Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Global Health Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Global Health and Volunteering Beyond Borders

  • 1011 Accesses

Abstract

Global health is a complex area for study, research, and practice that transcends national boundaries and that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in healthcare for all people worldwide through interdisciplinary collaborative means. Global health is an amalgam of the preventative measures from public health with clinical care that considers health determinants to develop solutions. It represents a paradigm shift from older top-down international health and development models that positioned high-income Western nations as sources of expertise and low- and middle-income countries as sites of disease-based (mainly tropical and diarrheal diseases) intervention.

This shift necessitated new approaches in educational systems that reflected the Western-centered model. Multiple transnational organizations such as the World Health Organization, along with consortia of educational institutions, have advocated for global health training that is interprofessional and collaborative and acknowledges significant expertise within low- and middle-income countries. These organizations have begun the task of shaping global health education and research to increase the effectiveness and inclusiveness of global health activities to reduce the shifting global burden of morbidity and mortality. They seek to accomplish this through the creation of core global health competencies, lasting mutually beneficial partnerships across countries and institutions of varying income levels, and support for transnational global health educational collaborations.

The future of global health and global health education must be informed by the current and projected health issues and realities affecting all of the world’s peoples. Changes in the global economy, demographics, and socioeconomic status have led to noncommunicable diseases and injuries comprising the majority of the causes of mortality worldwide. This reality makes the need for the expansion of collaborative interprofessional global health education practices urgent. It is through this inclusive approach, with adequate resources, that health professionals based in all countries will be able to successfully increase health status and quality of life for all.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    I use the more accurate and useful tem “low- and middle-income country.” Although WHO Member States are grouped into four income groups (low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high) based on the World Bank list of analytical income classification of economies for the fiscal year (see: http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/definition_regions/en/ and https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups), “low- and middle-income country” (aka LMIC) is a widely used designation in the respective global health and development literature.

  2. 2.

    CUGH is a Washington, D.C.,-based organization of over 165 academic institutions and other organizations on 5 continents engaged in addressing global health challenges. CUGH builds interdisciplinary collaborations and facilitates the sharing of knowledge to address global health challenges. It is dedicated to creating equity and reducing health disparities everywhere [6].

  3. 3.

    Available at http://cugh.org/forums/teaching-global-health-competenciescurricula-methods-and-evaluation.

References

  1. Adams L, Wagner C, Nutt C, et al. The future of global health education: training for equity in global health. BMC Med Educ. 2016;16:296. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-016-0820-0.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Bateman C, Baker T, Hoornenborg E, Ericsson U. Bringing global issues to medical teaching. Lancet. 2001;358:1539–42.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Beaglehole R, Bonita R. What is global health? Glob Health Action. 2010;3(1):5142. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v3i0.5142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bilano V, Gilmour S, Moffiet T, d'Espaignet E, et al. Global trends and projections for tobacco use, 1990–2025: an analysis of smoking indicators from the WHO Comprehensive Information Systems for Tobacco Control. Lancet. 2015;385(9972):966–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bridges D, Davidson R, Odegard P, et al. Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education. Med Educ Online. 2011; https://doi.org/10.3402/meo.v16i0.6035.

  6. Consortium of Universities for Global Health. Mission & background. 2018. https://www.cugh.org/about. Accessed 13 Feb 2018.

  7. Costello A, Zumla A. Moving to research partnerships in developing countries. BMJ. 2000;321:827. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.321.7264.827.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Edwards R, Rowson M, Piachaud J. Teaching international health issues to medical students. Med Educ. 2001;35(8):807–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Freedman D, Gotuzzo E, Seas C, et al. Educational programs to enhance medical expertise in tropical diseases: the Gorgas Course experience 1996–2001. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2002;66(5):526–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Frenk J, Lincoln C, Zulfiqar A, et al. Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. Lancet. 2010;376(9756):1923–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Heck J, Wedemeyer D. International health education in US medical schools: trends in curriculum focus, student interest, and funding sources. Fam Med. 1995;27(10):636–40.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hu FB. Globalization of diabetes: the role of diet, lifestyle, and genes. Diabetes Care. n.d.;34(6):1249–57. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc11-0442.

  13. Institute of Medicine. America’s vital interest in global health: protecting our people, enhancing our economy, and advancing our international interests. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1997. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5717&page=11. Accessed 14 Feb 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the US Commitment to Global Health. The US commitment to global health: recommendations for the public and private sectors. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK32623/pdf/Bookshelf_NBK32623.pdf. Accessed 14 Feb 2018.

