The first edition of Understanding Global Health set a new information standard for this rapidly emerging subject. Written by a remarkable group of authors and contributors, this comprehensive, engagingly written text offers unmatched coverage of every important topic--from infectious disease to economics to war. Created with the non-specialist in mind, Understanding Global Health explores the current burden of disease in the world, how health is determined, and the problems faced by populations and health care workers around the world. The second edition has been thoroughly updated to include the most current information and timely topics. New chapters cover such topics as human trafficking, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, surgical issues in global health, and mental health. Every chapter includes Learning Objectives, Summary, Study Questions, and References and, in many instances, practical case examples. -- Provided by publisher.
In this lesson-packed book, Mark Nichter, one of the world’s leading medical anthropologists, summarizes what more than a quarter-century of health social science research has contributed to international health and elucidates what social science research can contribute to global health and the study of biopolitics in the future. Nichter focuses on our cultural understanding of infectious and vector-borne diseases, how they are understood locally, and how various populations respond to public health interventions. The book examines the perceptions of three groups whose points of view on illness, health care, and the politics of responsibility often differ and frequently conflict: local populations living in developing countries, public health practitioners working in international health, and health planners/policy makers. The book is written for both health social scientists working in the fields of international health and development and public health practitioners interested in learning practical lessons they can put to good use when engaging communities in participatory problem solving. Global Health critically examines representations that frame international health discourse. It also addresses the politics of what is possible in a world compelled to work together to face emerging and re-emerging diseases, the control of health threats associated with political ecology and defective modernization, and the rise of new assemblages of people who share a sense of biosociality. The book proposes research priorities for a new program of health social science research. Nichter calls for greater involvement by social scientists in studies of global health and emphasizes how medical anthropologists in particular can better involve themselves as scholar activists.
This volume's contributors evaluate the accomplishments, limits, and consequences of using quantitative metrics in global health. Whether analyzing maternal mortality rates, the relationships between political goals and metrics data, or the links between health outcomes and a program's fiscal support, the contributors question the ability of metrics to solve global health problems. They capture a moment when global health scholars and practitioners must evaluate the potential effectiveness and pitfalls of different metrics—even as they remain elusive and problematic. Contributors. Vincanne Adams, Susan Erikson, Molly Hales, Pierre Minn, Adeola Oni-Orisan, Carolyn Smith-Morris, Marlee Tichenor, Lily Walkover, Claire L. Wendland
Bringing together the experience, perspective and expertise of Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Arthur Kleinman, Reimagining Global Health provides an original, compelling introduction to the field of global health. Drawn from a Harvard course developed by their student Matthew Basilico, this work provides an accessible and engaging framework for the study of global health. Insisting on an approach that is historically deep and geographically broad, the authors underline the importance of a transdisciplinary approach, and offer a highly readable distillation of several historical and ethnographic perspectives of contemporary global health problems. The case studies presented throughout Reimagining Global Health bring together ethnographic, theoretical, and historical perspectives into a wholly new and exciting investigation of global health. The interdisciplinary approach outlined in this text should prove useful not only in schools of public health, nursing, and medicine, but also in undergraduate and graduate classes in anthropology, sociology, political economy, and history, among others.
The concept of global health has moved on from focusing on the problems of the developing world to encompass health problems with global impact. Global health issues impact daily on local healthcare delivery and professional practice. This illuminating guide for healthcare students and practitioners introduces the major themes, challenges and debates relevant to global health that will equip the reader with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in this multi-faceted area of practice. Key features Puts global health in context considering key issues including health inequalities, human health and the global environment and climate change. Ideal reading for international electives, voluntary work, and further qualifications in global health. Contains insights from leading experts in the field. Relevant to those working in a culturally diverse context whether domestic or international.
Rated by an independent panel as the best introductory Global Health text for undergraduates, Global Health 101, Third Edition is a clear, concise, and user-friendly introduction to the most critical issues in global health. It illustrates key themes with an extensive set of case studies, examples, and the latest evidence. Particular attention is given to the health-development link, to developing countries, and to the health needs of poor and disadvantaged people. The Third Edition is a thorough revision that offers an extensive amount of new and updated information, while maintaining clarity, simplicity, and ease of use for faculty and students. Offering the latest data on the burden of disease, the book presents unique content on key topics that are often insufficiently covered in introductory materials, such as immunization and adolescent health.
The health of human populations around the world is constantly changing and the health profiles of most nations in the early twenty-first century global health landscape are unrecognizable compared with those of just a century ago. This book examines and explains these health changes and considers likely future patterns and changes. While the overall picture charted is one of progress and improvement, certain unfortunate regressions and stubbornly persistent health inequalities are equally shown to be part of the evolving patterns of global health. The chapters of the book are organized in three major parts: The first part introduces readers to the principal concepts of global health, and to the idea of populations having distinctive health profiles. In particular, it explores how those profiles can be measured, and how they change, using the umbrella concepts and theories of epidemiological and health transition. Building on the first section, the second part focuses on the evolution of health states, as well as paying particular attention to the reasons for the many subnational inequalities in global health. It also examines health challenges such as the continuing infectious disease burden and current emerging 'epidemics'. The final part transports readers from the current health scene to future possible and probable health scenarios, acknowledging the challenges presented by global environmental change, as well as issues centred around geopolitics and human security. Using clear and original explanations of complex issues, this text makes extensive use of boxed case studies and international examples, with thought-provoking discussion questions posed for readers at the end of each chapter. Global Health is essential reading for students of global health, public health and development studies.
The past few decades have seen a massive increase in the number of international organizations focusing on global health. Campaigns to eradicate or stem the spread of AIDS, SARS, malaria, and Ebola attest to the increasing importance of globally-oriented health organizations. These organizations may be national, regional, international, or even non-state organizations-like Medicins Sans Frontieres. One of the more important recent trends in global health governance, though, has been the rise of public-private partnerships (PPPs) where private non-governmental organizations, for-profit enterprises, and various other social entrepreneurs work hand-in-hand with governments to combat specific maladies. A primary driver for this development is the widespread belief that by joining together, PPPs will attack health problems and fund shared efforts more effectively than other systems. As Chelsea Clinton and Devi Sridhar show in Governing Global Health, these partnerships are not only important for combating infectious diseases; they also provide models for developing solutions to a host of other serious global health challenges and questions beyond health. But what do we actually know about the accountability and effectiveness of PPPs in relation to the traditional multilaterals? According to Clinton and Sridhar, we have known very little because scholars have not accumulated enough data or developed effective ways to assess them-until now. In their analysis, they uncovered both strength and weaknesses of the model. Using principal-agent theory in which governments are the principals directing international agents of various type, they take a closer look at two major PPPs-the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria and the GAVI Alliance-and two major more traditional international organizations-the World Health Organization and the World Bank. An even-handed and thorough empirical analysis of one of the most pressing topics in world affairs, Governing Global Health will reshape our understanding of how organizations can more effectively prevent the spread of communicable diseases like AIDS and reduce pervasive chronic health problems like malnutrition.
This unique introduction to the essentials of global health has been constructed by medical students from all over the world through the help of Medsin (now Students for Global Health) and the International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA). The global student and trainee author team, recruited and guided initially by Drs Dan and Felicity Knights (themselves students and officers of Medsin when work commenced), identified the key areas to be covered. Then the book they put together was edited by two experts in the field: Mr B Sethia and Professor Parveen Kumar. Royalties raised from this book go to a grant fund for student global health projects. Written by medical students and junior doctors from Students for Global Health and the International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA). Edited by two experts in the field, Mr B Sethia and Professor Parveen Kumar. Royalties go to a grant fund for student global health projects.
