Wellness Behavior (11:193:421) Syllabus

Course Description

3 credits. In today's world, health and wellness are headline news. What can you do to change your behavior to ensure a long and healthy life along with helping to improve the health of those people around you? Getting and staying well is a worthwhile goal no matter where you are right now. You can make positive changes for yourself and you can be an agent for change for your family, friends and community.

Instructors

Karen M. Ensle, EdD, RDN, FAND, CFCS
RCE of Union County
Family & Community Health Sciences Educator I
908-654-9854, ext. 1
ensle@njaes.rutgers.edu
Section 90

Sharon Kinsey
4-H Agent II
856-216-7130, ext. 2
sbkinsey@njaes.rutgers.edu
Section 91

SEBS School Requirement

Fulfills Junior/Senior Colloquium

Pre-requisites

None

Course Learning Objectives

As a result of this course you will:

1. Assess your personal health and complete a contract to implement personal behavior change during the course with short term and long-term goals for improved health and wellness.
2. Uncover your major stressors and analyze how well you communicate with family & friends.
3. Define your sexual attitudes and behaviors.
4. Assess your eating habits, weight, physical activity and planned personal changes.
5. Recognize and understand addictive behaviors: internet, gambling, compulsive buying, alcohol and tobacco along with drug abuse.
6. Identify the health benefits of understanding your family health history.
7. Assess your risk for cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer, chronic disease. Understand the potential outcomes of risky behaviors.
8. Apply the principles of team processes by serving on a group project team.
9. Plan, schedule, conduct, evaluate and post your individual interview with a healthcare professional with a minimum of a bachelor's degree, describing their role in healthcare including their work with individuals, families and the community.
10. Develop a five page Group e-portfolio (like a virtual poster board) project with your group which includes a page for each student in the group to share their section so they have their own page to design and develop. The group must work together to pick a health or environmental issue/organization and decide who covers which sections. All sections 1-5 must be included. Each page is dedicated to a section (if more pages are needed, define as: 1a, 1b, etc.).
    • Section 1 is dedicated to the health issue you are studying – cancer, domestic violence, etc.—why is it important to society and why have you chosen it?
    • Section 2 Organizational overview, mission, vision, clients, etc.
    • Section 3 Description of the organization, issues and challenges.
    • Section 4 Description of organizational activity, programs, directed at the issues.
    • Section 5 Future of the organization and where they are the headed; what are their biggest challenges? What suggestions do you have for them to address their issue?
    See grading rubric for E-Portfolio Group Research Project

Required Text

Access to Health, 13th Edition, by Rebecca J. Donatelle, Hardcopy or On-line Copy. Assess YOURSELF Activities to accompany above textbook in hard copy or on-line copy. Assessment Activities are also available under Course Home –E-College Wellness Behavior Course . Available at: New Jersey Books, Inc., Rutgers University Bookstore, RU/Barnes and Noble Book Store, Abebooks.com, Amazon, and Pearson Higher Education.

Required Readings and Assignments

Each week in this online/colloquium course there are required readings and self-assessments. These readings are the basis for the assignments including: self-assessments, threaded discussions, short papers, interview, project, group project. It is essential that you buy or rent the textbook and complete the self-assessments and upload to "Doc Sharing " within the course framework. If using hard copy of the assessments, please complete assessment, save as a pdf and upload to "Doc Sharing". We are using the 13th edition of the textbook and assessments. Please make sure to complete all assignments.

Course Grading

Late assignments will have 5 points per day deducted. Please make sure you keep up with all due dates of assignments. Each assignment has assigned point values. Accumulation of points will result in the following grade ranges for this course:

A= 920–1000 points
B+ = 880–919 points
B = 800–879 points
C+ = 780–799 points
C = 720–779 points
D = 620–719 points
F = 619 and below

Academic Integrity

As an academic community dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge, Rutgers University is committed to fostering an intellectual and ethical environment based on the principles of academic integrity. Academic integrity is essential to the success of the University's educational and research missions, and violations of academic integrity constitute serious offenses against the entire academic community. This academic integrity policy is designed to guide students as they prepare assignments, take examinations, and perform the work necessary to complete their degree requirements.

Students are required to adhere to the professional standards outlined in the Rutgers University policies on academic integrity.

Class Participation Policy

In addition to working together in your groups, students are expected to actively participate in all of the online activities for the course as outlined in the Course Outline (see below). Attendance in the online sessions is determined by thorough, thoughtful, relevant and on time contributions made in the weekly reading assignments, self-assessments, threaded discussions, short papers, interview project, and group project. It is expected that students will contribute 2 entries to each Threaded Discussion (TD) whether they are within the whole class or just your assigned group. TD needs to be completed on time and WITHIN THE SPECIFIC WEEK(S) FOR EACH discussion.

Students are responsible for completion of all assigned readings, materials discussed and assignments on or before the assigned due date.

The Individual Research Assignment: Interviewing a Health Care Professional needs approval by 2/28 (Project Due 4/1).

