Description

In Southeast Asia in 2003, a pneumonia-like illness that proved fatal for many individuals within a few days of contracting it alarmed global health organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began a partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) to examine the nature and extent of the disease. They soon determined that it was not another contagious illness, H5N1, or “bird flu,” and gave it the name severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Despite their efforts, cases began being reported in Canada. That same day, a call to action was issued by the CDC through its Emergency Operations Center (CDC, 2013). Local, national, and international public and private health organizations and their leaders were then quickly tasked with responding to the challenges of determining how a disease could be spread from Southeast Asia to Canada. Their charge: to develop strategies for combatting its spread to other nations internationally. 

 This disease is only one example of myriad global health challenges. This area of public health leadership is growing rapidly and changing all the time in terms of types of issues and strategies for addressing them. This week, you analyze global health challenges, terminology, and concepts in public health administration and explore strategies that may be applied to solve various global health issues, including those arising in border regions. Objectives Students will: Analyze global health challenges in public health administration Apply strategies to global health issues Identify terms and concepts related to global health challenges Required Resources Readings Shi, L., & Johnson, J. A. (2014). Novick and Morrow's public health administration: Principles for population-based management (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Chapter 27, “Global Health Challenges and Opportunities” (pp. 627–650) Viergever, R. F. (2013). The mismatch between the health research and development (R&D) that is needed and the R&D that is undertaken: An overview of the problem, the causes, and solutions. Global Health Action, 6, 22450. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3796018/ World Health Organization (WHO). (n.d.-b). Mortality and global health estimates. Retrieved October 6, 2014, from http://www.who.int/gho/mortality_burden_disease/en/ Week 11 Discussion Global Health Issues: On the Border Line In the United States, the average lifespan has risen from 49 years in 1900 to 78 years in 2006 (Leonhardt, 2006). Shockingly, some of the lowest socioeconomic countries still have a life expectancy of less than 50 years (Shi & Johnson, 2014), however. Huge health disparities such as these still exist between countries, and remain one of the great moral and intellectual problems of our time. According to Shi and Singh (2012), global health is “the area of study, research, and practice that places priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.” Today, countries around the world are faced with increases in the type and number of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases, among other global health problems. In addition, governments must recognize threats of bioterrorism and new illnesses caused by changes in behavior, diet, and environmental influences. Global health is constantly evolving. The world is more interconnected than ever before through technology and transportation, and health is directly affected by this and other trends such as the aging population in some countries and increases in natural and human-made disasters. 

As global health evolves, so, too, must leaders in public health positions. Public health leaders and managers must know how to respond to global health challenges and develop an effective workforce to ameliorate them. For this week’s Discussion, review Box 27.2 in Chapter 27 of Shi and Johnson (2014) that lists the Millennium Project Goals and Their Related Targets. Consider those most related to the field of public health and the challenges posed in reaching these targets. Consider also the leadership strategies needed to ensure a more effective public health workforce to reach these goals. Then, select a border region in a different region of the world than you grew up in or live in now. Review the Discussion posts that have already been submitted to make sure that you select a different border region than has been used before. ost by Day 3 an explanation of how serving as an administrator in public health in a border region might be a challenge. 

Describe at least three strategies you, as a public health leader, would employ to ensure a more effective public health workforce and how you would apply them. Provide an example of another border area that might pose its own unique challenges. Describe the challenges and what might be done to ameliorate them. Be specific and provide examples. Remember to begin interaction with your colleagues in the Discussion no later than Day 5 and continue engaging through Day 7 by responding to colleagues. Expand on the colleague’s strategies for addressing challenges related to border regions or challenges related to another border region and what might be done to ameliorate those challenges. Support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate. Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure that your in-text citations and reference list are correct.