Understanding Of Global Health Research Articles

Episode 91: Inside the Monitor – The Value of Global Engagement

Central Line Podcast Series| April 2023 Episode 91: Inside the Monitor – The Value of Global Engagement Ana Maria Crawford, MD, MSc, FASA; Ana Maria Crawford, MD, MSc, FASA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Kumar Belani, MBBS, MS, FACA, FAAP; Kumar Belani, MBBS, MS, FACA, FAAP Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Adam Striker, MD, FASA Adam Striker, MD, FASA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar ASA Monitor April 2023, Vol. 87, 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASM.0000927424.48899.6e Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Cite Icon Cite Get Permissions Search Site Citation Ana Maria Crawford, Kumar Belani, Adam Striker; Episode 91: Inside the Monitor – The Value of Global Engagement. ASA Monitor 2023; 87:1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASM.0000927424.48899.6e Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll PublicationsASA Monitor Search Advanced Search Topics: advocacy, community, world health Drs. Kumar Belani and Ana Maria Crawford, guest editors of the April ASA Monitor, join Dr. Adam Striker for a conversation about global engagement. Listen in as they discuss the value of expanding our understanding of global health, suggest paths for deeper engagement here and abroad, and consider what we can learn from the global community about advocacy, diversity, sustainability, and more. Recorded March 2023. You do not currently have access to this content.

Student-led interprofessional global health course: learning impacts during a global crisis

BackgroundThis study assesses the impact of the Interprofessional Global Health Course (IPGHC) on students’ fundamental global health knowledge and personal viewpoints on global health domains. It explores the evolution of students’ understanding of global health specifically in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsNinety-nine students were selected from 123 McGill student applicants based on their motivation and commitment to take part in IPGHC’s ten-week 2020 curriculum. These IPGHC students were eligible to participate in the study. The study’s design is sequential explanatory mixed methods. The cross-sectional survey (quantitative phase) appraises students’ global health learning outcomes using pre- and post-course surveys, with the use of 5-point Likert-scale questions. The descriptive qualitative survey (qualitative phase) further explores the impact of IPGHC on student’s understanding of global health and the reflections of students on the COVID-19 pandemic after IPGHC. The post-course survey included a course evaluation for quality improvement purposes.ResultsOf the 99 students, 81 students across multiple undergraduate and graduate disciplines participated in the study by completing the course surveys. Mean knowledge scores of the following 11 global health topics were increased between pre- and post-course survey: Canadian Indigenous health (P < 0.001), global burden of disease (P < 0.001), global surgery (P < 0.001), infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases (P < 0.001), refugee and immigrant health (P < 0.001), research and development of drugs (P < 0.001), role of politics and policies in global health (P = 0.02), role of technology in global health (P < 0.001), sexual violence (P < 0.001), systemic racism in healthcare (P = 0.03), and trauma in the global health context (P < 0.001). A positive change in student viewpoints was observed in response to questions regarding their perception of the importance of global health education in their own professional health care programs (P < 0.001), and their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other healthcare professionals (P < 0.001). In the post-course survey open-ended questions, students exemplified their knowledge gained during the course to create a more informed definition of global health. Several recurring themes were identified in the student reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic, notably policy and politics, followed by access to healthcare and resources.ConclusionThis study emphasizes the need for interprofessional global health education at the university level and demonstrates how rapidly global health learners can apply their knowledge to evolving contexts like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development of an Interactive Global Surgery Course for Interdisciplinary Learners.