  15. Jogerst K, Callender B, Adams V, et al. Identifying interprofessional global health competencies for 21st-century health professionals. Ann Global Health. 2015;81(2):239–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Jowell A, Zhou B, Barry M. The impact of megacities on health: preparing for a resilient future. Lancet Planet Health. 2017;1(5):e176–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(17)30080-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Koplan J, Bond T, Merson M, et al. Towards a common definition of global health. Lancet. 2009;373:1993–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Macfarlane S, Jacobs M, Kaaya E. In the name of global health: trends in academic institutions. J Public Health Policy. 2008;29(4):383–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Matheson A, Pfeiffer J, Judd L, et al. Sustainability and growth of university global health programs. Washington DC: Center for Strategic Studies; 2014. http://csis.org/files/publication/140507_Matheson_UniversityEngagement_Web.pdf. Accessed 15 Feb 2018.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Merson M. University engagement in global health. N Engl J Med. 2014;370:1676–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Merson M, Page K. The dramatic expansion of university engagement in global health: implications for US policy. Washington DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies; 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Seear M. Primary healthcare strategies: the essential foundation. In: Seear M, editor. An introduction to international health. 2nd ed. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press, Inc; 2012. p. 281–300.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Northwestern. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine – Center for Global Health. 2017. http://globalhealth.northwestern.edu/education/apply/predeparture-prep.html. Accessed 14 Feb 2018.

  24. Popkin B, Slining M. New dynamics in global obesity facing low- and middle-income countries. Obes Rev. 2013;14(0 2):11–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12102.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Rowson M, Smith A, Hughes R, et al. The evolution of global health teaching in undergraduate medical curricula. Glob Health. 2012;8:35. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-8603-8-35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Villafuerte-Galvez J, Curioso J. Teaching global health at the frontlines. PLoS Med. 2007;4(6):e130. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040130.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Walpole S, Shortall C, van Schalkwyk M, et al. Time to go global: a consultation on global health competencies for postgraduate doctors. Int Health. 2016;8(5):317–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. World Health Organization. Primary healthcare: report of the International Conference on Primary Healthcare, Alma-Ata, USSR, 6–12 September 1978 / jointly sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund. 1978. http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/39228. Accessed 12 Feb 2018.

  29. World Health Organization. The world health report 2003: shaping the future. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. World Health Organization. The world health report 2006: working together for health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006. http://wwwwhoint/whr/2006/en/. Accessed 12 Feb 2018.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  31. World Health Organization. Everybody’s business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO’s framework for action. 2007. http://www.who.int/healthsystems/strategy/everybodys_business.pdf. Accessed 13 Feb 2018.

  32. World Health Organization. Background Paper: Non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Paper presented at the Regional High-level Consultation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, 25–26 October 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  33. World Health Organization. Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  34. World Health Organization. The world health report 2013: research for universal health coverage. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013. http://www.who.int/whr/2013/report/en/. Accessed 12 Feb 2018.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  35. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) fact sheet. 2017. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/. Accessed 18 Feb 2018.

  36. World Health Organization. Diabetes fact sheet. 2017. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/. Accessed 14 Feb 2018.

  37. World Health Organization – Global Health Workforce Alliance (WHO-GHWA). Global Health Education Consortium. Members & Partners – Global Health Education Consortium. 2018. http://www.who.int/workforcealliance/members_partners/member_list/ghec/en/. Accessed 13 Feb 2018.

  38. World Health Organization. Health topics – primary healthcare. 2018. http://www.who.int/topics/primary_health_care/en/. Accessed 2 Feb 2018.

  39. World Health Organization Maximizing Positive Synergies Collaborative Group (WHO-MPSCG). An assessment of interactions between global health initiatives and country health systems. Lancet. 2009;373(9681):2137–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA

    Carl Lawson

Authors
  1. Carl Lawson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL, USA

    Mildred M.G. Olivier

  2. And So It Begins, LLC, Chicago, IL, USA

    Clarisse C. Croteau-Chonka

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lawson, C. (2019). Global Health Education. In: Olivier, M., Croteau-Chonka, C. (eds) Global Health and Volunteering Beyond Borders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98660-9_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98660-9_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-98659-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-98660-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation