GLOBAL  HEALTH  

A  cri-cal  component  of  the  Health  Educa-on  Curriculum  

 Chrystyna  Kosarchyn,  PhD,  CHES  Professor  of  Health  Educa-on  

Longwood  University  

Objec-ves  

By  the  end  of  this  session,  par-cipants  will  be  able  to          1.  Illustrate  the  benefits  of  including  a  global  

health  component  in  teaching  health.  2.  Iden-fy  ways  in  which  global  health  can  be  

integrated  into  the  health  curriculum.  3.  Select  methods  that  foster  implementa-on  

of  a  global  perspec-ve  in  teaching  health.    

Introduc-ons  

•  Who’s  in  the  audience  and  why?  

   

What  is  Global  Health?  

•  What  is  “health”?  •  What  is  “global  health”?  

What  does  “health”  mean?  

•  What  do  you  think  “health”  means?  •  Do  you  consider  yourself  “healthy”?      •  Why  or  why  not?  

Defini-on  of  Health  

A  state  of  complete  physical,  mental,  and  social  well-­‐being  and  not  merely  the  absence  of  disease  or  infirmity.                                            -­‐  World  Health  Organiza-on    

But  is  that  all  there  is  to  “health”?  

•  Health  is  more  than    – Physical  – Mental  – Social  

What  other  “dimensions”  of  health  are  there?  

Health  vs.  Wellness  

•  Is  there  a  difference?    

Health:  A  dynamic,  ever-­‐changing  process  of  trying  to  achieve  your  individual  poten-al  in  the  physical,  social,  intellectual,  emo-onal,  environmental/occupa-onal  and  spiritual  dimensions.    Wellness:      The  achievement  of  the  highest  level  of  health  possible  in  each  of  the  dimensions  of  health.    

Health  Determinants  

•  What’s  responsible  for  our  health  status?  – Gene-cs  – Access  to  health  care  – Environment  –  Individual  behaviors  

What  is  “global  health”?  

•  There  are  actually  several  defini-ons  in  use,  just  like  when  it  comes  to  the  word  “health”.  

•  What  do  you  think  global  health  is?  

Global  health  

       Health  problems,  issues,  and  concerns  that  transcend  na-onal  boundaries  and  may  best  be  addressed  by  coopera-ve  ac-ons.            -­‐US  Ins-tute  of  Medicine  

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Why  Global  Health?  

Ethical  Reasons  Should  we  be  concerned  that:  •  10,000  babies  die  every  day  in  the  world  before  they  are  four  weeks  old?  

•  529,000  women  a  year  die  in  childbirth?  •  More  than  750,000  children  die  every  year  of  measles?  

•  1.6  million  people  die  in  the  world  die  every  year  of  TB?  

Why  Global  Health?  

Altruis-c  Reasons  •  The  belief  that  it  is  wrong  for  anyone,  anywhere,  to  go  hungry,  be  very  poor,  to  be  sick  or  die  unnecessarily.  

•  The  belief  that  it  is  important  to  develop  “social  responsibility”  in  our  students.  

•  The  belief  that  health  is  a  “human  right”,  not  a  “privilege”.  

Why  Global  Health?  

Selfish  Reasons  •  Our  health  is  increasingly  dependent  on  the  health  of  others  –  diseases  know  no  boundaries.  

•  In  a  world  that  is  “globalized”  it  is  in  everyone’s  best  interest  for  people  everywhere  to  be  healthy  and  produc-ve  members  of  society.    Why?  

•  A  healthy  world  is  a  stable  and  secure  one.  

   

Why  Global  Health  

Educa-onal  Reasons  •  Improving  the  knowledge  of  our  students  about  others,  par-cularly  in  the  areas  of  culture  and  how  it  can  impact  health,  can  lead  to  healthier  students.  

•  Helping  students  lose  some  of  their  ethnocentric  beliefs  about  others.  

•  Encourage  students  to  help  those  less  fortunate  by  volunteering  for  various  “missions”,  joining  the  Peace  Corps,  etc.  

•  Create  “global  ci-zens”,  not  just  na-onal  ones.  

Each  of  us  should  be  concerned  with  the  health  of  others  whether  it’s  for  health,  security  or  humanitarian  

reasons.  www.globalhealth.gov  

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In  health  there  is  freedom.    Health  is  the  first  of  all  liber-es.                                                                                                                          Henri  Frederic  Amiel                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1821-­‐1881  

Benefits  for  Students  

•  Help  students  gain  a  more  global  perspec-ve,  not  just  in  regard  to  health.  

•  Increase  students’  knowledge  and  awareness  of  global  health  issues.  

•  Help  students  be  healthy  -­‐  what  happens  elsewhere  can  happen/come  to  the  US.  

•  Raise  students’  social  consciousness  that  global  issues  are  intertwined  with  almost  everything  they  do.  

Benefits  for  American  Society  

•  Can  help  our  government  iden-fy,  respond,  priori-ze  health  problems  and  needs  so  that  we  can  be  a  healthier  society.  

•  Can  help  us  apply  low-­‐cost  but  highly  effec-ve  interven-ons  to  our  na-onal  health  situa-on.  

•  Allows  us  to  becer  understand  the  need  for  different  “actors”  to  work  together  –  and  to  get  involved.  

•  Such  awareness  and  knowledge  makes  us  becer  ci-zens,  both  na-onally  and  globally.  

Ader  all,  we’re  all  in  this  together  and  if  we  don’t  all  work  together,  we  won’t  succeed  in  making  it  a  healthy  world.  

Think  you  can’t  include  global  aspects  of  health  in  your  teaching?  