The Group e-Portfolio Health Issue/Organization Project needs approval by 3/28 (Project Due 4/29)

Course Outline

Week 1+ (1/21–1/31): Finding the Right Balance

• Accessing and Preserving Your Physical, Social, Emotional, Environmental, Spiritual and Intellectual Health (includes psychological health)
• Read and Review Chapters 1 and 2, Pages 2–57
• Complete the following self-assessments: How Healthy Are You?, How psychologically healthy are you? What is Your Spiritual IQ?
• All self-assessments are uploaded to "Doc Sharing" to your instructor only.
• Threaded Discussion #1 (with class) is an Introduction of yourself with first Post by 1/24 and second Post by 1/28. (All TDs have 2 posts)

Week 2 (2/1–2/7): Cultivating Your Spiritual Wellness

• Managing Stress and Improving Your Sleep
• Read Chapter 3, Pages 58–111
• Complete the following self-assessments and upload: How Stressed Are You? Are You Sleeping Well?
• Threaded Discussion (with class) #2, Chapters 1–3, Post #1 by 2/4 and Post #2 by 2/7

Week 3 (2/8–2/14): Creating Healthy, Caring Relationships

• Good Communicating and Understanding Your Sexuality
• Read Chapters 4 and 5, Pages 112–161
• Complete the following self-assessments and upload: How Well Do You Communicate? What are Your Sexual Attitudes?
• Threaded Discussion #3 with assigned group Chapters 4–5, Post #1 by 2/11 and Post #2 by 2/16
• Work on Short Paper #1 (see week 4 for directions)

Week 4 (2/15–2/21): Considering Your Reproductive Choices

• Read Chapter 6, Pages 162–199
• Complete the following self-assessments and upload: Are You Comfortable With Your Contraception?
• Complete Short Paper #1—submit in dropbox—Due 2/21. Discuss your results from the 8 personal assessments (Chapters 1–6) assigned from weeks 1–4.

Week 5 (2/22–2/28): Building a Healthy Lifestyle

• Eating Healthy and Reaching or Maintaining a Healthy Weight
• Read Chapters 7–8, Pages 202–262
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: How Healthy Are Your Eating Habits? Are You Ready to Start a Weight Loss Program?
• Work on your health care professional interview project. Approval by 2/28—email your instructor ensle@njaes.rutgers.edu or jkinsey@njaes.rutgers.edu (Project Due 4/1) Work on your small group e-Portfolio Health or Environmental Issue/Organization Project needs approval by 3/28 email instructor ensle@njaes.rutgers.edu or jkinsey@njaes.rutgers.edu (Project Due 4/29)

Week 6 (3/1–3/7): Enhancing Your Body Image and Improving Physical Fitness

• Read Chapter 9, Pages 226–306
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Are Your Efforts to Be Thin Sensible or Spinning Out of Control? How Physically Fit Are You?
• Write Short Paper #2 integrating your results from last 4 personal assessments (Chapters 7–9) and submit in dropbox – Due 3/7

Weeks 7–8: Avoiding Risky Habits

Week 7 (3/8–3/14): Recognizing and Avoiding Addiction and Drinking Alcohol Responsibly

• Read Chapters 10–11, Pages 310–350
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapters 10–11 Are You Addicted? What is Your Risk for Alcohol Abuse?

Spring Recess (3/14/15 – 3/22/15)

Week 8 (3/15–3/21): Ending Tobacco Use and Drug Abuse

• Read Chapters 12–13, Pages 354–406
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapters 12-13 Tobacco: Are Your Habits Putting You At Risk? Learn to Recognize Drug Use and Potential Abuse.
• Complete Short Paper #3 on the above 4 self-assessments (Chapters 10–13) and submit in dropbox on 3/23.
• Reminder!! Approval of e-portfolio by your professor due by 3/28

Weeks 9–11: Preventing and Fighting Disease (3 Weeks)

Week 9 (3/22–3/28): Chapter 14: Protecting Against Infectious Diseases, STIs and Understanding Your Health History

• Read Chapter 14, Pages 410–454
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapter 14 STIs: Do You Really Know What You Think You Know? What is Your Family Health History?
• Complete Health Care Professional Interview Project: Schedule, visit and interview a health care professional and prepare a summary report and submit with the completed Interview Verification Form. Include a picture of yourself with the person you interview. Due on 4/1/15.

Week 10 (3/29–4/4): Chapter 15: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes

• Read Chapter 15, Pages 458–491
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapter 15 What is Your Personal CVD Risk? Are You At Risk for Diabetes?

Week 11 (4/5–4/11):Chapters 16 and 17: Reducing the Risk for Cancer and Chronic Conditions

• Read Chapters 16–17, Pages 496–541
• What's Your Personal Risk for Cancer? Are You at Risk for Chronic Illness?
• Threaded Discussion #4 on Chapters 14–15 for 1st post by 4/8 and 2nd post covers Chapters 16–17 due by 4/11.

Weeks 12–14: Facing Life's Challenges (3 Weeks)

Week 12 (4/12–4/18): Chapter 18 Choosing Conventional and Complementary Healthcare

• Read Chapter 18, Pages 544–571
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapter 18: Are You a Smart Health Care Consumer?

Week 13 (4/19–4/25): Chapter 19 Preventing Violence, Abuse and Unintentional Injury

• Read Chapter 19, Pages 574–610
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapter 19: Are You at Risk for Violence? Are You at Risk for a Motor Vehicle Accident?

Week 14 (4/26–5/2): Chapter 20 Preserving and Protecting the Environment

• Read Chapter 20, Pages 614–635
• Complete the following self-assessments/upload: Chapter 20: Are You Doing All You Can to Protect the Environment?
• Submit the Small Group e-Portfolio Health Issue/Organization Project Due on 4/29

Week 15 (5/3–5/9)

• Complete Short Paper #4 on Eight Assessments from Chapters 15–20. Due 5/4/15. Submit in Dropbox.

Enjoy the summer!