SGLK15001U Global Health and Diseases; Introduction and Major Challenges

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc Programme in Global Health - compulsory

Content

In this module, global distribution, and burden, of disease and health will be addressed - particularly in relation to vulnerable population groups such as the poor, women, children, and the elderly. 

Communicable and non-communicable diseases and how they may interact and be addressed, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), will be addressed; as well as injuries and accidents. Living conditions, major health determinants, and risk factors (including environmental and climate related) will be linked to health and disease. Mental health and physical health, and their relations, will be studied cross-disciplinarily. The impact of health challenges in LMICs on health in high income countries will also be addressed.

The course will address central gender challenges in global health to understand how gender influence exposure, prevention, diagnosis and access to treatment. The course also has a focus on policies and interventions to promote gender equity on health. 

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 screening, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation will be studied for some major health problems and diseases, and as an introduction to the course 'Strategies for Health Promottion and Disease Prevention'. Similarly, principles of hygiene, sanitation, healthy nutrition and living will be studied - in general, for specific health problems, and as an introduction to following modules.

While the focus will be on major health problems in LMICs, the advantage of having access to Danish health institutions, as well as international headquarters and institutions in the Copenhagen area, will be drawn upon.

Learning Outcome

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 (LMICs) and societies, and how they may impact high-income countries, and vice-versa. This includes:

  • Basic knowledge on the history of global health and the concept of decolonization of global health
  • Basic knowledge on communicable as well as non-communicable diseases, trauma and injuries, health related to socio-economic status, age and life-stage, including reproductive 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 LMICs, 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

 

 

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.
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.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 139
  • Exercises
  • 10
  • Practical Training
  • 12
  • Exam Preparation
  • 2
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester

 

 

Credit
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

See the exam schedule

Re-exam

See the exam schedule

Criteria for exam assesment

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 (LMICs) and societies. This includes:

  • Basic knowledge on the history of global health and the concept of decolonization of global health
  • Basic knowledge on communicable as well as non-communicable diseases, trauma and injuries, health related to socio-economic status, age and life-stage, including reproductive health
  • Understand and analyse peer-reviewed literature concerning gender and health-related challenges in global health

 

Skills

  • List principles in health promotion, prevention, management and rehabilitation regarding major health problems and diseases in LMICs and societies;
  • List major risk factors and determinants for health and disease with emphasis on LMICs, such as life-style and 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