SDG FINAL TOPIC

Lesson 25: Global Health

Lesson Objectives

  • Define Global Health: Understanding what constitutes global health.

  • Explain Globalization's Relationship to Health: Analyzing how globalization influences individual, family, and community health.

  • Enumerate Social Determinants of Health in the Philippines: Identifying the factors affecting health in the Philippine context.

  • Identify Sustainable Development Goals Related to Health Care: Recognizing the global goals for health improvements.

Key Definitions

  • Health: A comprehensive state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of illness.

  • Global Health: Focuses on improving health and achieving health equity for all globally through study, research, and practice, emphasizing collaborative transnational efforts.

  • Social Determinants of Health: Conditions affecting people's health that are shaped by money, power, and resources at various levels, responsible for health inequities.

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Universal goals aimed at eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity, consisting of 17 interrelated objectives addressing multiple global challenges including health care.

  • Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs): Chronic diseases influenced by various factors with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes being significant examples.

What is Global Health?

Global health is a dynamic and evolving field of study, research, and practice devoted to improving health worldwide and achieving health equity. It emphasizes collaborative efforts across nations, involving public health strategies that transcend local or national considerations. Global health incorporates:

  • Collaboration: The necessity of joint efforts among various stakeholders to tackle global health issues effectively.

  • Transnational Issues: Health problems that cross national borders, necessitating cooperative international solutions.

  • Research: The importance of evidence-based policies to inform actions in addressing health determinants.

  • Action: Utilizing research outcomes to enhance health quality and equity.

  • Promotion: Implementing a wide range of public health and health promotion strategies to elevate overall health levels.

  • Health for All: Echoes the principles of the Alma Ata Declaration, reinforcing primary health care as the foundation for health systems worldwide.

Globalization and Health

Globalization intertwines social, cultural, and economic phenomena, fostering widespread influences through technologies such as the internet and global media. It can change lifestyles positively while also posing health risks:

  • Positive Impacts: Improved access to information on health and advancements in communication technology aiding health care decisions.

  • Negative Impacts: The dominance of fast food culture affecting dietary habits leading to health conditions like obesity.

  • Digital Divide: Despite connectivity improvements, disparities still exist regarding access to technology and health education across different nations.

Social Determinants of Health in the Philippines

The health profile in the Philippines reflects significant challenges and inequalities:

  • Health Insurance Coverage: Currently at 92% of the population.

  • Improvements in Maternal and Child Health: Increased facility-based childbirth and child survival rates.

  • Focus on NCDs: Rising concern over illnesses linked to unhealthy lifestyles.

  • Vulnerable Populations: Continued health inequities among regions and socioeconomic groups.

Social Determinants of Health

Social determinants include various conditions in which individuals are affected by influences such as:

  • Economic Stability: Including income, employment, and food security.

  • Education: Accessibility and quality of education correlate with health outcomes.

  • Health Care Access: Availability and affordability of health services.

  • Social and Community Context: Relationships and social networks impacting health behaviors.

  • Neighborhood and Built Environment: Physical surroundings and resources available to people.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Related to Health

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted 17 SDGs, among which Goal 3 emphasizes good health and well-being:

  • Goal 1: No Poverty

  • Goal 2: Zero Hunger

  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Goal 4: Quality Education

  • Goal 5: Gender Equality

  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation The holistic approach of the SDGs highlights how addressing one goal can indirectly influence others.

Conclusion and Reflection

Understanding global health requires recognizing the interconnections of health factors at local and global levels. Social determinants significantly influence health equity, necessitating committed efforts to address these on a societal scale. As globalization continues to shape health landscapes, both opportunities and challenges become evident, urging stakeholders to adopt a proactive stance toward health promotion and disease prevention on a global and local scale.