Global Health
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SPH IH 702: Skills in Critical Analysis and Evidence Based Writing for Public Health Professionals
This introductory course will develop students? abilities to read the public health literature critically and to integrate evidence into a well-crafted policy memo. The class will focus on critical analysis of a case study focused on two research articles analyzing interventions to prevent HIV transmission. Through in-class discussions students will explore why the studies drew different conclusions. Course assignments will allow students to hone the applied critical analysis and writing skills they will need as public health professionals. -
SPH IH 703: Global Public Health: History, Approaches and Practices
If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of Giants. Sir Isaac Newton, 15 February 1676. As public health professionals, we stand on the shoulders of giants. This course has two major goals: to welcome students into membership in the professional social movement called public health and to expose them to the rich historical tradition of the profession. Using selected public health case studies, we will highlight a selection of extraordinary individuals and events with the goal of illuminating current global health architecture and building understanding of the politics of priority-setting and decision-making. The course will address issues of human rights, individual rights, population rights and ethics. -
SPH IH 704: Global Public Health and Medical Care: A Systems Approach
This course gives students an understanding of the elements common to all medical care systems and the factors which influence the shape, cost, performance, and quality of health systems. Examples are drawn from countries whose wealth and stage of development vary widely. The interaction between the public and private components of the health sector is explored. Equity in health services is a crosscutting theme. Students learn about the organization, delivery, and financing of medical care and the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to health care finance and delivery. The major problems in health care facing low- and middle-income countries and the strategic options available to these countries are addressed. The course is taught in an interactive lecture format. There is an emphasis on systems thinking and systems approach. All Global Health concentrators, MPH students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., and MI program students may take this class. HPM concentrators must take PM702. Students who have taken PM702 for MPH degree credit may enroll in IH704 as an MPH elective. Global Health concentrators are given preference in registration but registration is open. -
SPH IH 707: Kenya Field Practicum in Public Health and Environment
This 5-week course in Kenya focuses on environmental and community health as it relates to the indigenous Maasai residing at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. In the early 1980s Kenya began a process of privatizing open grazing land into group ranches. This significant land use change has forced traditionally nomadic peoples, including the Maasai, onto smaller plots of land. This change in lifestyle has been associated with a rise in sanitation-related and water-borne diseases, infant and childhood disease and HIV/AIDS. Participants in the Kenya Field Practicum will be trained in field-based data collection, analysis, report-writing and presentation skills. Past summer sessions have collected baseline information on water and sanitation practices, community health indicators and worked with local organizations to evaluate the success of health interventions. Results and recommendations are presented to local Maasai leaders and other stakeholders. Contact Joe Anzalone for information regarding application, travel, and related information. The course also fulfills the BUSPH field practicum requirement if students also complete two skills-based professional development seminars. -
SPH IH 708: Program for Global Health Practice in the Philippines/classroom
The Program in Global Health Practice (PIHP) in the Philippines is an intensive, twelve week field experience. To meet the requirements of SPH IH708, students attend a Parasitology Course at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health, comprised of field trips to participate in research projects and learn about schistosomiasis and malaria control programs in the Philippines. Students also participate in a study tour to gain a practical understanding of community health financing alternatives by exposure to actual community financing programs in the Philippines. Students learn how poor communities pool their resources to pay for medical care. IH708 must be taken together with SPH IH709. IH709 is the internship portion of the Philippines Program. -
SPH IH 709: Program for Global Health Practice in the Philippines/internship
The Program in Global Health Practice (PIHP) in the Philippines is an intensive, twelve week field experience. Students complete a classroom and research portion of the program in SPH IH708. In IH709, students meet the MPH degree practicum requirement through a placement in an international, national, or local public health agency. The Philippines Program plus two skills based professional development seminars done separately from the Philippines Program meets the MPH degree practicum requirement. -
SPH IH 710: Field Practicum in Public Health Research and Evaluation in Ethiopia
To start in Summer 2015. To start in Summer 2015. This 10-week course in Ethiopia allows students to apply research skills to examine social problems of the most vulnerable populations in Ethiopia's urban and periurban areas. BUSPH students collaborate with counterparts from Addis Ababa University (AAU) to design a research study, collect data, carry out cleaning and analysis of the data, and prepare a report to the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Youth and Social Affairs. In addition, students are encouraged to use the data generated during this field practicum to develop a manuscript for publication in the peer-reviewed literature. Both BUSPH and AAU provide faculty oversight. IH710 is the classroom portion of the field practicum. -
