Global Health Information and Resources
The health of people throughout the United states can be affected by different public health threats from around the globe. Global disease detection, prevention, and control strategies are of utmost importance when considering the “global” health of populations all over the planet. Promoting global health not only helps people all over the globe but it helps to secure global and U.S. security.
Even though the Earth has not really changed in size, in many ways, technology has made our globe smaller by allowing more and more people to travel, communicate and do business internationally. As the world and its economics become increasingly globalized, it is important to view and think about health in a global context. World news regularly includes stories about the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases and other health threats. In our increasingly globalized world, it is necessary to think about health in a global context.
This website is intended to be an easy to use way to find information and resources for people who work in the healthcare industry and for people who are concerned about their own health and the health of their global community.
What is
Global Health?
Global health is the physical and mental health of populations in a global context. Global health is often a reference to the area of study, research and practice that focuses on improving health and achieving equity in health care throughout the world. Global health is a movement for worldwide health improvement, reduction of disparities, and protection against global threats such as diseases, that traverse national borders. Global health is often measured as the prevalence of global diseases in the world and their threat for decreasing life in the areas they affect.
Important agencies that work towards better global health include the World Health Organization (WHO) UNICEF and World Food Programme (WFP, the food-assistance branch of the United Nations).
Why Is Global Health Important?
Global health and educating people about it and global health issues is important for protecting people and their families from global health threats. It is important to understand how the U.S. population can be negatively affected by diseases and illnesses that affect people far across the globe.
Illnesses that had not previously affected people on U.S. soil have threatened the lives of people in the U.S. As more and more people travel and do business internationally, many diseases that had become rare in developed countries, have had resurgences.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Zika Virus
- Ebola Virus
- H1N1 Influenza
- SARS
- MERS
- Cholera
- Plague
- Yellow fever
- Tuberculosis
The World Health Organization’s 2007 report says, “Since the 1970s, newly emerging diseases have been identified at the unprecedented rate of one or more per year.”
Promoting global health and helping other countries to deal with health epidemics is no longer just a humanitarian effort but is a necessity. Our global community is too interconnected to not take care of by trying to equitably manage its global health.
Health Equity
Health equity is often viewed as peoples’ rights to fair and just opportunities to be healthier. Factors such as poverty, discrimination, unsafe communities, and lack of access to good healthcare, jobs, education and housing, should not put areas and populations at risk.
Health equity is not just making sure that everyone across the globe has access to the same medications or other basic necessities. Equity means that everyone has equal access to equal quality healthcare, education, jobs and housing.
It is important to promote global health with the goal of realizing global health equity.