The objective of this course is to examine, in depth, some of the key social determinants of health in populations.  The course is organized around substantive topics areas (e.g. obesity, disability, mental health, youth and substance abuse, stress and social support, neighborhoods and environments), with a focus on understanding the role of social factors in shaping health.  The course draws heavily on epidemiological perspectives and methods as tools to improve our understanding of population health, and is designed to expose students to different methodological approaches and their strengths/limitations in defining population health, understanding its determinants, and assessing the mechanisms by which these determinants influence population health.