SPH IH 711: Internship in Public Health Research and Evaluation in Ethiopia
To start in Summer 2015. To start in Summer 2015. This 10-week course in Ethiopia allows students to apply research skills to examine social problems of the most vulnerable populations in Ethiopia's urban and periurban areas. BUSPH students collaborate with counterparts from Addis Ababa University (AAU) to design a research study, collect data, carry out cleaning and analysis of the data, and prepare a report to the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Youth and Social Affairs. In addition, students are encouraged to use the data generated during this field practicum to develop a manuscript for publication in the peer-reviewed literature. Both BUSPH and AAU provide faculty oversight. IH711 is the practicum portion of this experience. -
SPH IH 715: Antiretroviral Program Management and Adherence Issues in Low-Resource Settings
Successful HIV/AIDS treatment programs rely on consistent, uninterrupted supplies of antiretrovirals (ARVs), appropriate ARV prescribing, retention of patients in treatment programs, and a high level of adherence by patients. Ineffective ARV management can lead to treatment failures, ARV resistance, and insufficient program uptake. This course provides students with practical knowledge and skills to manage challenges in the areas of ARV selection, pricing, quality, and program monitoring and evaluation. Guest lecturers with relevant expertise will be invited to speak on several specific topics. One session will be devoted to a field visit to an adherence clinic to learn directly about the ARV program management issues faced by practitioners and patients. -
SPH IH 720: Social and Behavioral Sciences in Global Public Health
Public health professionals know what behaviors contribute to health; however, they know less about why people fail to adopt healthy practices. This course is based on the premise that the more we understand about why people behave the way they do, the more successful we will be as we develop and implement programs and policies designed to improve health. This course uses psychology, sociology and anthropology to improve our understanding of the determinants of health behavior and will provide an introduction to a variety of health behavior theories and basic qualitative research methods. Our intent is to develop practical strategies for understanding the social and behavioral foundations of public health, enabling us to plan effective interventions. Working individually and in groups, students will use conceptual frameworks such as BEHAVE to help identify a public health problem, select a target audience, conduct basic qualitative research to determine facilitators and barriers to engaging in a given practice, and propose several behavior change and communications (BCC) strategies based on an assessment of the situation. IH720 meets the MPH core course requirement in social and behavioral sciences for Global Health concentrators and international, nonresident students who are not SB concentrators. Students may not take both IH720 and SB721 for MPH degree credit. -
SPH IH 722: Supply Chain Management for Improved Health System Performance
Supply chain logistics is an important aspect of public health programs, and an area that is often unappreciated. The journey from manufacturer to a patient in a remote rural village in Africa is complicated and fascinating serious management challenge. This course provides a practical introduction to the core tenets of health commodity supply chain management (SCM), including system design, assessment, quantification, procurement, inventory management, and logistics management information systems. Using the "Access Framework," students will gain foundational knowledge and apply that knowledge in class exercises, discussions, case studies, and stakeholder interactions. Course assignments will have a strong experiential component with a focus on professional level communications and analytical skills. -
SPH IH 735: Gender, Sexuality, Power, & Inequity in Global Health
This course explores the socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in which people live their lives and how these, and local and large-scale forces of structural violence (inequity, marginalization and gender discrimination) impact health and development. Course readings and discussions examine how these forces constitute immediate and fundamental risk factors and must therefore be considered and addressed as part of any effort to improve public health. Course format: seminar with topics introduced by professor and guest lecturers. -
SPH IH 741: Global Health Consultation Techniques
This course will prepare students for consulting and technical assistance assignments in developing countries. Students learn to analyze the pros and cons of potential consulting assignments and prepare proposals. The potential conflicts between donors/sponsors and the agency receiving the consulting services will be considered. Assignments considered include financial analysis, operational improvements, training and program evaluation. Cross cultural issues and the problems of operating in remote areas are discussed. This course is for foreign nationals returning to their own countries and US citizens/residents who will seek international assignments with USAID contractors or NGOs. During this intensive one week course, students prepare a proposal in response to an actual RFP (Request for Proposal) as well as a presentation summarizing findings of a major consulting or research assignment. -
SPH IH 743: Implementing Health Programs in Developing Countries: Making Programs Work