Introduction:Global surgical care is increasingly recognized in the global health agenda and requires multidisciplinary engagement. Despite high interest among medical students, residents and other learners, many surgical faculty and health experts remain uniformed about global surgical care.Methods:We have operated an interdisciplinary graduate-level course in Global Surgical Care based on didactics and interactive group learning. Students completed a pre- and post-course survey regarding their learning experiences and results were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.Results:Fourteen students completed the pre-course survey, and 11 completed the post-course survey. Eleven students (79%) were enrolled in a Master’s degree program in global health, with eight students (57%) planning to attend medical school. The median ranking of surgery on the global health agenda was fifth at the beginning of the course and third at the conclusion (p = 0.11). Non-infectious disease priorities tended to stay the same or increase in rank from pre- to post-course. Infectious disease priorities tended to decrease in rank (HIV/AIDS, p = 0.07; malaria, p = 0.02; neglected infectious disease, p = 0.3). Students reported that their understanding of global health (p = 0.03), global surgery (p = 0.001) and challenges faced by the underserved (p = 0.03) improved during the course. When asked if surgery was an indispensable part of healthcare, before the course 64% of students strongly agreed, while after the course 91% of students strongly agreed (p = 0.3). Students reported that the interactive nature of the course strengthened their skills in collaborative problem-solving.Conclusions:We describe an interdisciplinary global surgery course that integrates didactics with team-based projects. Students appeared to learn core topics and held a different view of global surgery after the course. Similar courses in global surgery can educate clinicians and other stakeholders about strategies for building healthy surgical systems worldwide.

DO WE NEED AN ELECTIVE FOR OUR MEDICAL EDUCATION?

Medical electives have been part of the medical school curriculum since the 1970s in the United Kingdom. They are typically 4-8 week medical placements organised by the student in a field they are interested in. Electives are an extended period to increase understanding of global health, improve our clinical skills and deepen understanding of a speciality. They are the only part of the course in which students have autonomy over their learning. Unfortunately, I am part of the cohort of medical students who will be losing this opportunity due to the devastating Covid-19 global pandemic.

\u201cPublic health is global\u201d: examining Indian stakeholders\u2019 perspectives on Global Health education

BackgroundGlobal health education has attracted significant attention in recent years from academic institutions in developed countries. In India however, a recent analysis found that delivery of global health education is fragmented and called for academic institutions to work towards closing the developing country/developed country dichotomy. Our study explored the understanding of global health in the Indian setting and opportunities for development of a global health education framework in Indian public health institutions.MethodsThe study involved semi-structured interviews with staff of Indian public health institutes and other key stakeholders in global health in India. The interview questions covered participants’ interpretation of global health and their opinion about global health education in India. Thematic analysis was conducted. A theoretical framework developed by Smith and Shiffman to explain political priority for global health initiatives was adapted to guide our analysis to explore development of global health education in Indian public health institutions.ResultsA total of 17 semi-structured interviews were completed which involved 12 faculty members from five public health institutes and five stakeholders from national and multilateral organisations. Global health was viewed as the application of public health in real-world setting and at a broader, deeper and transnational scale. The understanding of global health was informed by participants’ exposure to work experiences and interaction with overseas faculty. Most common view about the relationship between global health and public health was that public health has become more global and both are interconnected. Integration of global health education into public health curriculum was supported but there were concerns given public health was still a new discipline in India. Most participants felt that global health competencies are complementary to public health competencies and build on core public health skills. Employability, faculty exposure to global health and ‘sensitisation’ of all stakeholders were key barriers to offering global health education programs.ConclusionGlobal health as a concept and educational practice is embryonic in India but there is considerable potential to grow in order to ensure that education meets the needs of future practitioners of global health in the context of sustainable development.

Global Health as \u201cumbrella term\u201d \u2013 a qualitative study among Global Health teachers in German medical education

BackgroundThe increasing impact of globalisation on healthcare demands new knowledge, skills and attitudes from healthcare professionals. One consequence of this is the rise of Global Health (GH) programs in health education all over the world. In Germany no consensus exists on what GH is and how it should be taught. This study used a grounded theory approach. We conducted eleven in-depth interviews with GH teachers in German medical education to ask them about their views on Global Health and the approaches they took in teaching these topics. Data collection and Analysis informed each other and followed an inductive approach.ResultsOur research identified three major questions: (1) What is GH? (2) What belongs to GH? (3) How can GH be taught? A central finding of our study is the understanding of GH as an umbrella term. We show how this understanding helps clarify the relation between GH and Public Health, International Health and Tropical medicine. At the core of GH we see the supraterritorial determinants of health. Surrounding the core, we describe a wide variety of topics that are a facultative, but not necessarily a compulsory part GH. One of the key characteristics of GH within all its aspects is its multidisciplinary nature. Based on this understanding we present models about the content of GH, how it can be taught and how GH teaching improves and strengthens overall medical education.ConclusionsThis is to our knowledge the first study that conducts in-depth interviews with GH teachers to explore the practical understanding of GH in medical education. While the generalisability of our results needs to be subject of further research, the models presented can help shape the future discourse around GH and its integration into medical education.

