Climate & Health Seminar

Geog 696C, Physical Geography Seminar, Spring 2006
Wednesdays, 12:00-2:30 p.m., Harvill 435D
Credit: 3 units
Instructor: Andrew Comrie (comrie@arizona.edu) 621-3512
Web: http://geog.arizona.edu/~comrie
Office Hours: by appointment

Schedule, Readings & Assignments (restricted)

Overview
Changes in climate and weather over space and time can affect health via temperature extremes and severe storms, by exacerbating the effects of air pollution, and through ecosystem impacts on a wide range of infectious diseases. Gaining insight on interactions within and between the natural environment, the built environment and society is key to improved understanding of climate and health. Furthermore, global climate change will redistribute diseases in predictable and unpredictable ways. This graduate seminar explores the many complex links between human health and climate. The course will provide students with an understanding of the known and potential role of climate in each disease covered. Our focus is on the specific role of climate, but recognizing that climate effects on disease must be considered within the context of the broader ecological and social system in which they occur. We will use books, reports, and journal articles for weekly readings and discussions. Several presentations by visiting speakers are planned. This class webpage is at http://geog.arizona.edu/~comrie/geog696c/2006sp.

Grades & Policies
Participation: True participation during each class meeting, as well as diligence on assignments and readings before and after each class, are essential. Simply attending class and/or attempting to participate by making ad-hoc comments will result in a low participation grade, as will poor or incomplete weekly assignments.

Readings & Review Assignments: Students are expected to pay detailed, close and critical attention to readings and assignments. For each class meeting, students will read the assigned material and bring to class brief summary and critique notes that will form the basis of in-class discussion each week. For most weekly topics, I will supply several key references that the whole class will read. Each student is expected to obtain and read additional articles and synthesize all the relevant information into the their own weekly review and in the class discussion.

Weekly Reviews & Additional Articles: Each student will write an occasional weekly review that focuses on the role of climate for a specific disease/health effect, with individual assignments to be decided in class each week. These reviews are to be submitted online each week to create a Climate & Health Weblog ("blog") resource over the semester. The overall template for each review will be: (i) brief disease description (ii) ecology & epidemiology (iii) influences of climate (iv) unresolved climate-health research questions (v) brief biography of a key researcher & (vi) references. Additional articles may be referenced in the weekly review and discussed in class. Part of the weekly reading assignment for the whole class is to bring specific review comments on that week's blog entry, which should be posted the day prior to class to allow for reading and comments.

Term Papers: Students are required to submit a term paper on a topic pertinent to the class. A range of formats are permissible; possibly examples including a detailed literature review, data analysis, thesis chapter, website, or proposal. Instructor approval of topic, content, format etc. is required. Term papers should be approximately 20 pages, typed, double-spaced, in 11 or 12 pt font, due on or before the last class meeting. Students will present their term paper projects in class near the end of semester.

Grades: 30% on participation, reading responses and assignments; 70% on the term paper.

Policies: Work submitted late may be subject to penalties. Absence/attendance, withdrawal, honesty and other policies as per the UA General Catalog.

Class Outline

This is a general outline. Specific details, weekly announcements, updates, etc. beyond those in the weekly schedule link above will be distributed in class or via email. The schedule of topics for the semester moves generally from introductory material through physical/chemical climate influences on health, and then through a variety of non-vectorborne diseases followed by a set of vectorborne diseases. The overall set of topics is flexible and we will likely add some topics and/or diminish emphasis on others to suit the interests of the class. The focus of the class is on human diseases, but we may be able to give some limited attention to plant or animal diseases.

Links