What Is Global Health?

Traditionally, global health has been defined as the broad field of study focused on improving health outcomes and achieving health equity for populations around the world. In recent years, however, advocates have worked to redefine it. Today, global health encompasses the research, policy, and applied practice that seeks to close the health equity gap while bolstering population and planetary health.

Through collaboration, ongoing research, policy development, educational programming, and public health practice, global health experts are able to identify and address the global health issues that cross national boundaries.

How Is Global Health Different From Public Health?

Public health centers on protecting the health and livelihood of people within a specific community or population, while global health addresses the issues that affect multiple countries or involve international cooperation. Though the two fields are distinct, there is significant overlap, so professionals in both areas benefit from a strong background in both public health and global health.

Why Global Health Matters Today

Global health serves as a safeguard for human survival by not only addressing the complex health challenges that face populations across borders but also strengthening economic stability and preventing large-scale health issues from forming. Collaboration among public health and global health professionals is integral to addressing modern health challenges due to:

  • Travel
  • Migration
  • Trade
  • Climate change
  • Technology
  • Interconnected economies

Why Global Health Is More Important Than Ever

Throughout the 21st century, concern with global health has steadily climbed as people recognize the far-reaching impact of health challenges today. Long considered to be a broad field, global health has evolved in recent years to address the competing interests between security and health equity. Now, the principles of global health emphasize vulnerable populations and the international challenges that affect most people, regardless of whether they live in a developed or developing country.

Health Challenges Do Not Stop at National Borders

Serious health challenges are not limited to the borders and boundaries established by humans. Infectious diseases, environmental hazards, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises often impact multiple countries at one time, requiring leaders and health experts to work together to develop effective, evidence-based solutions.

Improving Health Equity Worldwide

The overarching goal of global health is to achieve health equity worldwide. Thus, all efforts, regardless of size or scope, aim to minimize disparities in access to healthcare, disease prevention, education, nutrition, and other factors that may influence health outcomes. While often revolving around vulnerable populations, global health efforts are designed to enhance the lives of everyone.

Common Global Health Challenges

As multiple global health challenges persist and overlap, millions of lives around the world are at risk. Below are some of the most pressing global health issues today.

Infectious Diseases

Human mobility has a direct impact on the spread of infectious disease. One small outbreak in a far-reaching corner of the globe can spread swiftly worldwide due to travel, trade, and migration. Rapid transmission of both novel and existing infectious diseases calls for a coordinated response that entails:

  • Surveillanc
  • Prevention
  • Vaccination
  • Education
  • Communication

Chronic Diseases

A disease transition has taken shape in the first decades of the 21st century. Infectious diseases are no longer responsible for most deaths around the world; rather, the leading cause is noncommunicable diseases and chronic illnesses. Rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and cancer are placing a larger burden on global health systems.

Maternal and Child Health

Targeted efforts to improve pregnancy outcomes, reduce infant mortality, and elevate access to healthcare services have been successful, with the maternal mortality ratio dropping by more than 40% worldwide. However, rates for maternal mortality remain tragically high, with more than 90% of maternal deaths occurring in low-income and developing countries.

Environmental and Climate-Related Health Risks

Increasingly, global health efforts focus on climate-related health challenges. Experts are working tirelessly to address rapidly evolving challenges that are having a direct effect on population health outcomes, such as:

  • Air quality
  • Access to clean water
  • Effective sanitation
  • Extreme weather

Mental Health

Often ignored and stigmatized in the past, mental health has not always been part of the larger global health conversation. In recent years, however, there has been increased recognition of the role mental health plays within the scope of population health outcomes worldwide.

Global Health Strategies That Improve Population Health

Health experts and world leaders are working hand in hand to implement global health strategies that enhance health outcomes across borders. With the shared goal of ending epidemics while boosting access to universal health coverage and health security worldwide, below are examples of the global health strategies being implemented today.

Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

To help curb the spread of infectious disease and reduce the risk of future pandemics, global health professionals create disease prevention and health promotion programs. These solutions include:

  • Vaccination clinics
  • Health education opportunities
  • Nutrition initiatives
  • Preventive care programs

Strengthening Health Systems

Ongoing efforts are aiming to ensure more universal access to evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare treatment services. To strengthen health systems, global health professionals are working to improve healthcare infrastructure and access to quality care, particularly in developing countries and in vulnerable regions.

Research, Data, and Evidence-Based Decision-Making

Global health is a data-driven field, and the collection and analysis of health data are key to developing targeted solutions. Through targeted data collection efforts, organizations can allocate resources and evaluate the effectiveness of possible interventions.

International Collaboration

Acknowledging that the most pressing health challenges do not start and end at human-established borders, international collaboration is critical in global health. The following entities and individuals must collaborate to address the shared health challenges facing all people today:

  • Government leaders
  • Healthcare organizations
  • Nonprofit agencies
  • Researchers
  • Community members

Careers That Apply Global Health Principles

A career in global health does not necessarily involve international work. There are numerous career paths for professionals who are passionate about global health but want to continue working close to home. Master’s in public health programs are designed to instill a solid foundation in public health and global health principles, preparing them for a wide range of roles in this area.

Public Health Program Manager

Responsible for developing and overseeing public health initiatives, public health program managers directly influence the success of global health programs. The scope of their work varies significantly based on the organization for which they work, but their efforts often center on disease prevention and health promotion.

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists are public health professionals who study disease patterns. They research the causes and frequency of disease in specific populations, and their work informs prevention strategies.

Health Policy Analyst

Health policy analysts strategically evaluate health policies to determine their impact and effectiveness. They work to develop stronger policies that improve healthcare systems and population health worldwide. Their efforts are a critical part of the collaborative work between government leaders, private corporations, and health experts.

Community Health Professional

Working at the local level, community health professionals apply global health principles to health challenges facing their communities. Addressing health disparities in a specific area, they are able to contribute to the effectiveness of global health strategies as a whole.

How a Master of Public Health Helps You Understand Global Health

Earning a master’s in public health online can build a strong foundation in global health. The curriculum for the online Master of Public Health degree emphasizes health equity, health policy development, population health science, and applied public health practice, allowing you to foster connections between global health principles and the real-world solutions needed today.

Learn to Address Complex Public Health Challenges

Master’s in public health programs present the opportunity to study concepts spanning:

  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Environmental health
  • Health policy
  • Leadership
  • Population health concepts

The core areas of the curriculum support a broader understanding of how global health principles can be applied within the scope of public health solutions.

Develop Evidence-Based Decision-Making Skills

Through applied coursework, students learn to interpret research, analyze health data, and evaluate public health interventions. They develop sound evidence-based decision-making skills that are valuable in various public health or global health contexts.

Build Skills That Apply Across Communities

Global health concepts may involve a broad understanding of international issues, but they can be applied in local, national, and international public health settings. The skills gained through the MPH program are transferable across roles.

Explore Boston University’s Master’s in Public Health Online

At Boston University (BU), our nationally-ranked School of Public Health offers master’s in public health programs that emphasize equity and evaluate health challenges through the lens of global health. Both the online Master of Public Health and on-campus Master of Public Health feature a flexible, skills-based curriculum that equips graduates to develop data-based, actionable solutions for the problems that permeate global health.

Request more information about BU’s online MPH and apply now.