This week continues to build on themes from the last several weeks. First we will discuss stressors and the stress response in humans. We will also learn about the negative health consequences directly associated with chronic stress as well as possibilities for minimizing negative outcomes. In our other major discussion this week, we will also discuss the complexities of race/ethnicity and biology/health. As many of you have probably learned, race is a social construct; it is not biologically based. Yet, medical professionals continue to use race in diagnosis and treatment decisions. There is even a medication the FDA approved only for use in African Americans. We will discuss all of this in our other major discussion this week.

This week, we will address the following questions:

What is stress? What are stressors?
Why is stress chronic for humans?
How is social life a stressor for humans?
What are some of the health consequences of chronic stress?
What are some interventions to mitigate/prevent the negative health impacts of chronic stress?
How are race/ethnicity connected to biology/health?
What are some problems with using “race” as a characteristic by medical professionals?

Week 9 Objectives:

Students who complete this module will be able to…

Describe, identify, and critically analyze structural violence, inequalities, and power as they relate to the impact of stress on health and illness.
1. Aligns with Course Outcome 3.
Describe, identify, and critically evaluate interventions to address the impacts of stress on health and illness.
1. Aligns with Course Outcome 5.
Identify concrete practices to manage stress, to be an agent of one's health, and to be an advocate for health.
1. Aligns with Course Outcome 7.

Module 9 Assigned Reading:

Read: Chapter 10 from the textbook

Watch, “The Problem with Race-Based Medicine (Links to an external site.)” (15 min) (for Discussion 3)
- This is a TED Talk given by sociology Professor Dorothy Roberts
Watch, “Race Based Medication BiDil and African Americans (Links to an external site.)” (6 min) (for Discussion 3)
- This is a video in which sociology Professor Ann Morning explains the BiDil case.

Module 9 Tasks:

By 11:59pm on Monday: Holiday!

By 11:59pm on Tuesday: Read the Module 9 Overview. Post your Illness Narrative Part 2 Draft in the Discussion: Illness Narrative Essay -Part 1.

By 11:59pm on Wednesday: Read Chapter 10 and Complete the Assignment.

By 11:59pm on Thursday: Post initial post for the Discussion: Race-based Medicine. Post two peer responses for the Discussion: Illness Narrative Essay -Part 1.

By 11:59pm on Friday: Nothing due! Work ahead!

By 11:59pm on Saturday: Post two peer responses for the Discussion: Race-based Medicine.