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Salem State University.
SMS 196 section 1 Men’s Health Seminar Fall 2013
Room 214 O’Keefe Center Time: M, W, and F. 9:50 to 10:40 am
Instructor: Dr. Brian Witkov
Department of Sport and Movement Science
O’Keefe Center, Room 127B
Phone: Department Secretary 1-978-542-6587
My # 1-978-542-2424 ext. #1199
E-mail: user369128@aol.com
Office Hours: By appointment, usually before or after class
Course Description: The Men’s Health Seminar will survey developmental,
physiological, sexual and psychosocial aspects of men’s health. Threats to health and
wellness such as alcoholism, trauma, depression and low self-esteem / unrealistic body
image will be discussed. The focus will be topical issues, including male identity, gender,
chronic disease, mental illness, and media coverage of these topics.
The course is 3 lecture hours per week and may be used to fulfill health core requirement.
Course Objectives: Upon course completion, students will be able to:
Explain male genetic, fetal, child, and adolescent physical/sexual/psychological and
social development.
Identify cultural and biological factors, influencing male development and health.
Demonstrate an appreciation for psychological/social issues relating to body image,
aging, sexuality, identity, emotion and sex roles.
Discuss the threat of, cardiovascular disease, specific cancers, chronic disease,
depression, suicide, alcoholism, trauma and STDs to Men’s health.
Understand the role of sexual orientation, self-concept, self-esteem, marketing, feminism
and societal expectations in shaping views of masculinity.
Pursue life with an insightful understanding of male identity and issues pertinent to male
health.
Goals: To enable students to identify and understand risk factors impacting male health
as well as empowering the students to engage in preventative behavior
Materials: An assortment of PowerPoint slides, articles and abstracts will be made
available. In addition, students will be responsible for referring to specific Internet sites,
pertinent to the course. Text: The Harvard Medical School Guide To Men’s Health,
The Free Press, 2004. New York, N.Y., Harvey B. Simon, M.D.
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Course Requirements:
1. Attendance 20%
2. Written tests (3 in total: drop one). 50%
3. Improv skits on health issues 10%
4. pop quizzes on health 20%
Attendance Policy: Attendance and participation are essential.
More than 6 missed classes will result in an incomplete grade in this course.
Be prepared to participate in frank, challenging and thought provoking discourse.
Make up Policy: Drop one test. Do not expect make-ups unless dire circumstances
have transpired!! Tests 1 will be October 14th. Test 2 will be November 18th. Test 3 will
be December 9th. Tests are based on lecture and text.
Class Assignments: The mini skits will be discussed in class and times will be
assigned to each student group.
Course Outline:
Section 1 (Text)
Why study men’s health? Media’s take on subject.
Embryo”y” chromosome- differentiation early development.
Hormonal messages
Section 2
Have men evolved yet? Darwinian men.
Nurture and nature- hormones or culture?
Evolutionary psychology
Animal study / research and health studies
The evolution of mating/Sociobiology
Section 3
Women and men: an impasse?
Issues in feminism and society
“Gendered Society” (Kimmel, MS) and “Myths of boyhood” (Pollock, WS)
Lost childhood love ------be strong like an oak! Forsake mom.
Contrasting psychosocial evolutionary biology with Feminism
Section 4 (Text)
Health of men, a summary
Nutrition, diet
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Cardiovascular disease and risk!
Exercise and fitness-ACSM
Section 5 (Text and lecture)
Alcohol: dependence, tolerance, abuse, acute and chronic effects
History and descriptive epidemiology
Cross-cultural differences and genetics and special populations
Risk behaviors, agent, host and environment
Section 6
Testosterone, aggression, violence
Anger: our only emotion?
Self-esteem and confidence self –direction
Sexual violence and rape
Depression criteria and DSM
Depression and suicide—stratified by age
Risk behaviors
Section 7
Body image Adonis complex (Pope, HG et. al.)
Athletic/sexual performance, enhancement and supplements
Body, sexual, emotional and social expectations.
Males in society: whom do we emulate?
Muscle structure
Section 8 (Text)
Cardiovascular health, smoking
CVD and males
Food fads, exercise fads, conditioning fads.
Testosterone and coronary disease
Peripheral artery disease and penile artery disease
Section 9 Sexuality and identity
Gay and bisexual issues -Race, religion / “Machismo”
What is deviance (Margaret Meade)?
Culture and SES (socioeconomic status)
“The shrinking white male”/ Male entitlement
Listening/communicating/expressing/controlling
Emotion and sensitivity: closeness and commitment
Review of primate comparisons.
Pornography and eroticism and male fantasy.
Differences and similarity and Kinsey
Sexual attraction: culture, body issues, youth culture, fertility,
Body shape (proportionality theory and histocompatibility theory
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Section 10 Sex and physiology (Text)
Penile anatomy and physiology and function
Prostate biology and pathology (hyperplasia)
Sexual function/dysfunction
Premature ejaculation, impotence and ED (erectile dysfunction)
Circumcision (culture, medicalization and trends)
Retained testicles, injury and neurological dysfunction
STDs and AIDS/HIV
Sperm counts (environmental/ dietary studies, prevalence and truth)
Male birth control?
Section 11 (Text)
Colon, lung, prostate bladder, skin
Prostate: screening and DRE (rectal) and PSA (prostate specific antigen)
Testicular cancer and self- examination
Section 12 Andropause
Sexual function, physical function, athletic ability
Mental acuity, baldness, ED, muscle/fat ratio
Screening for disease (BP, Cholesterol, DRE, PSA, colonoscopy)
Bladder control and urinary incontinence
Prostrate hypertrophy, osteoarthritis and vitality
Testosterone replacement therapy/ herbal and homeopathic remedies
Viagra, medical issues
“Youth culture”, prevention, care and successful aging
“Gender gap”—longevity
“Salem State is committed to providing equal access to the educational experience for all students in
compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Americans with Disabilities Act and to
providing all reasonable academic accommodations, aids and adjustments. Any student who has a
documented disability requiring an accommodation, aid or adjustment should speak with the instructor
immediately. Students with disabilities who have not previously done so should provide documentation to
and schedule an appointment with the Office for Students with Disabilities and obtain appropriate
services.”