Origin-Dependent Variations in the Atmospheric Microbiome Community in Eastern Mediterranean Dust Storms.

Microorganisms carried by dust storms are transported through the atmosphere and may affect human health and the functionality of microbial communities in various environments. Characterizing the dust-borne microbiome in dust storms of different origins or that followed different trajectories provides valuable data to improve our understanding of global health and environmental impacts. We present a comparative study on the diversity of dust-borne bacterial communities in dust storms from three distinct origins (North Africa, Syria and Saudi Arabia) and compare them with local bacterial communities sampled on clear days, all collected at a single location: Rehovot, Israel. Storms from different dust origins exhibited distinct bacterial communities, with signature bacterial taxa. Dust storms were characterized by a lower abundance of selected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) compared with ambient dust, asserting that the origin of these genes is local and possibly anthropogenic. With the progression of the storm, the storm-borne bacterial community showed increasing resemblance to ambient dust, suggesting mixing with local dust. These results show, for the first time, that dust storms from different sources display distinct bacterial communities, suggesting possible diverse effects on the environment and public health.

Global Health in the Anthropocene: Moving Beyond Resilience and Capitalism Comment on "Health Promotion in an Age of Normative Equity and Rampant Inequality".

There has been much reflection on the need for a new understanding of global health and the urgency of a paradigm shift to address global health issues. A crucial question is whether this is still possible in current modes of global governance based on capitalist values. Four reflections are provided. (1) Ecological –centered values must become central in any future global health framework. (2) The objectives of ‘sustainability’ and ‘economic growth’ present a profound contradiction. (3) The resilience discourse maintains a gridlock in the functioning of the global health system. (4) The legitimacy of multi-stakeholder governance arrangements in global health requires urgent attention. A dual track approach is suggested. It must be aimed to transform capitalism into something better for global health while in parallel there is an urgent need to imagine a future and pathways to a different world order rooted in the principles of social justice, protecting the commons and a central role for the preservation of ecology.

Practical considerations in establishing sustainable international nursing experiences.

An understanding of global health and the development of cultural competence are important outcomes of today's baccalaureate nursing programs. Thoughtfully designed international experiences can provide excellent opportunities to achieve those outcomes. Based on 16 years of providing international experiences within a baccalaureate curriculum, components are identified that contribute to the development of a sustainable international program. Areas addressed in the article are evaluating the fit with university and college mission, establishing the program within the university operational structure, selecting faculty and students, developing sites, designing a course, and program evaluation.

The North-South information highway: case studies of publication access among health researchers in resource-poor countries

Background: Less than 2% of scientific publications originate in low-income countries. Transfer of information from South to North and from South to South is grossly limited and hinders understanding of global health, while Northern-generated information fails to adequately address the needs of a Southern readership.Methods: A survey of a new generation of health researchers from nine low-income countries was conducted using a combination of email questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Data were gathered on personal experiences, use and aspirations regarding access and contribution to published research.Results: A total of 23 individuals from 9 countries responded. Preference for journal use over textbooks was apparent, however a preference for print over online formats was described among African respondents compared to respondents from other areas. Almost all respondents (96%) described ambition to publish in international journals, but cited English language as a significant barrier.Conclusion: The desire to contribute to and utilise contemporary scientific debate appears to be strong among study respondents. However, longstanding barriers remain in place and innovative thinking and new publishing models are required to overcome them.