HPM/GST 315: Study Sheet

1. What is the difference between international health and global

health?
Global health is a way of looking at the world. It is a
statement about our commitment to health as a fundamental
quality of liberty and equity. The roots of global health can be
found in colonial medicine in which during colonization and
1800s colonial medicine facilitated expansion of European
settlements. There is less emphasis on the nation-state as the
base unit of comparison and more attention to nonstate
institutions, international NGOs, private donors, and
community based organizations. Grounded in public and global
engagement. Dominated by Northern Institutions, expert
groups, think-tanks. We must achieve truly global and broadbased ownership of the concept.
International Health was termed as the 20th century
efforts on improving health across borders. It refers to efforts
to improve the health of populations transnationallyusually
from global north to global south and often grounded in
development programs. Used to define health problems and
interventions extending beyond national boundaries
2. Why should we, residents of the developed countries, worry about
health disparities in the developing world?
Global health in the 20th century was primarily focused on
the control of communicable diseases and the diseases of
children. The 21st century has now got our ears tuned to
addressing the epidemic of no communicable diseases. There
are many unfair and detrimental health impacts of
international regimes.
3. How has global health changed throughout the 20th and well into
the 21st century? Has there been a change in its focus?
Global health in the 20th century was primarily focused on
the control of communicable diseases and the diseases of
children. The 21st century has now got our ears tuned to
addressing the epidemic of no communicable diseases. There
are many unfair and detrimental health impacts of
international regimes.
4. Learn the following concepts: Morbidity, mortality, epidemic,
pandemic, endemic, prevalence, incidence, burden of disease, DALY
and QALY. (This means other concepts discussed in Chapter 2,
Understanding Global Health, will not be included in the quiz).
Morbidity: Departure from a state of physical or psychological wellbeing, resulting from disease, illness, injury or sickness. Disability may

be limited to a few days of acute illness with measles or years of

disability with blindness.
Mortality: is the frequency or rate of death in a given population
Epidemic: a rapid increase in the level of disease
Disease: a biological problem within an organism
Pandemic: An epidemic spread over many countries for example aids
Endemic: a disease which is continually present in a community
(heart disease, cancer, stroke etc.)
Prevalence: refers to the total number of cases within a specified
population at a specified time-both those newly diagnosed and those
diagnosed in previous years but living with the condition under study.
Incidence: refers to the number of new occurrences of an event
(disease, birth deaths and so on) within a specific population during a
specified period.
Burden of disease: Can refer to the overall impact of diseases and
injuries at the individual level, at the societal, or to the economic cost
of diseases. GBD is the total loss of health resulting from diseases and
injuries
QALY:
DALY: Disability-adjusted life year to quantify the burden of disease.
They are used to help measure the burden of disease and the
effectiveness of health interventions
5. What was the need for new measures (such as DALY or QALY) in
global health? Whats their contribution?
Researchers wanted to identify which
interventions/programs have been effective. Because
indicators can help compare the health of populations, monitor
trends over time, decided the priorities of health service
delivery and assess global health inequalities.
6. What are health inequities? Why are they important?
7. What are the social determinants of health? According to Docteur
and Berenson how does the US
approach to determinants of health differ from the European approach?
8. What do Marmot and colleagues mean when they say health
inequities are not inevitable?
9. Are health inequities confined to poor people who live in poorer
countries and to good health for
everyone else?

10. What is responsible for health inequities among and within

countries? Can we do anything to improve
health inequities? Are changes in the health care system sufficient to
improve health of populations
and address health inequities?
11. Give an example of action on social determinants of health (from
any country you like).
12. According to Marmot et. al. is there a health divide in Europe? Can
you provide an example?
13. How does Steger define globalization? How does this definition
compare with your own definition of
globalization? Which arguments does the author highlight regarding
globalization with examples of
Shakiras background and the dress she was wearing when she
performed the world cup anthem
Waka Waka in South Africa or Diego Forlan or the soccer ball which
was named Jabulani?
14. How does globalization occur? What is driving globalization?
15. Is globalization a uniform or uneven process? Can you give
examples of uniformity and/or
unevenness?
16. How does Stegers definition of globalization conceptualize the
relationship between the local,
national and global? (see chapter 1)
17. What are the consequences of globalization for all of us? Does it
help developing countries get more
investment and hence contribute to economic growth? Or does it
actually harm us in the developed
world as well as the citizens of developing countries?

18. Does globalization create new forms of inequality and hierarchy?

19. What are the three most significant developments related to
economic globalization according to
Steger? (refer to Chapter 3 for its answer).
20. Learn the names and main responsibilities of the following
institutions discussed in Chapter 3 of
Steger book: IMF, World Bank, WTO.
21. What are TNCs? How are they structured? Why are they important?
22. Culturally, if we are all connected via the internet and live in a
borderless world, does globalization
lead to homogenization? Does homogenization mean Americanization?
23. Whats the impact of globalization politically? Does it strengthen
governments as it encourages more
partnerships and joint actions or does it actually weaken them?
24. Is globalization leading to emergence of new global governance
structures?