Global Health
Personal Wellness
What is Global Health?
Global health is the health of populations in a global context. This area of study, research and practice places the priority on improving health and achieving equality in health for all people worldwide.
Global Health Goal
The goal that is wished to be achieved is to improve public health and strengthen U.S. national security through global disease detection, response, prevention, and control strategies.
Global Health vs. Public health
Geography
- Global health - Health issues that transcend national boundaries
- Public Health - Focus on specific communities and countries
Cooperation
- Global Health - Global
- Public Health - National
Populations
- Global Health - Prevention and clinical care
- Public Health - Prevention
Access
- Global Health - Health equity among nations
- Public Health - Health equity within a nation or community
Disciplines
- Global Health - Highly interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary
- Public Health - Multidisciplinary, particularly with health and social sciences
Why Is Global Health Important?
Global health plays an increasingly crucial role in global security and the security of the United States. As the world and its economies become more increasingly globalized, it is necessary to think about global health as a whole aspect. Rapid identification and control of emerging infectious diseases help to promote health abroad, prevent the international spread of disease and protect the health of the U.S. population. The methods for this control over infectious diseases is designed to help minimize the spread of disease as well as to minimize the interruption of world trade and travel. Global health also encourages everyone to work together to share information about known diseases and public health events of international concern. However, global health concerns are not strictly limited to infectious diseases. Noncommunicable diseases, especially lifestyle conditions are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. These conditions often include diabetes and obesity, mental illness, injuries and substance abuse. Global health workers can supply clinics and the medicine that the people need, as well as teaching women how to be empowered and encouraging them to join the work force. Global health really focuses on every aspect of health and strives to create an equality among people all around the globe.
Facts and Figures
- 7 million children die each year
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death
- HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of adult deaths in Africa
- Population aging = increase in CVD and cancer
- Tobacco use equals 70% of lung cancer
- Complication in pregnancy = 15% of deaths in women of reproductive age
- Mental disorders are amongst the leading causes of disability
- Hearing loss, vision problems, and mental disorders are the most common cause of disability
- 3,500 people die from road traffic accidents everyday
- Undernutrition is the cause of 1/3 of deaths in children under the age of five
Impact of Global Health Workers
"Imagine..."
Global Health Current Objectives
- Reduce the number of cases of malaria reported in the United States.
- Reduce the tuberculosis (TB) case rate for foreign-born persons living in the United States.
- Increase the number of Global Disease Detection (GDD) Regional Centers worldwide and to detect and contain emerging health threats.
- Increase the number of public health professionals trained by Global Disease Detection programs worldwide.
- Increase diagnostic testing in host countries and regionally through the Global Disease Detection Regional Centers.
What Has Global Health Already Accomplished?
- Globally, the number of deaths of children under 5 years of age fell from 12.6 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012.
- In developing countries, the percentage of underweight children under 5 years old dropped from 25% in 1990 to 15% in 2012.
- While the proportion of births attended by a skilled health workers has increased globally, fewer than 50% of births are attended in the African Region.
- Globally, new HIV infections declined by 33% between 2001 and 2012.
- Existing cases of tuberculosis are declining, along with deaths among HIV-negative tuberculosis cases.
- In 2012, the world met the United Nations Millennium Development Goals target on access to safe drinking water, as measured by the proxy indicator of access to improve drinking water sources, but more needs to be done to achieve the sanitation target.
Global Health in Guatemala
Global health workers in Guatemala are working to combat the Diarrheal disease. This disease is responsible for around 800,000 childhood deaths per year globally. This disease is the second most common cause of pediatric mortality and the fourth most common cause of global morbidity. Weight loss, dehydration, electrolyte and micronutrient loss and intestinal damage all accompany Diarrheal disease. To help combat this disease the global health workers have set up a clinic in Guatemala that will help those who struggle with Diarrheal disease. This clinic has six clinic rooms, two delivery rooms, one room for new babies and a dental clinic. This clinic is placed in a rural area of Guatemala and helps all who seek medical attention. Around 20-30 patients a day are treated. The clinic has severely sped up the recovery process for children suffering from Diarrheal disease. The future for the clinic is looking bright.
This clinic supplies the necessary medical treatments that many desperately need. Hope has been restored in the Guatemalan people due to the fact that there is medicine now available to them. The physicians, doctors and nurses here also teach the people about nutrition and hygiene along with the connection it has to being healthy. This clinic forces on improving the overall well being of all who pass through it.
My interest in global health
My interest for global health was sparked while attending a HOSA event with my school. During this event we were educated about global health and the impact that global health has on the people our planet as a whole. I wish to help to improve the quality of life of others through global health in the future. When learning about the four Anna's and the impact that a simple pair of glasses can have on someone's life, I realized how fortunate that I am to be given what we assume to be basic privileges. I knew that I wanted to help others who were not as fortunate as I. I want to help to make a difference in the world and the lives of the others.
Connection To Personal Wellness
Personal Wellness is a class that teaches one about the all around health of a person. This involves mental health, social health, spiritual health and physical health as well. These aspects of health must be balanced to obtain optimal wellness. Global health works towards helping others to achieve this balance in a safe and correct way. Global health focuses on the physical and social aspects of health mainly but the other aspects are often incorporated into their methods of teaching wellness. Global health workers often go to countries in need and help those who live there to achieve balance.