International Health Policy

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International Health Policy PHE5IPO

Key details

International health Policy (PHE5IPO) runs Semester 2, 2014 on the La Trobe University City Campus (Franklin Street, Melbourne). Subject Coordinator is Dr. Evelyne de Leeuw. For students enrolled at la Trobe University, please consult LMS for assignment submission details.

Subject Details

General

Subject Code: PHE5IPO Subject Title: International Health Policy Teaching Period: Semester 2 Location(s): City Campus Credit Points: 15 Mode: Blended Level: 5 Students are expected to access subject materials through the La Trobe Learning Management System. This subject guide is also available through https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/International_Health_Policy. This site further serves as the access portal and repository of lectures and associated material for the subject.

Enrolment requirements

Prerequisites: Public Health Policy and/or health political science (If you need to catch up or refresh your proficiency in this area click here)
Co-requisites: None
Assumed Skills & Knowledge: Postgraduate level of analysis and comprehension
Special Study Requirements: For online learning: internet connection and laptop/tablet

Staff contact

Subject Coordinator: Dr. Evelyne de Leeuw

Email: e.deleeuw@latrobe.edu.au

Tel: +61 3 94795800

Location:Office 326, Franklin Street City Campus

Subject description

In this subject, students learn about institutions and frameworks for international health policy, national health development and global health governance, improving health services, making and implementing policies in a global context, and health policy changes and challenges.

Subject intended learning outcomes (SILOS)

Upon successful completion of this subject, you should be able to:

demonstrate an understanding of the tensions and debates in international health policy and how they influence present course of policy development
apply the capacity for critical assessment of contemporary trends and developments in international health policy
know how to engage with health policy making at the international level

Learning activities

Note that the subject is offered in blended mode, allowing for studies on-line. On-site attendance is required for international students, others may opt for the online presence. ‘Blended mode’ means that some lectures will be made available on-line, allowing for informed discussions in-class and on-line. These lectures are indicated in green font below. All students are required to monitor their La Trobe email for subject communications.

Programme

Time	Topic	Activity	Lead	Readings
Monday 18 August By 17:00	Hurdle	Book review to be nominated and agreed: e-mail e.deleeuw@latrobe.edu.au	EdL/DL	PHE5IPO Subject Guide
Monday 15 September 09:00	Submit book review	Through LMS	EdL	your book
Monday 15 September 9:30-12:30	Public Health policy review	In class review	EdL	Clavier, C. & E. de Leeuw, eds. (2013) Health Promotion and the Policy Process. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Tuesday 16 September 09:30-10:30	Introduction	Introduction to the subject; overview of rationale, content, assessment. Student introductions	DL	Chapter 4 (Political economy of health and development) from BPH; Ch 15 (Global Health Governance) from BHD
Tuesday 16 September 10:30-11:30	Global Institutions and Global Governance	Lecture: Global health, globalisation and global health governance: an historical reflection	DL	Ch 3 (Mapping Global Health Architecture) from BHD
Tuesday 16 September 11:45-12:30	Place of WHO	Lecture: History and evolution of WHO in global health policy and global health architecture	DL	Ch 1(Historical origins of modern international health) from BPH; Ch 2 (Historical dimensions of global health governance) from BHD
Tuesday 16 September 14:00-16:00	Book reviews	Students discuss book reviews in small groups and then summaries of discussion and key debates reported back to full group	DL/EdL	-
Tuesday 16 September 16:00-16:30	Planning for group work	Discussions	EdL	-
Wednesday 17 September 09:30-10:30	Macroeconomics and health	Lecture: growth and health - growth and health	DL	Chs 11 (health economics and the economics of health) from BPH as well as chs 4 and 9
Wednesday 17 September 10:45-11:30	Trade and Health	Lecture: Implications of TRIPS; trade agreements; agreement on agriculture	DL	Ch 9 (Globalisation, trade, work and health) from BPH; Ch 7 & 8 (AIDS and access to medicines; International trade and health) from BHD
Wednesday 17 September 11:30-12:30	Models for health systems development	Lecture: PHC, HSS, SDH, UHC	DL	Ch 12 (Understanding and organizing health care systems) from BPH
Wednesday 17 September 14:30-16:30	Group work and individual consultations	-	EdL	-
Monday 22 September 09:30-10:30	The politics of discourse	Lecture: Words, words, words: international, transnational and/or global health	EdL	de Leeuw, E., B. Townsend, E. Martin, C. M. Jones & C. Carole Clavier (2013) Emerging theoretical frameworks for global health governance. Chapter 6 in: Clavier, C. & E. de Leeuw, eds. (2013) Health Promotion and the Policy Process. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Monday 22 September 11:15-12:30	Development assistance and health	Lecture: Histories, structures, principles, debates of official development assistance – and with people	DL	Ch 12 (Global Health Partnerships) from BHD; Ch 4 from BPH; Ch 14 (AIDS) from BHD; Ch 13 (Governance of Chronic diseases) from BHD; Ch 14 (Doing International Health) from BPH
Monday 22 September 13:30-16:00	Group work	Individual essay planning	EdL	-
Tuesday 23 September 09:30-10:45	Case study	TPPA: Policy advocacy in trade agreements and health (Deb Gleeson)	DB	Ch 5 (Governance Norms in Global Health) from BHD; Ch 10 (Civil Society, its organizations and Global Health Governance) from BHD
Tuesday 23 September 11:15-12:30	Case study	FCTC and tobacco control (Alexandra Jones)	AJ	Ch 5 (Governance Norms in Global Health) from BHD; Ch 10 (Civil Society, its organizations and Global Health Governance) from BHD
Tuesday 23 September 13:30-16:00	Individual essay planning	Finalise group work	EdL	-
Wednesday 24 September 09:30-12:30	Presentations	-	EdL/DL	-
Wednesday 24 September 14:00-14:30	Evaluation and feedback	-	-	-
Wednesday 24 September 14:30-15:30	Individual essay planning	-	EdL	-
Monday 3 November 09:00	Final essay submission	through LMS	EdL	-

