Course Description
Covers how health and illness are defined and explores biological, cultural, social, and political forces that influence global health. A multi-disciplinary approach to topics will include comparative health systems, healthcare policy, social determinants of health, health services and quality, key stakeholders, and major global health initiatives.
Athena Title
Introduction to Global Health
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in GLOB 3100
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Define key concepts in global health. 2. Describe major global health challenges and their geographic distribution. 3. Compare and contrast health systems in multiple regions of the world elaborating on differences in health care delivery, financing, and policy. 4. Describe social determinants of health and the linkages between health and wealth. 5. Understand how culture, including religion, ethnicity and socio-economics levels, affects health, and the importance of applying cultural competence in clinical settings to improve the quality of care. 6. Compare the health status of world populations, including differences in their disease burden, epidemics, and access to and quality of healthcare. 7. Understand the role of social justice in global health. 8. Think critically about the magnitude and complex nature of global health challenges and ways to address them.
Topical Outline
Topic/Reading Assignment: Defining Global Health: History and Transformation Key Concepts in Global Health Global Burden of Disease Leading Causes of Death Anthropological Approaches to Culture and Healthcare Major Risk Factors Social Determinants of Health Cross-cultural Health Systems National Health Systems Health Services Delivery Global Health Ethics Key Stakeholders in Global Health Global Health Initiatives: Successes and Failures
Syllabus