Overview

This course is for public health professionals, policymakers, and individuals interested in global health challenges and policy development. You will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, major challenges in improving global population health, and practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze policy issues. Topics include health and foreign policy, health governance, disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and aging. By the end of this course, you will be able to: * Apply universal health coverage principles for aging societies. * Explain disease burden and its impact on health systems. * Summarize global health policy and governance challenges. * Analyze global health problems using quantitative methods. No specific prior knowledge is required, but a basic understanding of public health concepts is helpful.

Syllabus

Global Health Policy, Governance

Welcome to the first module! Here, you will examine key issues in global health policy and governance. We will discuss how events like disease epidemics and crises highlight weaknesses in global functions. You will learn about major challenges in global health policy and explore proposed actions, particularly Japan's role at the G7 Ise-Shima Summit. This module sets the foundation for understanding global health security and policy responses. To succeed, focus on the real-world examples provided.

Pandemics, Health Security Responses

In this module, you will explore the link between universal health coverage, disasters, and pandemics. You will learn to measure infectious disease spread and develop effective responses. We will examine conditions for timely responses to emergencies and identify how universal health coverage prepares societies for threats to human health and security. Focus on understanding the interconnectedness of these global public health challenges.

Universal Health Coverage, Aging Context

In this module, you will learn the basic concept of universal health coverage (UHC), including health financing and methods for improving UHC systems. You will discuss challenges to UHC from aging and development, especially for developing countries. We will explore public policy solutions for aging populations and new policies strengthening UHC systems globally. This builds on earlier discussions of global health policy. Focus on understanding UHC's practical applications.

Japan's Health System: Sustainability, Equity, Low Cost

This module examines Japan's health system, a central theme in global health policy. You will review Japan's historical context for universal health coverage (UHC) and its success in achieving good population health outcomes at low cost. We will then analyze current challenges to its sustainability, including demographic and fiscal pressures, and ongoing reform efforts. The objective is to share important lessons from Japan's experiences for global health policy and governance debates. Focus on understanding how Japan balances equity and cost in health.