Despite significant advancements in global health in the past thirty years, there remains a stark divide between health outcomes in the western world and in what we call "the global south" (resource-poor countries, the majority of which, but not all, are south of the equator). Infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV continue to challenge health systems and affect mortality. We are finding it hard to replicate hard-won earlier successes such as the eradication of smallpox. And chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, once considered "western world" problems are now presenting significant health challenges in developing countries through the effects of globalization. The western world also is not without its public health challenges. Infectious diseases remain a problem with a resurgence of "older" infections such as measles in parts of the US and Britain, and the emergence of new issues such as Lyme disease.
In this online course we will examine the factors that have led to today's global health burden. We will study the nature of microbes and the complex, often interrelated factors that contribute to their ability to challenge us even as we develop new technologies against them. We will look at the role of globalization in introducing "western world" diseases as new health challenges for emerging countries. We will examine the pivotal role that maternal and child health plays in this story. We will look at the science-based methods and tools we have to track the emergence of disease, the global disease burden and our ability to measure improvements in health outcomes in resource-poor countries
After completing this course, you will be able to:
Students will follow ten (10) online modules (one per week) that include readings, videos, and interactive features tracing the global disease burden, starting with a basic understanding of the methodology we use to describe and moving track disease through modules that explore to the different triggers and pressure points of the global disease burden.
At the end of each module, there will be an assignment. Also, each module contains online discussions, so you can share knowledge and communicate with your virtual classmates. These discussions are mandatory and must be completed within the week they are open. Participation in the discussions is defined as posting at least one original comment reflecting the student’s understanding of the issue and directly addressing the question posed in the discussion and at least two thoughtful responses to class colleagues.
All students must complete the research paper (Assignment 10).
Students taking two competencies must do a research paper and three (3) additional assignments from the remaining nine (9). The three additional assignments must be completed in the week that they are posted. Note: the instructor will grade the first three assignments submitted and no additional assignments.
To buy your books, go to http://depaul-loop.bncollege.com
There is NO REQUIRED textbook for this course.
In this course, you will develop the following competencies:
Competence |
Competence Statement and Criteria |
|---|---|
H5 |
Can analyze issues and problems from a global perspective |
S3B |
Can assess health care practices based on an understanding of the biological and social factors that contribute to definitions of health |
S2D |
Can describe, categorize, and analyze the interactions and exchanges between living organisms and their physical environments |
Assignment |
Components |
Link to Competencies |
|---|---|---|
1.1 Discussion: Introductions |
Introduce yourself to your instructor and classmates |
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1.2 Assignment: The global health burden: researching the burden of lung cancer, diabetes and HIV in the United States |
After reading Module 1, research and identify the most recent prevalence, incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer, diabetes and HIV in the United states |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by grounding the student in the terminology and methods used to describe disease burden globally |
2.1 Discussion: Given what you have learned about epidemics, do you think the media reports accurately about the issue when epidemics such as the H1N1 flu or Ebola are in the news? |
After reading Module 2, reflect on how the media has handled the most recent reports of disease outbreaks and provide a critique of their response in light of what you have learned |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by orienting the student to using data and scientific background to analyse how information is presented to the public. |
2.2 Assignment: Endemic, Epidemic, Pandemic: research yersinnia pestis, in all three stages. |
After learning about the distinctions between the different types of disease outbreak, research and write a brief paper (1 page) describing all three outbreak stages using the disease plague as the example |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by grounding students in the terminology used to describe different outbreak states |
3.1 Discussion: Why do you believe public resistance to vaccines still remains; is there a scientific basis for it |
After reading Module 3, use what you have learned about vaccine development, and testing to critique the continuing public resistance to vaccination |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by presenting the student with data and scientific background to compare with public perception of a scientific issue. |
