GLOBAL HEALTH

Why should people in the United States be concerned about the health of people in other countries?

Wrote an essay on it

Public Health vs Medicine (focus, ethical basis, emphasis, interventions)

Focus: population
Ethical basis: public service
Emphasis: disease prevention and health promotion for communities
Interventions: broad spectrum that may target the environment, human behavior, lifestyle and medical

Medicine vs Public Health (focus, ethical basis, emphasis, interventions)

Focus: individual
Ethical Basis: personal service
Emphasis: Disease diagnosis, treatment and care for individuals
Interventions: emphasis on medical care

Definition of Global health (institute of medicine)

Health problems, issues, and concerns that transcend national boundaries and may best be addressed by cooperative actions...

Definition of Global Health (Koplan)

An area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people world-wide...

The "Third" World

A cold war term
First used in early 1950s
Coined by a French demographer
Derived from term, "Third estate" (1st = monarchy, 2nd = church, 3rd = everyone else)

Third World Country": Synonyms

Developing country (less developed country, under-developed country)
Low-income country
Less-wealthy country
Resource-constrained country
Emergent nations
Global South
Majority world

Examples of Global Health Issues:

emerging infectious diseases
disease eradication
environmental health
maternal and child health
nternational collaboration
vaccine - preventable diseases
chronic diseases
tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis

Public Health Definition (winslow)

The science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts.......which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenanc

Definition of Public Health (IOM report)

Public health is what we, as a society , do collectively to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy.

Defining of Health (WHO)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Sciences and Professions of Public Health

Biostatistics
Community health
Epidemiology
Health education
Laboratory science

Leading Causes of Death-US 1900

Pneumonia
Tuberculosis
Diarrheal diseases
Heart disease
Stroke
Liver disease
Injuries
Cancer

Leading Causes of Death-US 2000

Heart disease
Cancer
Stroke
Lung disease
Injuries
Pneumonia/influenza
Diabetes
Suicide
HIV

What are the leading causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa today?

HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Respiratory disease
Diarrheal diseases
Perinatal diseases

Actual Causes of Death (in US?)

Tobacco
Diet/inactivity
Alcohol
Microbial agents
Toxic agents
Firearms
Sexual behavior
Motor vehicles

Average Lifespan in US

1900 - 45 years
2000 - 75 years

20th Century Achievements of Public Health

Vaccination
Control of infectious diseases
Safer and healthier foods
Safer workplaces
Motor-vehicle safety
Healthier mothers and babies
Recognition of tobacco as health hazard
ex: penicillin

MDR TB:

multiple drug resistant TB

XDR TB:

extremely drug resistant TB

Core functions of Public Health

Assessment
Policy development
Assurance

Ten Essential Public Health Services

Monitor health status
Investigate health problems/hazards
Inform/educate people about health
Mobilize partnerships
Develop policies that improve outcomes
Enforce health regulations
Link people to needed health services
Assure a competent health workforce

Extreme poverty is living on:

less than $1 per day

the number of people who lie in extreme poverty:

about 2 billion or roughly 25% of the world's population

________ of the global burden of disease is at least in part attributable to environmental risk factors

One third

Nutritional deficiencies contribute to increased rates of _____________

diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria

_____ of children worldwide are underweight or stunted

30%

MDG's basic info

issued in 2000, sponsored by the UN, endorsed by 189 countries, 8 goals

Millenium Development Goals (1-8)

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a glo

Mexico: epidemic: cholera explain

(spread from river water, first case was in isolated central Mexico) - diarrheal disease, caused by bacteria

Epidemiology definition

Epidemiology is the discipline that describes, quantifies, and postulates the causal mechanisms for illness and disease within populations.

Epidemiologists measure

morbidity, injury, disability and mortality within populations.

Epidemiological Functions

Describing the health status of the population
Determining the etiology of disease
Predicting the occurrence of disease
Controlling the distribution of disease

Father of Epidemiology

John Snow determined in the mid 1800s that cholera in London was spread via a common water source (the Broad Street pump)
Eliminating the access to that water source interrupted the epidemic

ORT: Oral Rehydration treatment:

boiled water, with sugar and salt - can keep people from dying from diarrheal diseases

Epidemic

Excessive occurrence of a disease

Pandemic

Epidemic on a wide geographic scale

Endemic

High prevalence of a disease in a particular geographical region.

