An Introduction to Global Health
University of Copenhagen
About this Course
This course will provide you with an overview of the most important health challenges facing the world today. You will gain insight into how challenges have changed over time, we will discuss the likely determinants of such changes and examine future projections. Successful international strategies and programs promoting human health will be highlighted and global health governance structures will be mapped and the role of the key actors explored.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1
Section
Defining and Measuring Global Health
Welcome to the first module of this global health course. In the first lesson we will introduce you to the overall concepts and definitions of global health and examine the question "What are the biggest global health challenges?". You'll get to hear some answers from fellow learners from around the world, and also have an opportunity to join the conversation here in the course discussion forums. We also have an interview with Professor Susan Whyte about the impact of health policy on a population's health. The second lesson deals with the central tools needed to measure global health burden. Together these two lessons will form the basis on which all the other topical modules are built. Enjoy!
8 videos (Total 97 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
8 videos
1.2: Voxpop - What is the biggest global health challenge? (Your fellow students)1m
1.3: How Changing Policies Impact Population's Health (S Whyte)15m
2.1: Epidemiological and Demographic Transition (DW Meyrowitsch)18m
2.2: Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) (DW Meyrowitsch)9m
2.3: Global Burden of Diseases (DW Meyrowitsch)19m
2.4: Disease-specific Risk Factors, part 1 (IC Bygbjerg)9m
2.5: Disease-specific Risk Factors, part 2 (IC Bygbjerg)12m
3 readings
Course Information10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
1 practice exercises
Defining and Measuring Global Health20m
2
Section
Infectious Diseases
The second module of this course is focussed on infectious diseases. Lesson 3 will introduce you to the concept of infectious diseases and their relation to poverty and development, and lesson 4 will go through three prominent examples of infectious diseases that are still unfinished agendas in large parts of the world.
5 videos (Total 63 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
5 videos
3.2: Infectious Diseases, part 2 (IC Bygbjerg)7m
4.1: Infectious Diarrheal Diseases (S Tulsani)12m
4.2: Malaria - The Transition (L Hviid)14m
4.3: HIV in Global Health (J Lundgren)15m
2 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
2 practice exercises
Online Activity: Infectious Diseases and Development Goals8m
Infectious Diseases20m
3
Section
Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries
In the third module we'll have a closer look at non-communicable diseases, in short NCDs, and examine the forces that are behind the global epidemic rise of NCDs such as diabetes. The module also includes a lesson about mental health and injuries - two major global health challenges that are often ignored when dealing with NCDs.
7 videos (Total 91 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes
7 videos
5.2: The Global Burden of Disease - The Rise of NCDs (AR Demaio)15m
5.3: Determinants and Drivers of NCDs (AR Demaio)8m
5.4: Diabetes (V Narayan)17m
5.5: Joint Risk Factors (IC Bygbjerg)14m
6.1: Mental Health in a Global Perspective (M Muijen)11m
6.2: Pesticides and Self Harm in Sri Lanka (M Eddleston)10m
2 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
3 practice exercises
Online Activity: Air Pollution4m
Online Activity: Road Traffic Injuries4m
Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries20m
4
Section
Maternal and Child Health
This fourth module deals with maternal and child health. The first focus will be on the important, and at times controversial, topic of sexual and reproductive health and rights, often shortened to SRHR. This is followed by a short lesson focussed on child health.
6 videos (Total 70 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
7.2: Components of Sexual and Reproductive Health (BL Sørensen)18m
7.3: The Role of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (E Dupont)12m
7.4: Abortion Stigma (T Gammeltoft)9m
8.1: mHealth in Reproductive and Child Health (S Lund)10m
8.2: Continuum of Care (C Schmiegelow)10m
3 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
Join our challenge: Help us reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!10m
1 practice exercises
Maternal and Child Health14m
5
Section
Environment, Climate and Migration
In the fifth module we are looking at some great global crises that profoundly impact the health of populations, namely environment, climate change, and migration. We will examine the health acpect of these mega trends - how are they influencing and challenging policy, health systems, and the health of individuals in both low and high income countries?
6 videos (Total 77 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
9.2: Main Environmental Challenges (R Bos)13m
9.3: Climate Change and Health (P Furu)18m
10.1: Refugees and Internally Displaced (S Tellier)9m
10.2: Migrants and Health (S Tellier)10m
10.3: Migration and Health in a Scandinavian Context (M Nørredam)9m
2 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
1 practice exercises
Environment, Climate and Migration20m
6
Section
Food and Water
Access to nutrituous food and clean water are fundamental to health and wellbeing. In the sixth module we are focussing on the role of nutrition and water, with some extra attention to the important role of sanitation and hygiene and their relation to human development.
4 videos (Total 50 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
4 videos
11.2: Diabetes and Maternal and Child Health (KK Nielsen)6m
12.1: Sanitation and Development Goals (S Cairncross)13m
12.2: Diseases Related to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (W van Der Hoek)14m
2 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
2 practice exercises
Online Activity: Childhood Malnutrition10m
Food and Water14m
7
Section
Health Systems and Global Health Governance
In this final module of the course we will go full circle, with lessons about the role of health systems and the impact of policy. The last lesson of the course will focus on global health governance and the health aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
6 videos (Total 76 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
13.2: Financing Universal Health Coverage (A Bjerrum)15m
13.3: Health Care Facilities in Burkina Faso (H Samuelsen)8m
13.4: Health Systems in Fragile States (TA Dræbel)22m
14.1: Global Health Governance (S Tellier)9m
14.2: Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (K Mauer-Stender)9m
5 readings
Suggested readings and resources10m
Suggested readings and resources10m
Keep in touch10m
Learning More10m
Lecturers10m
2 practice exercises
Online Activity: Framework for Health Systems4m
Health Systems and Global Health Governance20m
4.8
40%
83%
13%
Top Reviews
By CB•Jun 9th 2016
Great material taught by such experienced professors and professionals in the area. Wonderful to increase your knowledge in this field, an area where there still so much to be done!
By AA•Jan 13th 2017
Very interesting course. The classes discuss broad topics with excellent specialists in different fields. I do recommend this course to anyone interested in Public Health.
Instructor
Flemming Konradsen
Professor, DirectorAbout University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest University in Denmark - founded in 1479, and with over 38,000 students and more than 9,000 employees. The purpose of the University is to conduct research and provide education to the highest academic level. Based in Denmark's capital city it is one of the top research institutions in Europe.
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