Essentials of Global Health - Introductory Lecture Notes

Instructor: Dr. Jose Luis Burgos
Course Overview: An introduction to global health focusing on epidemiology and course structure, including assessments and resources.

Attendance System: IClicker mobile system will be used for tracking attendance.
- Students do not need to purchase a subscription; attendance can be tracked via mobile phones or computers.
- Location services must be enabled in order to check in.
- Attendance will be open for this week, and full attendance tracking will begin next week.

Communication: Utilize Canvas email for communication regarding course-related queries.
Teaching Assistant Team:
- Juliet Portillo
- Mia Fava
- Kimberly Madrid
Students should copy the entire teaching team for queries.

Main Textbook: "Global Health Essentials" by Rabiglioni and collaborators, available through UCSD library (electronic format).
Supplementary readings from Skolnick's "Global Health 101" may be posted but are not mandatory purchases.

Participation: Class participation will be a primary component of the grading rubric.
Exams: Midterm is scheduled for week six; Final exam is during finals week.
- There is a possibility for excusing students from the final based on participation and overall performance.
Details on attendance percentage: Students are allowed up to three absences without penalty.
Weekly quizzes based on readings will be conducted, encouraging students to stay current with material.

iClicker for Attendance:
- Location services must be activated; guidance links will be provided for troubleshooting.
Poll Everywhere:
- This platform will be used for interactive polls and discussions, rated participant activity will be tracked through it.

Group Projects/Teamwork: Starting from Week 2, teams will be assigned a topic to facilitate group discussions and class engagement.
Students must actively participate in submissions with peer-reviewed literature incorporated.
Self-reflections assignment due Week 3—be graded as completed/not completed—applicants can discuss their perspectives on global health.
Final self-reflection due later in the course must include citations from course materials.

Global health is an interdisciplinary field demanding an understanding of the interaction between health and various factors affecting populations.
- This includes social determinants, global policies, and collaborative approaches to health solutions.

WHO Definition of Health (1948): A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Global health differs from public and international health in its more collaborative and equitable approach, aiming to address shared health challenges across borders.
Examples of global health issues: pandemic preparedness, control of infectious disease, and epidemiology of non-communicable diseases.

Week Structure:
- Tuesday lectures focusing on interactive discussions.
- Thursday sessions concentrating on group discussions of readings and issues related to global health.
Team Dynamics: Students are encouraged to form teams with peers for collaborative learning and project work.

Discussions will revolve around achieving global health equity through the lens of the SDGs, encouraging engagement in interdisciplinary actions.

Students to join teams during the remaining class time to secure their extra credit for participation today.
- Make sure you join using your UCSD email for identification purposes.
- The first topic for discussion next week focuses on the broad strategies for integrating health into all sectors of society.

Students are encouraged to actively share their thoughts, concerns, and insights regarding the course material and global health issues.
Discussions will promote deeper understanding and encourage students to take responsibility for their learning outcomes.