Surveillance

Systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, dissemination of data.

Epidemiologic Triad

Host - Agent - Environment

Rate

A ratio in which time is a factor

Mortality Rate

number of deaths within a population usually within a year

Neonatal Mortality Rate

mortality rate among infants younger than 28 days
(Number of neonatal deaths per 1000 live births within a year)

Infant Mortality Rate

mortality rate among infants younger than 365 days
(Number of infant deaths per 1000 live births within a year)
Highest: Africa, Eastern Mediterranean Southeast Asia

Child Mortality Rate

mortality rate among children younger than 5 years
(Number of <5 year-old deaths per 1000 live births within a year)
Sub- Saharan Africa, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa

Maternal Mortality Rate

mortality rate associated with pregnancy and childbirth
(Number of deaths per 100,000 live births within a year)
Sub- Saharan Africa

Prevalence Rate

number (percentage) of cases of a disease /condition at a specific time

Incidence Rate

rate of development of new cases

Risk factor

a behavior, exposure, inherited trait that is associated with a health condition/disease

Life Expectancy

average number of years expected to live (starting with a specific age)
not a static number - it varies

Low and Middle Income Countries leading factors for the Burden of Disease

Deaths -------------------------------DALYS
High blood pressure-------------- Childhood Underweight
Childhood underweight---------- Unsafe sex
Smoking ---------------------------High blood pressure
High cholesterol--------------------smoking
Unsafe sex --

Disability-adjusted Life Year (DALY)

Measures # of years lost due to premature death AND
Measures # of years chronically ill or disabled during normal life expectancy

Health Surveillance

Estimates the magnitude of the problem
Determines the geographic distribution
Establishes the natural history of disease
Detects epidemics
Evaluates control measures
Monitors changes in infectious agents
Detects changes in practice
Facilitates planning

What are Africa's big health problem right now?

STD's

fish market:

women will have sex with fisherman to guarantee fish, spread of HIV becomes easy in this way

people don't believe ___________, but believe________

AIDS spreads through sexual stuff
AIDS happens to people when they break customary law

Determinants of Health (US)

Human biology - genetics, susceptibility to disease or not, gender, organs, ethnicity, country of origin (5th)
Habits and behaviors- smoking, drinking, exercise, hygiene (largest)
Environment - urban (access to health facilities), pollution, food security

What are determinants of Health

The economic and social conditions that influence the health of individuals and communities
They contribute to the determination of whether individuals stay healthy or not.
They determine the extent to which a person possess the physical social and person

social and political circumstances affect what?

life and well-being and health

there is a major relationship between health and _______

income

What does it show: Life Expectancy for Men by Neighborhood Income Quintile

Uniform increase of life expectancy with increase in income

What must all sectors do to act effectively for promoting health?

All sectors must take responsibility for promoting health

To address increasing global threats to health, health protection must use ____________-

health promotion skills of health education and public communication

More needs to be done to reorient the healthcare sector to take greater responsibility _____________

for health promotion and chronic disease management

WHO Conference on Social Determinants of Health

Follow-up to the report of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (Chaired by Sir Michael Marmot)
representative organizations: UNICEF for example

Policy recommendations for WHO Conference on Social Determinants

Reform of health governance- Need for intersectoral action
New culture of participation-Engaging non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
New role for the health sector-Focus on primary health care and universal access
Coordinated action-Need to go beyond na

65th World Health Assembly, May, 2012

Priority setting
Operationalize policy recommendations
Joining forces with NGOs and academia
Generating evidence on health inequities
Connecting all stakeholders

What does health and education of parents affect?

Both health and education of children

What do malnutrition and disease affect?

Cognitive development

What is the level of education related to?

