Overview

Advanced Interdisciplinary Case Studies in Global Health

UCONJ 504 / Anth 469 / GH 509A (in process)

Why have major medical advances resulted in limited improvements in global health? Why are there massive gaps in population health around the world - between rich and poor within countries, and between wealthy and low-income nations? What are the most pressing health concerns, and how are health intervention priorities determined? What is the role of globalization - the movement of information, people, goods and money around the word - in reducing or, in some instances, magnifying the burden of disease?

Increasingly the challenges facing global health have come to be understood as multidimensional biological and social problems that require creative and innovative solutions that extend beyond a clinical focus. Recognizing that "health" is not determined solely by health care services, it becomes apparent that a multidisciplinary approach is urgently needed to understand the broader biological, sociopolitical and cultural context of disease.

The goal of this course is to take a critical approach - one that appreciates disciplinary perspectives, as well as the need for interdisciplinary collaboration - in order to effectively address complex global health concerns. The 3 credit course is taught by a team of three instructors from different schools and departments on campus, and uses an in-depth case-based approach to learning. Each instructor is responsible for leading a detailed presentation of a current topic in global health, with the class and the other instructors.

This year the cases will be:

* Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (led by Prof Martina Morris)

* Female Genital Cutting (led by Prof Bettina Shell-Duncan)

* Tuberculosis in a Social Network of Immigrant Youth (led by Prof Ann Kurth)

While the topics vary, common and comprehensive learning objectives structure the presentation of every case: the biomedical basis of the health issue, the evidence base for treatment and prevention, the arguments for and against prioritizing this issue over others, the institutional capacity required for progress, the tradeoffs involved, and the ethical issues raised. At the end of the course, the student will know how to define a problem, identify the relevant contextual factors, critically research the evidence, and recognize complexities and tradeoffs.

The course size is limited to 40 (30 graduate, 10 undergraduate with add code) to permit intensive discussion and interaction. Sign up soon!