To introduce students to a selection of major global challenges for public health practitioners worldwide.
To enable students to understand the links between socio-political factors and public health problems in a global context.
Module learning outcomes
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding and a critical awareness of a range of contemporary global public health issues.
Apply this understanding with originality to advocating action for a chosen global public health problem.
Module content
This module, delivered at a distance, with online materials and live zoom sessions, will provide the student with an introduction to a range of contemporary public health issues that have a major impact on population health globally. It will examine some of the social and political factors that influence global public health. Whilst the focus will be global, examples from a range of countries and health systems will be used. Students will be exposed to a wide range of conceptual, policy issues relevant to public health and asked to reflect on their relevance for their own previous or future practice. Indicative topic content will include:
Urban health systems in low- and middle-income countries
Non-communicable disease in Uganda
Sexual and reproductive health and rights in Mexico
Cancer in India
The global burden of disability
The impact of injury and violence globally
Eastern Europe and Russia and the impact of political transition on public health
The climate emergency and global public health
Leadership in global public health
Indicative assessment
Task
% of module mark
Essay/coursework
100
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
Task
% of module mark
Essay/coursework
100
Module feedback
Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard departmental proforma, and will be provided within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.
Indicative reading
Reading materials will be provided throughout the course and will be available on the virtual learning environment. There are many books available depending on student's particular interests. The following books take a critical view of global public health and may be of interest:
Books
Biehl, J and Petryna, A (2013) When people come first. Critical studies in global health. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978 0 691 157399
Pisani, E. (2008) The wisdom of whores: Bureaucrats, brothels and the business of AIDS. Granta. ISBN 978 1 84708.
Keshavjee, S (2014) Blind Spot. How neoliberalism infiltrated Global Health. University of California Press. ISBN 978 0 520-28284
There are a number of journals and websites available also: