SOCS243 Global Health

Subject Code :
SOCS243
Country :
AU
University :
Australian Catholic University

Task:

Students are asked to authentically assess a strategy for treatment or prevention of global health disease, through adopting the role of a global health worker. As a global health

worker you choose ONE of five scenarios listed in this Guide and in the online Module supporting the assignment.

Each scenario is linked to a low income country or middle income country. Within each scenario you are presented a global health problem and your role is to propose an evidence-based strategy or program to improve the health of a specific population group in that country. Part of your role is to research best practice strategies/programs for preventing or treating this disease and propose a novel strategy/strategies or program which will improve the health of the population group you are working with. The proposed strategy will be based on credible evidence from academic peer reviewed sources, recommended texts and readings, government and non-government organisation reports of global health organisations such as World Health Organisation (WHO) and the course text book.

Scenario 1: Communicable Disease in Chad

The state of health in Chad is miserable; our country has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world at 51, and an even lower healthy life expectancy of 44. A vast majority of our health problems can be attributed to communicable diseases, which constitute 75% of Chad’s deaths and 77% of all DALYs. Specifically, diarrheal diseases, lower respiratory infections (LRIs), and HIV account for 34% of all deaths in Chad. Young, rural, and poor children are most at risk for diarrheal diseases and LRIs, while women and sex workers are the populations most affected by HIV. Risk factors vary greatly as many environmental and nutritional risk factors contribute to LRIs and diarrheal diseases. In contrast, risk factors such as having multiple partners, having unprotected sex, or having a sexually transmitted infection increase the risk of HIV. Consequences from these communicable diseases include the health impact on the infected individual, as well as the indirect economic and social consequences for Chad. As a global health worker, you need to develop a strategy or program to target prevention or control of a communicable disease in Chad. The program or strategy must accommodate the social, cultural and/orenvironmental factors contributing to the spread of this disease in Chad.

Scenario 2: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Syria

Psychological trauma resulting from civil conflict is a severe and widespread health issue in Syria. An especially disabling form of psychological trauma is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition in which people who have experienced trauma undergo a crippling fear response even when no threatening stimulus is present. These individuals often relive specific traumatic events from the past, even when they are no longer in danger, resulting in severe emotional disability. It has a particularly strong effect on refugees inside and outside of Syria, children, women, and those who have experienced a high number of traumatic life events. As a global health worker, you need to design a strategy or program to reduce the prevalence of PTSD in Syria. The strategy or program needs to accommodate specific socio-economic or social, cultural or environmental factors that contribute to PTSD in Syria.

Scenario 3: Women’s Health in Myanmar

Women’s health in Myanmar (Burma) is among the worst in the world, leading to one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the region at 200 deaths per 100,000 women. Burmese women are further endangered by state-sponsored rape by military personnel, sexual assault, forced labor, prostitution and trafficking. Internally displaced (IDP) ethnic women, adolescents, and women living in rural Myanmar suffer most from dangerous health conditions. The six major risk factors for women’s health include gender inequality, limited education, poor childbearing practices, geographical and coverage gaps, insufficient health expenditure, and cultural barriers. Sexual abuse of Burmese women and poor access to healthcare leads to an increase in STI prevalence and a high economic cost due to workforce deficit. As a global health worker, you need to develop a strategy or program that assists to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Myanmar, or to lessen the prevalence of unwanted children, or to raise support and awareness for sexually abused Burmese women.

Scenario 4: Nutrition in Peru

Undernutrition and overweight pose a serious problem to the Peruvian population’s health: 30% of the under five population is stunted; 50% of pregnant women suffer from anemia and 15% of children are vitamin A deficient; and chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, have become more prevalent in urban areas. 70% of rural women are categorized as extremely poor making them and their children most vulnerable to malnutrition while adults in urban settings are most susceptible to obesity. Poverty, conditions in rural communities, and education are underlying causes of poor nutrition. These problems must be addressed immediately given their impact on the economy as a result of lower productivity and financial demands on the healthcare system. As a global health worker, you are asked to create a strategy or program that targets the needs of people living in urban or rural communities in Peru.

Scenario 5: Japanese Encephalitis in Nepal

Nepal has the second highest prevalence of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in South East Asia. One in five cases of JE results in death and those who survive frequently suffer from residual neuropsychiatric disorders. Most cases occur in children ages 5-15 years living in rural plain areas of the western, mid-western, and far-western regions of Nepal that border India1 . Those not using insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs), living amongst animal reservoirs of the disease and practicing poor agricultural practices in JE-endemic areas are most at risk. No effective drug treatment for JE exists and few are aware of the JE vaccine. JE contributes to high levels of malnutrition, lack of education, and poverty. Despite efforts from Government and non-government organizations, JEconstitutes a major cause of morbidity and mortality in our country and remains a priority for public health intervention. As a global health worker, you are to design a strategy or program that targets people living in rural areas and that accounts for the social, cultural and/or environmental factors contributing to the spread of JE in rural areas of Nepal.

Posted on : February 17th, 2020