WEEK 1
Chapter 1:
- Human civilization is more global, with nations adopting shared political and
economic goals. This interconnectedness influences global health, creating both
challenges and opportunities
- Global trade, travel, and migration connect health across borders. Events like the 2008
financial crisis and COVID-19 show how crises in one region can impact global
health and economies
- Health risks include faster spread of diseases through travel and imported goods, and
environmental degradation from resource exploitation in developing countries
- Global health involves politics, economics, technology, the environment, and more
- Simplistic views of global health as aid from rich to poor nations miss the broader,
complex factors at play, such as poverty, human rights, conflict, and migration
- Issues like war, natural disasters, and migration are interrelated, often creating health
challenges
- Globalization can lead to economic shifts and reduced labor protections, influencing
access to healthcare
- “Global health” focuses on transnational health issues requiring collective action,
while “international health” historically emphasized differences between nations.
- Today, the distinction is less relevant due to globalization
- Global health is influenced by political perspectives. Acknowledging and analyzing
biases is key to addressing global health disparities effectively
- Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs):
- MDGs (2000) aimed at eradicating poverty, improving education, health, and
sustainability by 2015
- The SDGs replaced the MDGs, setting broader global development targets for
2030
- Discussion Questions:
- Defining International vs. Global Health: Previously, “international health”
might have meant country-to-country aid, while “global health” encompassed
broader global issues. The distinction now seems unnecessary
- Motivation for Studying Global Health: Motivations could include addressing health
disparities and achieving health equity worldwide
- Is All Health Now International?: Yes, the interconnected nature of the world makes
most health issues global in scope
- Non-Medical Global Health Issues: Includes economics, politics, environment, human
rights, and technology, all affecting health outcomes
, WEEK 2
Chapter 2:
- Development studies focus on the disparity between wealthy and less wealthy
populations, particularly in international/global health
- Wealth and health disparities are closely related, as wealthier societies often exhibit
better health indicators like life expectancy, though wealth can also introduce
unhealthy behaviours
- Historical events, particularly colonialism, play a key role in shaping modern
disparities
- Wealthy nations (Western Europe and their colonies) were historically dominant, but
the economic landscape is shifting (e.g., rise of China and India, Sub-Saharan Africa’s
potential growth)
- The term “Third World” originally referred to non-aligned nations during the Cold
War, not low-income countries
- Understanding the root causes of wealth and health disparities is crucial to addressing
and targeting these issues
- Arguments for why some nations became wealthier:
- Some argue racist ideologies or that superior social institutions in Western
nations led to wealth
- Military historians like Hanson suggest factors like capitalism, individualism,
and open debate gave Western nations advantages
- Niall Ferguson highlights “6 killer apps” (competition, science, property
rights, medicine, consumer society, and the Protestant work ethic) that led to
Western dominance
- Jared Diamond’s environmental and geographical factors, such as the
discovery of calorie-rich crops, access to large domesticated animals, and
immune system benefits, helped Eurasian societies thrive
- Colonialism created long-term disparities through:
- Economic exploitation (e.g., Britain’s policies in India and the “Drain of
Wealth Theory”)
- Brain Drain: Professionals migrating to former colonizers for better
opportunities
- Corruption: Authoritarian institutions fostered cultures of oppression and
extortion
- Decapitation: Removal of functional local leadership during colonial uprisings
weakened post-colonial societies
- Environmental Degradation: Colonial resource extraction led to long-term
damage
- Redrawn Borders: Arbitrary borders, especially in Africa (e.g., Conference of
Berlin), created ethnic conflicts that persist today
, - Remaking of Economies: Colonial economies were restructured to serve the
colonizers, focusing on cash crops or resources for European industries (e.g.,
tobacco, cotton, coffee)
- Some argue that colonialism brought development (e.g., India’s unity), but others
view its legacy as overwhelmingly negative, especially in regions where colonizers
failed to invest in public health infrastructure
- Colonialism’s legacy still affects former colonies in terms of inequality, poor health
outcomes, and economic challenges
Discussion Questions:
- What is our role in addressing disparities between poor and rich nations?
- Recognize historical injustices and support equitable global policies. Advocate
for fair trade, development aid, and healthcare access
- Should change be effected locally or nationally?
- Solutions should be both local and national, addressing specific community
needs while aligning with broader national policies
- What policy initiatives would you have suggested or expected in the past, now, or in
the future?
- In the past: Abolition of exploitative colonial economic practices.
- Now: Support for sustainable development, healthcare infrastructure,
education, and anti-corruption policies
- Future: Policies that promote equity, technological advancement, and
self-sufficiency in formerly colonized nations
- Can you identify other ways colonialism manifests as inequity, insecurity, or poor
population health today?
- Legacy of resource extraction leads to economic dependence and
environmental issues
- Ongoing brain drain from developing countries
- Enduring geopolitical conflicts and corruption rooted in colonial
administration structures
Chapter 3:
- International health likely began with human migration, as early interactions exposed
populations to new health challenges. Significant crises include cross-cultural
contacts, like those between Europeans and Indigenous populations in the Americas
during the 15th and 16th centuries, leading to the destruction of local societies.
- Modern international health structures, including the WHO and NATO, emerged
post-WWII.
- Truman’s 1949 address highlights how health became intertwined with military and
political objectives.
- The WHO’s malaria eradication program used a militaristic approach, relying on
chloroquine and DDT, but faced local resistance.
