workforce that's front of mind and they're thinking about how we can achieve health equity," said Lopez.
Local health officials also think the new course offering will be a benefit to both the students and the broader community. Kern County Public Health Equity Officer Jasmine Ochoa says the CSUB program is a great opportunity for the future generation of public health professionals.
"I'm just so excited for the program and the awareness it is going to raise in our community, and it's really going to deepen our commitment of preventing diseases and breaking down those barriers that have existed for so long," said Ochoa.
Ochoa adds that it is important for local public health facilities to support these students with programs such as the Public Health Pipeline Internship Project, which Kern County Public Health offers to help students obtain firsthand knowledge in the career field.
And according to Kern Health Systems Chief Health Equity Officer Traco Matthews, the opportunities for growth in public health don't stop there.
"We are definitely planning to support the program however we can. In one very specific way; we already have 2 internships slated for this summer, and those positions should be posted soon," said Matthews. "I love that there is this increased focus on health equity, that there is this renewed appreciation. I think it's going to make our community here in Bakersfield and all of Kern County a healthier place to live, and that excites me."
The health equity course is not just for CSUB students who have declared public health as a major. To ensure the widest accessibility, the class is open to all students as part of the university's general education curriculum.
It's a move Lopez supports.
The health equity course is not just for CSUB students who have declared public health as a major. The class is open to all students as part of the university's general education curriculum, a move Lopez supports.
"I think that it's really important that students have that opportunity to collaborate early on in their careers, because in order to achieve health equity, we really need a multi-sector approach," said Lopez. "We need people from all different fields talking about it, working together, and collaborating together so that we are able to address these issues."
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about public health education or the internship opportunities available through CSUB, please visit the university's Public Health Opportunities website.
