SGLK13008U Health Systems in a Global Context

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc Programme in Global Health - compulsory
Content

Health systems are core social institutions with a vital role in reducing suffering and illness, and promoting health. This course introduces students to health systems in high-, middle-, and low-income societies in a historical, cultural, organizational, economical, and political context. Drawing on a number of different disciplines such as anthropology, economics, public health and history, the course will enable students to critically analyze and evaluate central aspects of health systems such as access to health care, priority setting, equity and discuss how health systems can respond to local and global changes.

Learning Outcome

On completion of the course, students should be able to:

  • Describe, explain, and discuss the overall global political, cultural, and economic factors influencing the organization of health systems in high- middle- and low income societies.
  • Identify and discuss the role of the different stakeholders at international, national, and local levels.
  • Describe and discuss the most common health financing models and their implications for the different groups of end-users and the overall quality of care.
  • Critically evaluate central (selected) aspects of health systems for prevention and disease control from an equity perspective.
  • Develop and present a substantiated analysis of selected aspects of health care systems based on case studies and/or critical reading of articles.

 

Different pedagogical approaches will be used during the module:
• Formal lectures by selected teachers followed by discussions
• Group assignments (both small class-room assignments as well as home-work assignments)
• Case-work
• Role 'play' (e.g. participants represent different stakeholders)
• Student presentations
• 'Wikipedia' writing: students write definitions of important concepts
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Exercises
  • 45
  • Lectures
  • 36
  • Preparation
  • 124
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
The exam will be a project assignment on a subject of the student’s own choice consisting of a short written assignment covering one or more central thematic aspects of the course. Length: max 16.000 characters incl. spaces. The report can be written individually or in groups of up to four people. For group reports 4.000 characters incl. spaces per extra group member.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed
All, except devices allowing for external communication.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assesment
To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student must be able to:

o Describe, explain, and discuss the overall global political, cultural, and economic factors influencing the organization of health systems in high- middle- and low income societies.
o Identify and discuss the role of the different stakeholders at international, national, and local levels.
o Describe and discuss the most common health financing models and their implications for the different groups of end-users and the overall quality of care.
o Critically evaluate central (selected) aspects of health systems for prevention and disease control from an equity perspective.
o Further the students should be able to integrate knowledge from both courses in presenting a proposal for planning an activity to counteract a given health problem including aspects of health care systems and public health theories.