As professionals working in low and middle income countries, we often end up running programs we did not design, which are under-financed, and which face enormous implementation challenges. In this course, students will work with a specifically identified health program that is currently being implemented and conduct systems analyses, undertake problem solving exercises, and propose solutions to real implementation challenges in the field. Ultimately they will be able to prioritize the interventions necessary to effectively run a complex health program in such diverse situations as urban slums and dispersed rural areas in developing countries and be prepared to plan the actions to effectively run those programs. This course is directed towards students in the health management emphasis area and is not suitable for students in their first semester of studies. Students who will particularly benefit from this course are foreign nationals returning to their own countries and U.S.citizens or residents who will provide technical assistance through NGOs or other agencies to implement existing health programs. -
SPH IH 744: Program Design for Global Health
Developing a structured approach to program design is an important skill for public health professionals. IH744 provides an opportunity to learn and apply the key steps of program design. The course invites students to work with an international non-governmental organization to design a public health program. The non-governmental organization will orient student consultant teams with a scope of work that will contain guidelines for developing a program for the organization and identifying prospective donors for funding. To complete the scope of work, each team will identify and describe a relevant public health problem and apply evidenced based solutions to address the problem(s). Course work will also sharpen the knowledge and the skills required for working effectively in a team and students will learn to reflect on individual and team performance. Students will be introduced to e-portfolio and will use it to document their knowledge and skills in program design. -
SPH IH 745: Monitoring and Evaluation of Global Health Programs
There is consensus within the global public health community that inadequate project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) represents a major constraint in programmatic efforts to address the problems we face. The absence of sound M&E processes in large numbers of public health projects, despite continued evidence of their value in assessing and improving project performance, suggests that many project planners and managers may not yet have the necessary skills or understanding to develop and operate such systems. This course is designed to help address this need. This course provides a detailed analysis of program monitoring and evaluation with an emphasis on public health and nutrition-related projects. By reading relevant literature and using case studies, students will gain an understanding of the language and tools of program evaluation. The course will focus both on theory and practical utilization, and will consist of presentations, discussions, and applied exercises involving the preparation and critiquing of monitoring and evaluation plans. The course has a required, non-credit lab that is scheduled in a different time slot than the class. -
SPH IH 755: Managing Disasters and Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
This course will provide students with a solid introductory understanding of disasters and complex emergencies and introduce practical responses and interventions. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe human and natural emergencies and their main causes, articulate and conduct public health assessments, prioritize needs, and plan immediate and long-term interventions. Class discussions will also focus on analyzing and anticipating the consequences of emergencies. -
SPH IH 756: Analytical Methods for Pharmaceutical Systems Assessment
This course aims to develop skills essential to assessing and evaluating pharmaceutical policy and the performance of pharmaceutical programs. Students will learn to develop a pharmaceutical country profile, analyze medicine prices and availability, apply technical guidelines, and use other assessment tools and methods in the pharmaceutical sector. Students will also develop skills to undertake a sampling exercise, use qualitative methods, and review and write technical reports. Students will use instruments which are already developed with a focus on implementation issues, analysis of data collected and awareness of strength and limitation of each method applied. The course will introduce students to the many resources which exist to help understand pharmaceutical sectors, and prepare them to work in a national or sub national pharmaceutical system. -
SPH IH 757: Fighting Corruption Through Accountability & Transparency
Corruption and lack of accountability in government are concerns in all countries, but they are especially critical problems in developing and transitioning countries where public resources are already scarce and corruption can cripple growth and development. In international health work, most public health practitioners will encounter corruption at some point and will need to make ethical and management decisions about how to work within corrupt systems and how to prevent corruption from occurring. This course is designed to introduce participants to the problem of corruption and provide them with skills for assessing vulnerabilities to corruption in the health sector. Topics covered include corruption risks in drug procurement and supply, medical conflicts of interest, informal payments, and financial corruption. Participants will acquire the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to become effective advocates for anti-corruption strategies and health system reforms. -
SPH IH 762: Essentials of Economics and Finance for Global Health
This course is an introduction to the essential concepts and tools of health economics and financing with application to the particular challenges facing transitional and developing countries. The course does not assume prior training in economics and will provide an introduction to the conceptual underpinnings of health economics, highlighting those concepts that will be most useful in applied policy settings. Case studies will focus on practical application to current international health financing policy problems.
