HL 305 - Public Health in Europe: Issues and Social Policies

Globalization has linked the world’s health more closely than before. International public health focuses on the growing health challenges that transcend national boundaries. The focus of this course is public health seen from a European perspective.

The first part of the course will introduce selected European health system structures and functions. Key conceptual frameworks needed to evaluate a health system will be discussed; these will include political analysis and strategies, performance assessment, allocation of resources and ethical theory applied to health sector.

The second part of the course will focus on the analysis major global health themes and policies, including right to health, and international health issues, such as HIV/AIDS, the burden of cancer, chronic disease, and mental health.

One class session is devoted to Jamaica as an example of public health policies and practice care in a developing country, to prepare students for their extended field study.