HS 325 - Week 1 Lectures & Readings

Health (WHO)

a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

What distinguishes public health from medicine?

Public health focuses on the health of a population as a whole, whereas medicine focuses on the health of individuals. Public health is more concerned with PREVENTION while medicine is concerned with treatment. Public health focuses on evidence-based health promotion that prevents disease while accounting for the SDOH.

Global health

Understanding the causes of health problems for people all over the world. Improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide.

Public health

The totality of all evidence based public and private efforts that preserve and promote health and prevent disease, disability and death.

International health

Focuses on health issues facing countries other than one's own.

Binational cooperation that seeks to help people of other nations.

Doesn't emphasize multidisciplinary.

T/F: global health emphasizes non-paternalistic partnerships between international donors and local recipients or communities

True. Global health emphasizes non-paternalistic partnerships between international donors and local recipients or communities.

T/F: the influence of NGOs has increased, while the influence of the WHO has decreased.

True! The influence of NGOs has increased, while the influence of the WHO has decreased.

Global health recognizes that health problems transcend...

...national boundaries due to rapid travel and migration.

T/F: the U.S. gov has consistently refused to sign treaties that agree that their citizenry have a "right to health"

True...no comment

Initial Official Recognition of the Right to Health

1946 constitution of the WHO's preamble states that "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic, or social position.

Key Aspects of the right to health

• inclusive right

• freedoms

• entitlements (freedoms to)

The right to health is an ______ right that includes what factors?

Inclusive.

Safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, safe food, adequate housing, healthy working and environmental conditions, health-related education and information, and gender equality.

The right to health contains ____ like what?

Freedoms.

• From non-consensual medical treatment (forced sterilization and nonconsensual experimentation)

• from torture/punishment

The right to health also contains _____ (freedoms) to what?

Entitlements.

• Equality/opportunity to attaining health

• right to prevention, treatment, and disease control, medicine, maternal/child health

• EQUAL/TIMELY ACCESS to basic health services, health education

• PARTICIPATION OF THE POPULATION IN HEALTH-RELATED DECISION MAKING at the national/community levels.

What obligations does the state have in meeting the right to health?

Respect, protect, fulfill

State obligation to RESPECT includes...

• Refraining from interfering directly/indirectly with the right to health.

• Denying access or limiting access to drugs.

• Imposing discriminatory practices impacting particular population groups.

• Restricting access to reproductive health care.

• Misrepresenting health information.

• Infringing on the right to privacy.

State obligation to PROTECT includes...

Preventing third parties from interfering with the right to health.

Regulating food & drug products.

Controlling the marketing of medical equipment & drugs.

Ensure that privatization does not threaten access, acceptability, or affordability of services.

Ensure that health professionals provide care to disabled persons with free & informed consent.

State obligation to FUFILL includes...

• Adopting appropriate legislative, administrative, budgetary, judicial, promotional, & other measures at the national level to fully realize the right to health.

• Adopt a national health policy or plan.

• Ensure primary health care for all.

• Ensure that public health infrastructures provide for sexual and reproductive health services.

• Provide information and counseling on health-related issues.

Because of he U.S.' withdrawal from WHO, who does public health/bio security safeguarding responsibilities shift to?

the national security council

T/F: The U.S.' withdrawal from the WHO revokes one of Biden's executive orders.

True.

It revokes Biden administration's executive order on mobilizing the US government to provide a unified international COVID-19 response & provide US leadership on global health and security.

Effects of the U.S.'s intent (will take a year to occur) to withdraw from the WHO

End US funding, support, and resources to WHO.

Recall and reassign US govt workers & contractors working with WHO.

Identify credible & transparent US & international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by WHO.

Rescind the current US Global Health Security Strategy.

T/F: the NIH is the largest funder of health research globally.

True! $47.4B budget.

Effects of NIH disruptions on public health

Abrupt cancellation of meetings at NIH, including grant review panels.

Hiring freeze (government-wide) (Includes rescinding offers already made).

Effects of NIH disruptions on the dept of HHS

Communications ban, Immediate stop on publishing regulations, guidance documents, grant announcements, social media posts, & press releases, as well as cancelling speaking engagements. Indefinite ban on travel (Dept HHS-specific). All currently scheduled travel is cancelled and future travel requests are denied. Only travel exceptions are for traveling employees returning home.

Long-term impact of NIH funding freeze

Halts ongoing research for cancer treatment and other medical advancements.

Shuts down training pipeline.

Loss of existing research and materials, including biological specimens and lab animals.