Disease prevention

Good health increases _______- and _________

Life expectancy and lifetime earnings

Health indicators within countries are largely, but not completely, related to _____________

variations in per capita income

Most countries have significant variation in health indicators across various population groups

Low- or middle-income countries generally have poor health indicators

High-income countries with significant disenfranchised minorities may also have_________

poor health indicators

Income gaps have an impact on

Access
Coverage
Benefits

Being born ________is dangerous to your health

Female

Women face health concerns related to their diminished place in many societies

Examples:
Female infanticide
Lower enrollment in school
Violence against women

Association between ethnicity and:

Health status
Access
Coverage
Linked to association with less power, lower education, and less income
maternal mortality rate is a good surrogate for looking at community information

How much % of GDP do High income and low income spend on health?

High-income countries which spend 9-12% of GDP on health have higher life expectancies
Low-income countries which spend 3-6% of GDP on health have lower life expectancies

Examples of outliers

Sri Lanka and Cuba spend relatively little, but achieve higher life expectancies

Cost Effectiveness of Health Interventions

Compares cost of intervention with the amount of health that can be "purchased" with that investment
Compares different interventions to assist health investment choices
Can help to set priorities among different ways of achieving a health goal

Health and Development

Good health promotes economic development
Higher levels of economic development also promote better health
Low- and middle-income countries must adopt policies that speed achievement of health goals even with constrained incomes

The Foundation for Health as a Human Right

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and his family...."
Has led to legally-binding multilateral treaties, but it is not legally binding

Other Multilateral Treaties Related to Health

Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
"Recognizes the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health."
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(1966)

Health as a Right (written in how many constitutions?)

115 countries
Universal access to healthcare
Focus on improving population health
Addressing social determinants of health

Human Rights and HIV Infection

-Stigma and discrimination
affected mostly young people
people were one of 4 categories: homosexuality, hymopheliac, heroin uses, Haitians
-Protecting the rights of HIV-positive people
-Ensuring access to care
Blood transfusions really worried people
as s

Human Rights and Human Subjects Research

-Research studies may not benefit the participants
-Ethical concerns about putting participants at risk for the sake of others

-The Tuskegee Study:

men who had cyphillus were told that they were getting treated when they were not even 30 years after the cure was found (penicillin)

-AZT "Short course" trials:

happened in the 90s - done in Sub Saharan Africa - one thought there might be a shorter treatment, so firstly people (women) were not asked, and it was short course vs. no treatment vs. what usually should be short course vs. best possible known solution

Responses to improper Human Subject research
The Declaration of Helsinki (1964)

Scientific validity
Fairness
Risk vs. benefit
Use of placebos
Consent
Oversight
(most countries adhere to these)
Responses to improper Human Subject research
The Belmont report (1974)
Respect for persons
Beneficence
Justice
Informed consent
Risk vs. benef

Allocation of Health Resources

Limit on resources/"rationing"
Government agencies must decide how to allocate resources
Making choices based on explicit, publicly justified criteria

Governed by one or more of these ethical principles:

Health maximization
Equality
Priority to the worst off
Personal responsibility

Health System Components

Regulatory agencies (FDA)
Financing agencies
Providers
Preventive services
Clinical services
Specialized components, e.g. educators, pharmaceutical companies
(USA doesn't really have one health system - components make up system)

Health System

The WHO Helath System Framework
System buildingblocks
Service delivery
Health workforce
Information
Medical products, vaccines and technologies
Financing
Leadership/governance
Leads to Access coverage and quality safety
Overall goals and outcomes
Improved

Health System organization

Service level (who, what) - primary, secondary, tertiary
Facilities
Payment
Outcomes (inconsistently measured)

Variations on Approach

...