•  Think  again  -­‐  you  can!  •  Isn’t  there  something  you  already  do  in  your  health  classroom  teach  that  has  to  do  with  global  health?  

Where  to  start?  

•  Na-onal  Health  Educa-on  Standards  •  VA  Standards  of  Learning            Do  either  include  “global  health”  as  a  focus?  

Health  Educa-on  Standards  

•  hcp://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/health/    

VA  Standards  of  Learning  

•   www.doe.virginia.gov      •  SOLs  are  provided  in  three  dis-nct  groupings  – Essen-al  Health  Concepts  – Healthy  Decisions  – Advocacy  and  Health  Promo-on  

Selected  VA  SOLs  -­‐  Grade  Six  •   Essen-al  Health  Concepts  –  6.1  g)    Determine  the  effects  of  environmental  influences  on  personal  health.    

•  Healthy  Decisions    –  6.2  n)  Describe  how  culture,  media,  and  other  external  factors  influence  percep-ons  about  body  image  and  gender  roles.    

•  Advocacy  and  Health  Promo-on  –  6.3  m)    Demonstrate  ways  to  show  respect  for  individual  differences,  opinions,  and  beliefs.    

–  6.3.u)    Create  and  monitor  progress  toward  a  goal  to  protect  the  environment.    

Selected  VA  SOLS  –  Grade  7  

•  Healthy  Decisions  – 7.2  t)  Describe  how  a  healthy  environment  is  essen-al  to  personal  and  community  health    

 

•  Advocacy  and  Health  Promo-on  – 7.3  i)  Describe  how  family  prac-ces  and  customs  promote  posi-ve  health  choices.    

Selected  VA  SOLs  –  Grade  Eight  

•  Healthy  Decisions  – 8.2  r)  Explain  how  humans  and  the  environment  are  interdependent.    

 

Selected  VA  SOLS  –  Grade  Nine  

•  Essen-al  Health  Concepts  – 9.1  r)  Examine  the  impact  of  global  health  issues  on  local  communi-es.    

•  Healthy  Decisions  – 9.2  w)  Iden-fy  global  and  local  health-­‐related  environmental  issues,  including  ways  to  prevent  and  manage  asthma  and  allergies.    

– 9.2  y)  Evaluate  how  public  health  policies  influence  health  and  disease  preven-on.    

 

Selected  VA  SOLS  –  Grade  10  

•  Healthy  Decisions  – 10.2  u)  Inves-gate  the  influence  of  the  environment  on  the  individual.  

•  Advocacy  and  Health  Promo-on  – 10.3  y)  Establish  goals  for  improving  environmental  health.    

 

What  are  some  ways  in  which  you  can        include  global  aspects  into  these  

SOLs?    

•  First,  let’s  brainstorm  a  licle  .  .  .    Here’s  a  licle  hint:    you  can  actually  integrate  global  health  into  just  about  every  topic  you  teach.      

•  Ideas?    Anything  you’re  currently  doing?  

Suggested  Teaching  Ac-vi-es  

•  First  let’s  actually  look  at  some  of  the  selected  Health  SOLs  and  come  up  with  some  ideas  ourselves  .  .  .  .    

Some  Useful  Teaching  Methodologies  

•  Have  students  develop  “case  studies”  –    e.g.,  zika  virus,  Ebola,  sanita-on  issues,  etc.  

•  Guest  speakers  –  on  a  variety  of  global  health  topics  

•  Inves-gate  dietary  prac-ces  in  different  cultures  and  their  impact  on  health  –  cook  meals,  video  clips,  field  trips  

•  Do  brainstorming  ac-vi-es  –  solu-ons  to  a  global  health  issue  (a  variety  of  global  health  topics)  

Useful  Teaching  Methodologies  

•  Projects:  presenta-ons,  crea-ng  PSAs,  designing  “infographics”  –  inves-gate  a  country’s  health  system,  especially  in  light  of  what  we  can  learn  from  it  

–  research  an  emerging  or  re-­‐emerging  disease  –  design  plans  on  how  to  protect  and  promote  health  

•  Involve  students  in  “celebra-ons”  –  organize  one  for  your  school:  – World  Health  Day  –  April  7  –   World  AIDS  DAY  –  December  1    

“Canned”  Materials  

•  Lesson  plan  on  Global  Health  hcp://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalhealth.html      

•  Curriculum  on  Global  Health  issues          Health  for  all:    Teenage  Teaching  Modules            American  Associa-on  for    World  Health      

Organiza-ons    

•  hcp://globalhealth.org    •  hcp://www.globalhealth.gov          •  hcp://www.gatesfounda-on.org      •  hcp://www.cartercenter.org/index.html  

Teaching  Global  Health  at  the  University  Level  

•  Introduce  concepts  of  global  health  in  all  Health  classes,  no  macer  the  topic    

•  Offer  a  General  Educa-on/Core  Curriculum  course  on  Global  Health  

   It  is  health  that  is  real  wealth  and  not  pieces  of  

gold  or  silver.                                                                                                    Mahatma  Gandhi  

Conclusion  

•  Did  I  convince  you  that  global  health  is  something  we  should  incorporate  into  our  teaching,  no  macer  what  the  level?  

•  Did  I  convince  you  that  global  health  can  be  incorporated  into  the  curriculum?  

•  Are  you  coming  away  from  this  presenta-on  with  some  ideas  on  how  to  do  this?  

•  Can  you  advocate  for  and  promote  the  concept  of  global  health?  

Thank  You  &  Good  Luck!  

 Please  feel  free  to  contact  me  with  any  ques-ons  you  might  have:    kosarchync@longwood.edu    I  would  love  to  hear  how  you’ve  adopted  some  of  the  ideas  discussed  today!