3.2 Assignment: Vaccines and Infectious Diseases |
After reading Module 3, select three infectious diseases for which vaccines exist, and for which a herd immunity threshold has been identified. Write a brief paper (at least one paragraph per disease) describing, for each of the diseases, the disease type, signs and symptoms, infectivity period, recommended vaccination age and herd immunity threshold |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by introducing students to the concept of prevention by vaccination, how vaccination affects the individual micro immune ecosystem and the community immune system |
4.1 Discussion: Tell the class which disease you have selected for your research paper and which area of the developing world you will use as a basis for the paper |
After carefully reading all the instructions for the research paper, select a disease from the approved list of diseases. Tell the class what disease you have selected, where your area of focus will be and why you selected that disease |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by preparing the student for the final research paper at an early point in the class when the basics of scientific method have been covered and the remaining modules can be read with the perspective of the research paper topic. |
4.2 Assignment: Measuring Maternal and Child Health: household survey analysis |
After reading Maternal and neonatal mortality in southwest Ethiopia: estimates and socioeconomic equality, write a short paper (1-2 pages) describing what the research team set out to measure, how they designed and implemented their survey to accommodate local beliefs to obtain information on maternal and neonatal mortality and socioeconomic inequality |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by orienting the student to one of the key measures of global health and the adaptive approach taken to data collection in a low-resource environment. |
5.1 Discussion: Do you contribute to antibiotic resistance in your daily life through over- or under-use of antibiotics, or use of household products that contain antimicrobials? |
After reading Module 5, consider your personal use of antimicrobial products |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking students to analyse their participation in the emergence of global antimicrobial resistance |
5.2 Assignment: The challenge of MDR TB |
After reading The Lancet article, research tuberculosis in either India or Russia and write a brief paper (1-2 pages) describing the disease TB, what it is and how it affects humans and on the challenges specifically faced by India or Russia in addressing multidrug resistant TB |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by orienting students to the influence of different environments on the emergence of pathogenic resistance |
6.1 Discussion: Are our standards hypocritical when we judge developing countries for following the paths we have taken in the past? |
After reading Module 6, consider our perceptions of health conditions and practices in the emerging world. Are we judging too harshly? |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking students to analyse the differences between developed word values with regard to health and those in the emerging world |
6.2 Assignment: Cancer and infectious diseases |
Research three infectious diseases that are linked with the development of cancer. For each disease provide the following information:
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Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by demonstrating the linkages between acute and chronic diseases and the differential burdens of these diseases globally |
7.1 Discussion: Is Health Diplomacy the right approach? Even when it helps corrupt countries? |
After reading Module 7, consider the merits and drawbacks of the health diplomacy approach. Is it defensible? |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking students to analyse a controversial component of global aid with regard to ethics and responsibilities |
7.2 Assignment: Global aid and neglected tropical diseases |
Go to USAID’s page for Neglected Tropical Diseases (link provided)
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Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by demonstrating the burden of neglected tropical diseases, geographic disparities, and approaches to treatment |
8.1 Discussion: What is more important when it comes to health policy in your opinion: individual rights or societal rights? Why do you hold this position? |
After reading Module 8, consider the need to balance individual privacy rights and societal rights to protection. Does the balance fall more heavily on one side versus the other? If so, why? |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking students to analyse the process through which we balance competing rights in order to develop appropriate health policy |
8.2 Assignment: Policy decisions relevant to the disease you are studying for the research paper |
Write a brief paper (1 page) describing a specific policy that you have found to be interesting (either current or historically) related to the disease you are studying for your research paper. What did the policy intend to achieve? Were there any conflicting interests involved (individual versus societal rights, economic interests versus health interests, etc?). This assignment may be incorporated into your research paper as the policy section. |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by orienting students to the policy aspects of the research paper; building research for the paper in advance and enabling additional analysis opportunities |
9.1 Discussion: Can you think of a newsworthy example (not included in these materials) in which the "tweaking of nature" has led to unexpected consequences? |
After reading Module 9, research cases of habitat disruption or nature tweaking leading to unintended consequences and provide an example you have found that has not already been covered in the readings or the concept map example |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by requiring research to identify comparable instances of ecosystem disruption |
9.2 Assignment: Create a map of habitat disruption leading to disease outbreak |
Create a concept map showing a chain of events linking a local environmental disruption to an infectious disease (see example below). Identify and research an infectious disease whose emergence can in some way be linked to ecosystem disruption or some version of “tweaking” with nature, and create a concept map that traces the outbreak of disease from the initial habitat disruption (step 1) through four additional steps ending in the outbreak of disease (step 5). Your concept map will illustrate at least 5 steps in a chain of events linking habitat disruption to an outbreak of an infectious disease. Example provided in content section of D2L |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking the students to document the sequential process of habitat disruption, resulting in the emergence of disease |
10.1 Look at Goal 3 of the new Sustainable Development Goals (see link below). What do you think about the targets that have been set? What is realistic and what isn't? If you compare them with the targets that were met from the previous Millennium Development Goals, do you change your mind? |
After reading Module 10 and learning about the Millennium Development Goals and their successors the Sustainable Development Goals, provide a critical analysis of whether the SDGs are reasonable, achievable and how they compare with the MDGs |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by enegaing students in the analytic process to examine global health targets and milestones |
10.2 Assignment: Research paper |
Select a disease from the approved list of diseases (provided) and follow the guidance provided to deliver a well-researched, fully-referenced research paper (10-12 pages) on the global burden of the selected disease. |
Supports all class competencies (H5, S2D, S3B) by asking students to deliver a research paper that reflects all of the concepts they have learned throughout the class, using the terminology, methods and key metrics to describe and analyse the global burden of a selected disease |
Students will be graded in the discussions based on weekly participation, posting comments that reflect an understanding of the subject matter and on thoughtful, informed responses to other students’ postings. In discussions that ask for opinions, it is expected that those opinions will be formed after researching the issue and reading the module of the week. Opinions that do not address the question asked in the discussion will not be graded.
Students will be graded in the assignments based on following the assignment instructions and providing the specific information requested in each assignment. If an assignment asks for specific item of data such as a prevalence rate or a herd immunity threshold, that data item must be provided. If an assignment asks for a description of a disease, a descriptive paragraph or two should be provided including all of the descriptive elements specified in the assignment instructions. The assignments are structured to build an understanding of the class concepts, terms of art and methodology that will be required in order to gain an understanding of the most pressing global disease burdens, understand the factors contributing to these phenomena; appreciate the role of culture, environment and policy in influencing disease trends, and provide the student with a solid knowledge on which to describe these issues in detail with respect to one disease, and analyse them in a research paper.
All assignments must be submitted by the due date (end of day on the last day of the module week, Sunday). Late assignments will only be accepted if a late date is requested in advance in writing by the student with a valid reason. Late assignments will be deducted 10% of the grade.
Class Grades for One Competence
Participation in the weekly discussions (mandatory): 10%
Research paper: 90%
Class Grades for Two Competences
Participation in the weekly discussions (mandatory): 10%
Research paper: 60%
Each additional assignment (3): 10% (30% total)
Note: discussions are mandatory: students who do not participate in the discussions will be considered non-attending students and will not receive a grade for assignment work.
A = 95 to 100 |
A- = 91 to 94 |
B+ = 88 to 90 |
B = 85 to 87 |
B- = 81 to 84 |
C+ = 77 to 80 |
C = 73 to 76 |
C- = 69 to 72 |
D+ = 65 to 68 |
D = 61 to 64 |
F = 60 or below |
INC |
Grades below C- in SNL courses do not satisfy competence and are not counted toward graduation.
