global health

What is Bending the Arc about?

A: A documentary following Partners In Health’s founders as they fight for health equity globally.

Q: What is the accompaniment model in community medicine?

A: A method of supporting patients by addressing their medical and social needs throughout their care journey.

Q: What’s the difference between illness and disease?

A: Disease is a clinical condition; illness is the person’s lived experience of that condition.

Q: What are social determinants of health?

A: Factors like income, housing, education, and environment that shape health outcomes.

Q: What are Weber’s 3 types of authority?

A: Charismatic, traditional, and rational-legal.

Q: What was colonial medicine?

A: Health practices introduced during colonization that often served colonizers, not local populations.

Q: What is ethnography used for in health?

A: Studying health beliefs and practices within cultural contexts through immersive observation.

Q: What causes Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)?

A: Parasites, bacteria, and viruses—mainly affecting people in poverty.

Q: What are the impacts of Malaria and AIDS in Africa?

A: High disease burden due to poverty, weak infrastructure, and late global response.

Q: What is HAART in HIV treatment?

A: A drug combination that suppresses the HIV virus and prolongs life.

Q: What are challenges in HIV/AIDS medication distribution?

A: Cost, access, stigma, and supply chain issues.

Q: Why is mental health a global concern?

A: High prevalence and stigma lead to under-treatment worldwide.

Q: What are the 3 moral frameworks in global health?

A: Utilitarianism, capabilities approach, liberal cosmopolitanism.

Q: Name 3 accomplishments in global health.

A: Smallpox eradication, expanded HIV/AIDS treatment, reduced child mortality.

Q: What does the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights say about health?

A: Health is a human right that governments must progressively work to fulfill.

Q: What are structural barriers to health?

A: Systemic obstacles like racism, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure.

Q: What’s the difference between vertical, horizontal, and diagonal approaches?

A: Vertical = disease-focused, Horizontal = system-wide, Diagonal = both.

Q: How is healthcare viewed in the U.S.?

A: Often treated as a commodity, not a right.

Q: What is brain drain in global health?

A: Migration of health professionals from low- to high-income countries.

Q: What’s a criticism of global medical education?

A: Often lacks focus on social justice and cultural humility.

Q: What are STEGHs and a common critique?

A: Short-term global health trips; criticized when unethical or unstructured.

Q: What is palliative care vs. hospice care?

A: Palliative = any stage, pain-focused; Hospice = end-of-life, comfort-focused.

Q: What does Being Mortal teach us about care?

A: We should prioritize quality of life and personal goals in end-of-life care.

Q: What does DALY stand for and measure?

A: Disability-Adjusted Life Year; measures years lost due to illness or death.

Q: How much of the U.S. budget goes to foreign aid?

A: Around 1%, often tied to political interests.

Q: What are NGOs, and what issues do they face?

A: Non-governmental organizations; issues include poor coordination and sustainability.

Q: What were the Millennium Development Goals?

A: UN goals to reduce poverty and improve health (2000–2015).

Q: Why is informed consent important in clinical trials?

A: Ensures participants understand risks and agree voluntarily.

Q: What is bioethics in global health?

A: The study of ethical issues in medicine, including consent, justice, and equity.