UHP

MEDS3051: Underserved and Global Public Health

Woman receiving a vaccination

Instructors: Tesfaye Mersha and Mary Kate Greenwood

Offered: Tuesday & Thursday, 3:30 - 4:50pm

Description

a circular representation of the 'One Health' model, which is a multi-disciplinary/ multi-sectoral concept that incorporates human, animal, and environmental health through the key activities of surveillance, response, and prevention. The external layer (represented in green) describes external context of 'One Health,' specifically, the global context, economics and culture. Within that circle is a blue circle with the words "social determinants of health," which 'One Health' is expected to enhance. Within these two circles is a triangle with the words "One Health" in the middle and the key themes that make up 'One Health:' "prevention, detection and response" in the corners. This triangle is surrounded by the three main areas of 'One Health,' namely ecosystem, animal and human.

Copied from: Public Health Agency of Canada (2013). One Health. Retrieved July 20 2015, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/owoh-umus/index-eng.php

The “Underserved and Global Public Health” class explores contemporary issues and problems in global health through an interdisciplinary perspective. The course will expose students to global health challenges, opportunities and research programs. The course will cover individual, household, neighborhood, regional or global level that determine health outcomes using One Health approach.

Students explore contemporary issues and problems in global health through an interdisciplinary perspective. The class will address the determinants of health and health disparities in both global and local contexts through the examination of key areas of disease burden and access to care. The course will also expose students to a variety of global health programs and research opportunities. Global health continues to expand in importance as existing, emerging and resurging infectious and non-infectious diseases confront our world.

The course will reveal that public health issues are not unique to a country or region. They are intertwined amongst regions within a country, amongst countries on the same continent and between continents around the world. The current COVID-19 pandemic starkly attests to this interdependence. Thus, whether the issue is communicable diseases like COVID-19, Ebola, pandemic flu, non-communicable diseases, or climate change, our understanding of the complex interactions between the conditions, causes, processes, actors, and actions will determine our approach to these issues. Priorities which occur at an individual, household, neighborhood, regional or global level that determine health outcomes are challenged to keep pace with this rapidly changing reality. Expected to include virtual engagement with community members in Ethiopia. 

Learning Outcomes

Having taken this course, students will be able to learn how to:

  • Defining and Measuring Global health
  • Culture, Behavior, and Health
  • Understanding Social determinants of health
  • Communicable & Non- Communicable Diseases
  • International Trade and Health
  • Global Health and Economics
  • Management and Planning for Public Health
  • Public Health Infrastructure
  • Global Health Systems, Health Equity and Access to Care
  • ·Global Health Ethics
  • Genomics and Global Public Health
  • The Future of Global Public Health
  • Global Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
  • Student Presentation

Testimony from Previous Students

This class opened my eyes to the importance of public health in all areas of life. I now realize that the social determinants of health impact and are impacted by all social interactions in life, so I will take that realization with me in my professional career as a social scientist and problem solver.
This honors seminar was unique from other courses I have taken at UC because the class structure was conversational, and I was able to communicate very easily with the instructors. While other courses have a more typical, lecture-style structure, honors seminars allow me to interact more with the material being taught and, therefore, retain more information and become more interested in the subject matter. Also, the style of having guest speakers address the class was unique from other courses I've taken; I had never taken a class before where that was a normal occurrence. I appreciated the diverse backgrounds represented and lecture topics brought to the class by guest speakers.