Module |
Readings |
Assignments |
|---|---|---|
Module 1: An Introduction to Global Health |
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1.1 Discussion: Introductions 1.2 Assignment: The global health burden: researching the burden of lung cancer, diabetes and HIV in the United States |
Module 2: Microbes, Infectious Diseases and Epidemics |
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2.1 Discussion: Given what you have learned about epidemics, do you think the media reports accurately about the issue when epidemics such as the H1N1 flu or Ebola are in the news? 2.2 Assignment: Endemic, Epidemic, Pandemic: research yersinnia pestis, in all three stages. |
Module 3: Prevention and Vaccines |
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3.1 Discussion: 3.2 Assignment: Vaccines and Infectious Diseases |
Module 4: Maternal and Child Health |
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4.1 Discussion: 4.2 Assignment: Measuring MCH: household survey analysis |
Module 5: Anitbiotics and Microbial Resistance |
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5.1 Discussion: 5.2 Assignment: The challenge of MDR TB |
Module 6: Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases |
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6.1 Discussion: Are our standards hypocritical when we judge developing countries for following the paths we have taken in the past? 6.2 Assignment: Cancer and infectious diseases |
Module 7: Global Aid and its impact on public health outcomes |
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7.1 Discussion: Is Health Diplomacy the right approach? Even when it helps corrupt countries? 7.2 Assignment: Global aid and neglected tropical diseases |
Module 8: Science versus Policy |
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8.1 Discussion: What is more important when it comes to health policy in your opinion: individual rights or societal rights? Why do you hold this position? 8.2 Assignment: Policy decisions relevant to the disease you are studying for the research paper |
Module 9: Habitat Disruption and Disease |
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9.1 Discussion: Can you think of a newsworthy example (not included in these materials) in which the "tweaking of nature" has led to unexpected consequences? 9.2 Assignment: Create a map of habitat disruption leading to disease outbreak |
Module 10: Public Health Infrastructure and Measuring Progress |
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10.1 Discussion: What is your opinion of the Millennium Development Goals with regard to global health? Are they realistic given everything you have learned in this course? What should the post-2015 agenda focus on? 10.2 Assignment: Research paper is due during Finals Week |
Participation in the discussions is required (see above for a description of full participation). The instructor will not grade assignments from students who have not participated in the discussions.
Assignments must be submitted on the dues dates specified. Late assignments must be requested by the student in writing and will be subject to a 10% deduction of grade.
Assignments submitted late without a written request will not be graded.
Participation in the discussions must be polite and respectful at all times.
New information on the topic of global diseases is constantly emerging. New information will be made available to students as it becomes available: it will not be considered part of the course syllabus, but students who want to deliver an up-to-date research paper should consider the information provided as they conduct their research.
Occasionally, the information in the course content becomes out-of-date as we work through the course (due to a newly-implemented policy or breaking news on a disease). If that occurs students will be notified that the information is now outdated and will be supplied with the appropriate new information.
An extra credit assignment will be offered toward the end of the term. This assignment will be voluntary. No other additional work will be considered for extra credit.
This course includes and adheres to the college and university policies described in the links below:
Academic Integrity Policy (UGRAD)
Academic Integrity Policy (GRAD)
Course Withdrawal Timelines and Grade/Fee Consequences
Accommodations Based on the Impact of a Disability
Protection of Human Research Participants
APA citation format (GRAD)
University Center for Writing-based Learning
Siobhán NíBhuachalla, M.P.H.
Siobhán Ní Bhuachalla has 25+ years experience working with a wide range of stakeholders to advance global health care policy. Her experience covers international patient advocacy in movement disorders, infectious diseases and cancer; creating innovative approaches to access to medicines in emerging economies, most recently on a new initiative with private industry and the Kenyan government on access to cancer medicines; training patient advocates in Latin America on techniques to promote disease awareness; developing a global campaign to educate stakeholders on awareness of substandard and counterfeit medicines; testifying to the US Congress on reform of social security coverage for chronically ill patients; and the development of public-private initiatives among industry, government and NGOs to advance new vaccine programs under the Federal Agency Biodefense Program. Prior to founding SixDegrees, she worked at Sigma-Tau, Monsanto (Searle), Pharmacia and Abbott. At Abbott, she ran the Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development communications division. She has a degree in Law from the National University of Ireland (Dublin) and a Masters degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. She is a member of the Educational Advisory Board of the California Academy of Family Physicians, and an FDA Award winner for excellence in consumer education.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary. If a change occurs, it will be clearly communicated to students.
This course was designed and produced by faculty and staff at SNL Online of the School forNew Learning of DePaul University.
© 2017 School for New Learning, DePaul University. All Rights Reserved by SNL.