- Vertical programs are top-down and narrowly focused, while horizontal programs
integrate care across broader populations. Vertical programs like malaria eradication
Chapter 1:
- Human civilization is more global, with nations adopting shared political and
economic goals. This interconnectedness influences global health, creating both
challenges and opportunities
- Global trade, travel, and migration connect health across borders. Events like the 2008
financial crisis and COVID-19 show how crises in one region can impact global
health and economies
- Health risks include faster spread of diseases through travel and imported goods, and
environmental degradation from resource exploitation in developing countries
- Global health involves politics, economics, technology, the environment, and more
- Simplistic views of global health as aid from rich to poor nations miss the broader,
complex factors at play, such as poverty, human rights, conflict, and migration
- Issues like war, natural disasters, and migration are interrelated, often creating health
challenges
- Globalization can lead to economic shifts and reduced labor protections, influencing
access to healthcare
- “Global health” focuses on transnational health issues requiring collective action,
while “international health” historically emphasized differences between nations.
- Today, the distinction is less relevant due to globalization
- Global health is influenced by political perspectives. Acknowledging and analyzing
biases is key to addressing global health disparities effectively
- Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs):
- MDGs (2000) aimed at eradicating poverty, improving education, health, and
sustainability by 2015
- The SDGs replaced the MDGs, setting broader global development targets for
2030
- Discussion Questions:
- Defining International vs. Global Health: Previously, “international health”
might have meant country-to-country aid, while “global health” encompassed
broader global issues. The distinction now seems unnecessary
- Motivation for Studying Global Health: Motivations could include addressing health
disparities and achieving health equity worldwide
- Is All Health Now International?: Yes, the interconnected nature of the world makes
most health issues global in scope
- Non-Medical Global Health Issues: Includes economics, politics, environment, human
rights, and technology, all affecting health outcomes
, WEEK 2
Chapter 2:
- Development studies focus on the disparity between wealthy and less wealthy
populations, particularly in international/global health
- Wealth and health disparities are closely related, as wealthier societies often exhibit
better health indicators like life expectancy, though wealth can also introduce
unhealthy behaviours
- Historical events, particularly colonialism, play a key role in shaping modern
disparities
- Wealthy nations (Western Europe and their colonies) were historically dominant, but
the economic landscape is shifting (e.g., rise of China and India, Sub-Saharan Africa’s
potential growth)
- The term “Third World” originally referred to non-aligned nations during the Cold
War, not low-income countries
- Understanding the root causes of wealth and health disparities is crucial to addressing
and targeting these issues
- Arguments for why some nations became wealthier:
- Some argue racist ideologies or that superior social institutions in Western
nations led to wealth
- Military historians like Hanson suggest factors like capitalism, individualism,
and open debate gave Western nations advantages
- Niall Ferguson highlights “6 killer apps” (competition, science, property
rights, medicine, consumer society, and the Protestant work ethic) that led to
Western dominance
- Jared Diamond’s environmental and geographical factors, such as the
discovery of calorie-rich crops, access to large domesticated animals, and
immune system benefits, helped Eurasian societies thrive
- Colonialism created long-term disparities through:
- Economic exploitation (e.g., Britain’s policies in India and the “Drain of
Wealth Theory”)
- Brain Drain: Professionals migrating to former colonizers for better
opportunities
- Corruption: Authoritarian institutions fostered cultures of oppression and
extortion
- Decapitation: Removal of functional local leadership during colonial uprisings
weakened post-colonial societies
- Environmental Degradation: Colonial resource extraction led to long-term
damage
- Redrawn Borders: Arbitrary borders, especially in Africa (e.g., Conference of
Berlin), created ethnic conflicts that persist today
, - Remaking of Economies: Colonial economies were restructured to serve the
colonizers, focusing on cash crops or resources for European industries (e.g.,
tobacco, cotton, coffee)
- Some argue that colonialism brought development (e.g., India’s unity), but others
view its legacy as overwhelmingly negative, especially in regions where colonizers
failed to invest in public health infrastructure
- Colonialism’s legacy still affects former colonies in terms of inequality, poor health
outcomes, and economic challenges
Discussion Questions:
- What is our role in addressing disparities between poor and rich nations?
- Recognize historical injustices and support equitable global policies. Advocate
for fair trade, development aid, and healthcare access
- Should change be effected locally or nationally?
- Solutions should be both local and national, addressing specific community
needs while aligning with broader national policies
- What policy initiatives would you have suggested or expected in the past, now, or in
the future?
- In the past: Abolition of exploitative colonial economic practices.
- Now: Support for sustainable development, healthcare infrastructure,
education, and anti-corruption policies
- Future: Policies that promote equity, technological advancement, and
self-sufficiency in formerly colonized nations
- Can you identify other ways colonialism manifests as inequity, insecurity, or poor
population health today?
- Legacy of resource extraction leads to economic dependence and
environmental issues
- Ongoing brain drain from developing countries
- Enduring geopolitical conflicts and corruption rooted in colonial
administration structures
Chapter 3:
- International health likely began with human migration, as early interactions exposed
populations to new health challenges. Significant crises include cross-cultural
contacts, like those between Europeans and Indigenous populations in the Americas
during the 15th and 16th centuries, leading to the destruction of local societies.
- Modern international health structures, including the WHO and NATO, emerged
post-WWII.
- Truman’s 1949 address highlights how health became intertwined with military and
political objectives.
- The WHO’s malaria eradication program used a militaristic approach, relying on
chloroquine and DDT, but faced local resistance.
- Vertical programs are top-down and narrowly focused, while horizontal programs
integrate care across broader populations. Vertical programs like malaria eradication