National Health Insurance:

Canada

National Health Service -

UK

Pluralistic:

USA

Global Models

Low-income countries-mixed approach
Middle-income countries-most have national system through publicly supported payments
High-income countries-almost exclusively have universal systems for financing and/or delivery (USA is the exception)

Tiers of Health Delivery

Primary care: initial point of entry and service
Secondary care: some medical specialties; community hospitals
Tertiary care: all specialties; medical centers

Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978)

Health as a human right
Primary care is essential
All should have access to primary care
Central tenet of global health initiatives

Health System Entities

Public-public health, regulation, healthcare delivery
Private (for profit)-providers, facilities, systems
Private (not-for-profit)-providers, facilities, systems; often engaged in community outreach and partnerships

Health costs as percentage of GPD

Indonesia 2, Pakistan 2.9, Bangladesh 3.5, sudan 3.6

Health costs as percentage of GDP

Nigeria 6.8, afghanistan 7.3

Health System Models

Social insurance model-Germany - work provides insurance
Government insurance-Canada
Socialized system-Great Britain
everything about health is covered/owned by government
Lack of any system-Some developing countries

Performance Measures

Life expectancy
Mortality rates
DALYs lost
Access
Cost

Performance Rankings:

France - 1
Germany - 25
USA- 37
Cuba - 39
Afghanistan - 173

Health System Issues

Human resources
Insufficient numbers of health workers
Education/training
Maldistribution
Demographic changes
Finances
Quality
Access

Important contributors to global burden of disease:

Unsafe water, hygiene, and excreta disposal
Urban air pollution
Indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels

Leading causes of death from environmental factors:

3rd-Lower respiratory infection
6th-Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
7th-Diarrheal disease

Working definition of Environment Health (McMichael)

external physical, chemical, and microbiological exposures and processes that impinge upon individuals and groups and are beyond the immediate control of individuals

Environmental Health (world bank)

Efforts that are "concerned with preventing disease, death, and disability by reducing exposure to adverse environmental conditions and promoting behavior change.

Environmental Health Facts

25-35% of global burden of disease linked to environmental factors
Increase in prevalence and mortality of asthma in last four decades has approached 80%
About 1.5 billion people breathe air that does not meet WHO quality standards
Environmental factors c

Typical environmental Health Issues: Determinantes

Household
Unsafe water, sanitation, waste disposal etc.
Community
Imporper water resource management, poor drainage
Global
Climate change
Ozone depletion

Typical Environmental Health issues: Health Consequences

Household
Diarrhea, vector related disease, such as malaria, dengue
Community
Vector related diseases (malaria etc.), Respiratory disease
Global
Injury/death, extreme heat/cold floods and fires
Aggravation of respiratory disease, population dislocation

Global Environmental Health Issues

Indoor air pollution
Big in developing world
Indoor cooking
Outdoor air pollution
Big problem (50% of population in cities)
Climate change
Access to clean water
Chemicals and radioactivity in the environment

Other Global Health Issues with an Environmental Component

Food safety
Solid waste disposal
Occupational health and safety
Unintentional injuries

Indoor Air pollution short term problems

Conjunctivitis, upper respiratory infection, acute respiratory infection, carbon monoxide poisoning

Indoor air pollution long term problems

Cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer

Effects of Indoor Air Pollution (developing countries)

Cause of ~4% of all deaths
3rd most important risk factor
~60% of all deaths attributable to indoor air pollution are among females

Indoor Air pollution Interventions

Improve cooking devices
Use of less polluting fuels
Reducing need for fuels by using solar cooking and heating
Mechanisms for venting smoke
Keeping children away from cooking area
Public policies and education that encourage safer practices

Water and Sanitation

Only 60% of people in the world have access to improved sanitation
Poor sanitation leads to increase in pathogens through oral-fecal route, spread of parasitic worms, and trachoma
One billion people lack access to safe water sources
Waterborne pathogens a

Effects of Poor sanitation

Burden falls primarily on the poor and less well-educated people
Unsafe sanitation, unsafe water, poor hygienic practices and burden of diarrheal disease are
closely linked

Improved Sanitation and Clean Water: Interventions

Simple methods of sanitation and excreta disposal are low-cost and relatively effective
Barriers include lack of knowledge, construction material, local politics, poor policies
Government subsidies and regulations for installing latrines
Promotion through

Epidemiology is concerned with

the distribution of disease and the determinants of health

High Income Countries leading factors for the Burden of Disease

Deaths DALYS
1 Smoking - Smoking 2 High blood pressure - HBP
3 High cholesterol - overweight & obesity
4 Overweight obesity - High cholesterol
5 Physical inactivity - Alcohol use