Global Health and Diseases; Introduction and Major Challenges
Course content
In this course, the global distribution and burden of disease and health will be addressed, particularly in relation to vulnerable population groups.
The history of global health, projections for future health challenges, and the concept of decolonization of global health will be addressed. Furthermore, the course will address central gender challenges in global health to understand how gender influence exposure, prevention, diagnosis and access to treatment.
With an interdisciplinary approach, themes, conditions, and diseases addressed include: Communicable and cardiometabolic diseases and how they may interact; child and maternal health; global mental health and how it interacts with physical health; and environmental health, including living conditions, such as healthy housing and how it impacts on health, as well as vector-borne diseases. Furthermore, major health determinants, and risk factors (including social, financial, environmental and climate-related) will be linked to health and disease. The impact of health challenges in low- and middle-income countries on health in high-income countries, and vice-versa, will also be addressed.
Based on selected literature, the course will include an
introduction to models of health care systems, financing
mechanisms and central functions and challenges of health care
systems.
Principles of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation will be
studied for some major health problems and diseases, and as an
introduction to the course 'Strategies for Health Promotion and
Disease Prevention'. Similarly, principles of hygiene,
sanitation, and living conditions will be studied - in general, for
specific health problems, and as an introduction to following
modules.
The advantage of having access to Danish, global health
institutions, as well as international headquarters and
institutions in the Copenhagen area, will be drawn upon.
MSc Programme in Global Health - compulsory
On completion of the course, the students should be able to:
Knowledge
Describe and list current patterns of health and disease globally
and by region, with emphasis on low- and middle-income
countries and societies, and how they may impact high-income
countries, and vice-versa. This includes:
- Basic knowledge on the history of global health, future global health challenges, and the concept of decolonization of global health
- Basic knowledge on communicable as well as cardiometabolic diseases, child and maternal health, global mental health, and environmental health
- Describe and discuss central features of different models, processes and challenges of health care systems at district, national and transnational level
- Understand and analyse peer-reviewed literature concerning gender and health-related challenges in global health
Skills
- List principles and models of health care systems, health promotion, prevention, management and rehabilitation with respect to major global health-related problems and diseases
- List major risk factors and determinants for health and disease with emphasis on low- and middle-income countries, such as living conditions, socio-economic determinants as well as environmental changes.
- Apply gender and the gendered versus biological body as analytical categories and discuss these concepts both methodologically and theoretically in relation to global health policy and interventions.
Competencies
- Discuss, analyze and critically examine global data on health and disease, and discuss previous and current priorities in global and local health policies, including ‘vertical’ vs. ‘horizontal’ approaches to health interventions.
- Analyse and propose solution for health care systems challenges
- Argue for a prediction of patterns of health and major diseases globally, based on emerging and actual changes in environment, demography and wealth, and envisage how health may be impacted.
- Work trans-disciplinary with complex issues concerning gender and global health
Cross-disciplinary teaching and problem-oriented learning will enable the students to work professionally for improving global health, with emphasis on health, diseases and development in low- and middle-income societies. Teaching and learning will be research-based, and highlight areas, which the academic staff and their collaborators are actively researching into in various parts of the world. The teaching methods will include a combination of formal lectures, problem-related teaching and learning, seminars and case studies. Visits to institutions, laboratories, data bases and registers will expose the students to ‘real-world’ situations, albeit mostly in Denmark.
Primarily research papers and chapters from selected text book, as well as presentations from lecturers
For credit transfer students:
If you are applying for the course as a credit transfer student,
you must have passed courses in qualitative and quantitative
research methodology, for 5 ECTS respectively. Documentation for
corresponding competencies in the form of a course description and
an exam result must be attached to your
application.
Open for credit transfer students and other external students. Apply here:
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral examination, 30 minutes
- Type of assessment details
- Preparation time: 30 minutes.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
All aids allowed incl. access to internet
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Exam period
- Re-exam
Criteria for exam assessment
To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student must be able to:
Knowledge
Describe and list current patterns of health and disease globally
and by region, with emphasis on low- and middle-income
countries and societies. This includes:
- Basic knowledge on the history of global health, future global health challenges, and the concept of decolonization of global health
- Basic knowledge on communicable as well as cardiometabolic diseases, child and maternal health, global mental health, and environmental health
- Understand and analyse peer-reviewed literature concerning gender and challenges in global health
Skills
- List principles in health promotion, prevention, management and rehabilitation regarding major health problems and diseases in low- and middle-income countries and societies;
- List major risk factors and determinants for health and disease, such as living conditions, socio-economic determinants as well as environmental changes.
- Apply gender and the gendered versus biological body as analytical categories and discuss these concepts both methodologically and theoretically in relation to global health policy and interventions.
Competencies
- Discuss, analyze and critically examine global data on health and disease, and discuss previous and current priorities in global and local health policies, including ‘vertical’ vs. ‘horizontal’ approaches to health interventions.
- Argue for a prediction of patterns of health and major diseases globally based on emerging and actual changes in environment, demography and wealth, and envisage how health may be impacted.
- Work trans-disciplinary with complex issues concerning gender and global health
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Preparation
- 139
- Exercises
- 10
- Practical Training
- 12
- Exam Preparation
- 2
- Exam
- 1
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- SGLK15001U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 1
- Schedulegroup
-
See syllabus
- Capacity
- 46 participants.
- Studyboard
- The Study Board for Public Health Science and Global Health
Contracting department
- Department of Public Health
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Jane Brandt Sørensen (6-7d74817875865386888177417e8841777e)
Teacher
Lecturers are primarily from the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. We also have representatives from other Universities/faculties and health institutions and a few lecturers from international universities and research institutions.
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