Going Viral: Sex and Going Viral: Sex and Disease Through the Ages (Z)Disease Through the Ages (IP)
Fall (7 to 10.5 hours) | Registration opens 8/13/2026 12:00 AM EDT
This registration page is for the Zoom option for this course.
“Social diseases” have exacted a large toll on humanity, both at the individual as well as the population levels. They have affected many notable people over the centuries and have affected our history in many ways. These diseases have been particularly difficult to prevent and control because of the political, social, and behavioral stigmas associated with them. Perhaps the fact that the name for these diseases — such as social diseases, VD, STD, and STI — continues to evolve is indicative of our changing attitudes and understandings of them. This course intends to familiarize learners about diseases that are spread through sexual contact. Background information will be provided on the clinical aspects of the diseases as well as their epidemiologies. We will then examine social co-factors that affect and shape prevention and control efforts; the changes in societal attitudes as depicted in the arts; and how social attitudes have affected and continue to impact prevention and control efforts.
This course will combine lecture with class discussions.
Paul Etkind
I am a retired public health epidemiologist who concentrated primarily on infectious disease prevention and control. I worked at the local, state, and national levels, and was active in professional organizations. My academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in biology from Clark University in Worcester, MA and master’s and doctoral degrees from the School of Public Health at Yale University.