Free online courseEssentials of Global Health

Course Description

Welcome to "Essentials of Global Health," a comprehensive course instructed by Richard Skolnik. This course delves into the intricate and multifaceted world of global health, with each lecture meticulously crafted to offer profound insights and invaluable knowledge. Spanning a duration of 11 hours and 16 minutes, this course is designed to enhance your understanding of key global health issues and the systemic challenges that shape our world today. As part of the Business Administration category, and more specifically the Political subcategory, this course addresses a broad spectrum of subjects crucial for anyone keen on understanding or working within global health domains.

The course starts with an introductory segment that sets the stage, offering students a foundational understanding of global health concepts and the pressing need for informed perspectives in this field. Richard Skolnik, a seasoned expert in global health, guides you through the essential viewpoints that frame our understanding of the global health landscape.

As you progress, you will delve into the global health context, exploring who the major players are and what roles they occupy. Attention is given to the current state of the world’s health, where critical discussions on demography and health statistics provide a picture of global health patterns and trends.

One of the core components of the course involves understanding how to measure the burden of disease, particularly through the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) metric. This segment leads into an in-depth exploration of what people commonly get sick, disabled, or die from, offering a detailed analysis of key risk factors and their implications.

Providing a strong emphasis on the financial aspects, the course discusses value for money in global health, dissecting how resources can be utilized more effectively to maximize health outcomes. This is followed by a critical look at the aims and organization of health systems, where you will dissect key health system issues and the prevalent health disparities that exist globally.

The environmental determinants of health form another significant focus area, where the interplay between the environment and health outcomes, including nutritional factors, is scrutinized. Special attention is then given to vulnerable populations including women’s health, child health, and adolescent health, emphasizing the unique health challenges and needs in these groups.

Complex humanitarian emergencies, emerging infectious diseases, and chronic conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases are examined in detail. The course also covers noncommunicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, and highlights the public health challenges posed by tobacco and alcohol use.

Understanding mental health and unintentional injuries constitutes another vital portion of the curriculum, followed by the role of science and technology in advancing global health. The course wraps up with discussions on the key challenges for the future of public health and the quintessential public health problem of our time, COVID-19. Moreover, the importance of intersectoral approaches for better health outcomes is explored, providing a holistic view of global health strategies moving forward.