Special Topics in Global Health (390-0-2)

Topic

Managing Global Health Challenges

Instructors

Michael Diamond
847/467-1580

Meeting Info

Locy Hall 303: Wed 1:00PM - 3:50PM

Overview of class

Diseases like H5N1 Bird Flu, Marburg, COVID-19, Measles, Ebola, Cardio-Vascular disease and Diabetes know no borders. Both pathogens and lifestyles move around the world and the people of every country share the risks. The responsibility for ensuring the public's health rests with governments at local, national and international levels. Public health interventions require cooperation and partnerships at each level and with government, corporations, businesses, civil society organizations, and individuals. Advances in technology can significantly reduce the burden of disease and improve the quality of health and life. To effectively address global health challenges, technology must be integrated into health systems in ways that are both appropriate and sustainable. These interventions are affected by public policies, availability of resources and theories of public health and disease. Existing health organizations are increasingly challenged by the scope and magnitude of the current and future threats to public health such as political and cultural values, the emergence of new and more virulent infectious diseases; the threats of bio-terrorism; growing resistance to antibiotics; lack of basic infrastructure of water, sanitation, housing; inadequate access to drugs; malnutrition and complications from affluence, leading to health problems such as Diabetes and Cardio-Vascular diseases.

This course will examine the global epidemiology of these diseases and threats to the populations of the world and explore current technological and organizational strategies that have been established to respond. A series of diseases and geographical regions will be analyzed to consider how local and global communities use technology and organize responses to current problems in global public health. Special attention will be given to examples of effective technologies and intervention strategies.

Class Materials (Required)

Garrett, Laurie. (1995) The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance. Penguin Books, New York; ISBN: 9780140250916 (Required)


Kidder, Tracy. (2009) Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. Random House, New York; ISBN: 9780812980554 (Required)

Class Materials (Suggested)

DeLaet, Debra and David DeLaet. (2012) Global Health in the 21st Century: The Globalization of Disease and Wellness. Paradigm Publishers. ISBN: 9781594517334


Fadiman, Anne (1998) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down ISBN: 9780374533403


Lindenbaum, Shirley. (2013) Kuru Sorcery: Disease and Danger in the New Guinea Highlands, 2nd Edition, Paradigm Publishers, 2013 ISBN: 9781612052762


Richards-Kort, Rebecca. (2009) Biomedical Engineering for Global Health. Cambridge Texts in Biomedical Engineering. ISBN: 9780521877978


Washington, Harriet, (2013) Medical Apartheid ISBN: 9780767915472