Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities
Background: While pharmacy education standards require students to recognize social determinants of health (SDOH), there is an opportunity to improve how this is taught in the curriculum. One innovative approach is to educate student pharmacists in a biochemistry course through the integration of t...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing
2020-09-01
|
| Series: | INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/2418 |
| _version_ | 1830206269671079936 |
|---|---|
| author | Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz Michael D. Harland Caleb Darensbourg |
| author_facet | Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz Michael D. Harland Caleb Darensbourg |
| author_sort | Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: While pharmacy education standards require students to recognize social determinants of health (SDOH), there is an opportunity to improve how this is taught in the curriculum. One innovative approach is to educate student pharmacists in a biochemistry course through the integration of topics like epigenetics using SDOH as the framework.
Innovation: A 50-minute educational activity was used to supplement material on the regulation of gene expression, in which epigenetic changes are driven by SDOH. It provided students with a biochemical basis to explain some health disparities, rather than viewing them exclusively as social obstacles to health. The activity employed a mini-lecture, a short video, as well as both small and large group discussion. A reflective paper was used to assess students’ understanding of the topic, and the role of the pharmacist in helping patients prevent diseases caused by epigenetic changes due to social determinants of health.
Findings: A post-activity survey showed that the activity increased students’ perception of knowledge about SDOH, as well as the effect of epigenetic changes on health outcomes. Furthermore, this activity increased students’ awareness about the role that SDOH play in epigenetic changes and challenged students to understand the role that society plays in health outcomes.
Conclusions: The preventable nature of health inequities creates an opportunity to integrate public health into pharmacy education. The integration of epigenetics and SDOH gives the student an opportunity to provide a mechanistic link between social inequities and biochemical processes.
Article Type: Note |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:09:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0a985e4f7e0424186d23acc43368b14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2155-0417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:09:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0a985e4f7e0424186d23acc43368b142022-12-21T21:21:30ZengUniversity of Minnesota Libraries PublishingINNOVATIONS in Pharmacy2155-04172020-09-0111310.24926/iip.v11i3.2418Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health DisparitiesEdgar S. Diaz-Cruz0Michael D. Harland1Caleb Darensbourg2Belmont University College of PharmacyBelmont University College of PharmacyBelmont University College of PharmacyBackground: While pharmacy education standards require students to recognize social determinants of health (SDOH), there is an opportunity to improve how this is taught in the curriculum. One innovative approach is to educate student pharmacists in a biochemistry course through the integration of topics like epigenetics using SDOH as the framework. Innovation: A 50-minute educational activity was used to supplement material on the regulation of gene expression, in which epigenetic changes are driven by SDOH. It provided students with a biochemical basis to explain some health disparities, rather than viewing them exclusively as social obstacles to health. The activity employed a mini-lecture, a short video, as well as both small and large group discussion. A reflective paper was used to assess students’ understanding of the topic, and the role of the pharmacist in helping patients prevent diseases caused by epigenetic changes due to social determinants of health. Findings: A post-activity survey showed that the activity increased students’ perception of knowledge about SDOH, as well as the effect of epigenetic changes on health outcomes. Furthermore, this activity increased students’ awareness about the role that SDOH play in epigenetic changes and challenged students to understand the role that society plays in health outcomes. Conclusions: The preventable nature of health inequities creates an opportunity to integrate public health into pharmacy education. The integration of epigenetics and SDOH gives the student an opportunity to provide a mechanistic link between social inequities and biochemical processes. Article Type: Notehttps://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/2418epigenetics; biochemistry; social determinants of health; health disparities |
| spellingShingle | Edgar S. Diaz-Cruz Michael D. Harland Caleb Darensbourg Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy epigenetics; biochemistry; social determinants of health; health disparities |
| title | Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities |
| title_full | Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities |
| title_fullStr | Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities |
| title_short | Using Biochemistry to Educate Students on the Causal Link between Social Epigenetics and Health Disparities |
| title_sort | using biochemistry to educate students on the causal link between social epigenetics and health disparities |
| topic | epigenetics; biochemistry; social determinants of health; health disparities |
| url | https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/article/view/2418 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT edgarsdiazcruz usingbiochemistrytoeducatestudentsonthecausallinkbetweensocialepigeneticsandhealthdisparities AT michaeldharland usingbiochemistrytoeducatestudentsonthecausallinkbetweensocialepigeneticsandhealthdisparities AT calebdarensbourg usingbiochemistrytoeducatestudentsonthecausallinkbetweensocialepigeneticsandhealthdisparities |