Assessments

Assessment task	Due date	%	Comments
1000 word book review and class presentation	Monday 15 September, 09:00 am, through LMS	25%	see details below
15 minute small group presentation + discussion	Wednesday 24 September	25%	See details below
2500 word essay	Monday 3 November, 09:00 amd, through LMS	50%	see details below

Book review

Due on 15 September, for presentation in class on 16 September.

Book list available here

Prior to attendance at the study block, students will prepare a 1000-word book review, chosen from the selected range of books or reports which are asterisked in the recommended reading list, or otherwise negotiated with the subject coordinator. Students should advise the subject coordinator of the choice of book, to ensure that no publication is reviewed by more than one student, no later than Monday August 18. Book reviews are to be submitted electronically through LMS by Monday Sept 15 by 9am.

All students will make brief (10-minute) presentations to a class mini-conference on the first day of the study block (ie Tuesday Sept 16), discussing its main points and their significance, as well as offering a critique. Powerpoint is not to be used. Specific questions to consider include:

What does the book cover?
What is the line of argument?
What information is used and what information is left out by the author?
What is the political context out of which this publication was produced?
What is the author trying to achieve with this publication?
What is the advocacy perspective embedded in the publication?

Marking will be based on quality of analysis and making your findings accessible to others in the class. Marks will be reduced for students who are not ready to present their book reviews at the scheduled time.

Small group presentation

In class, on Wednesday 24 September.

Students will be assigned to work in small groups to select a key international declaration or policy proposal and summarise the role of WHO and critique progress toward implementation of the declaration/proposal in a global context.

The analysis will be written up in a Word document and uploaded (instructions in class, 15 September). Groups will then present their summary analysis and critique in class on 24 September. Each group will have 15 minutes, followed by a 5 minute plenary discussion. The order of presentations is determined randomly.

The material will be selected from the following list.

Essay

Due Monday 3 November 09:00

The major essay is the main opportunity for you to apply policy analysis and policy development or advocacy skills to an international/global health topic of interest to you. You are expected to produce a paper of publishable quality, such as for the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, Globalisation and Health, or similar internationally oriented journals. It is suggested that you focus on global policies and strategies for specific health issues, where you consider the current and potential institutional players and roles, possible policy instruments, and strategies which are likely to be effective. Topics should be agreed with the subject coordinator during the study block, with the following being an initial list: 

Access to medicines
Maternal mortality
Occupational health and safety
Hunger
Non-communicable diseases or associated risk factors
Injury
Mental Health
Blindness
Disability
Disaster management
Emerging diseases
Climate change and health
Energy and health
Health impacts of free trade agreements

Further submission details

LMS

For students enrolled with La Trobe University the main submission platform is its Learning Management System. Always check whether submissions have been uploaded - you will receive an email confirmation.

Extensions

An extension to assignment due date will only be given for exceptional circumstances which have affected the student’s ability to complete the work by the due date. Requests for extension must be made in writing and agreed to in writing.

Applications for extension must be made no less than 24 hours before the due date. You may be asked to produce the work in progress.

Late submissions

Any assignment submitted late, without authorised extension, will be penalised at the rate of 5% of the assigned mark per working day late. Assignments handed in more than one week late, without authorised extension, will NOT be marked and an automatic fail grade for that piece of assessment will be recorded.

Assessment

For all assignments an assessment rubric will be made available in the 15 September 2014 workshop and online.

Learning resources

Book list available here

Lectures and lecture notes

Prescribed reading

Buse K, Hein W, and Drager N. (Eds). (2009). Making Sense of Global Health Governance: A Policy Perspective. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Where there is a chapter relevant to a session, the recommended chapter is the first reading listed (as BHD).
Birn A, Pillay Y, and Holtz T. (2009). Textbook of International Health: Global Health in a Dynamic World. 3rd edition. Oxford University Press, New York. Where there is a chapter relevant to a session, the recommended chapter is the first or second reading listed (as in BPH).

Useful journals

American Journal of Public Health
International Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics
Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health
International Journal of Health Planning and Management
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
International Journal of Health Services
Australian Health Review
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
British Medical Journal Journal of International Development
Globalization and Health
Journal of Health Economics
Global Health Governance
Journal of Public Health Policy
Global Health Promotion
Lancet
Health Economics, Policy, Law
Public Health
Health Policy
Public Health Ethics
Health Policy and Planning
Social Science and Medicine
Health Promotion International
Third World Quarterly
International Journal for Equity in Health
World Health Bulletin

Useful websites

African Development Bank – www.afdb.org
Oxfam – www.oxfam.org
Aid Watch – www.aidwatch.org.au
People’s Health Movement – www.phmovement.org
Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research – www.alliance-hpsr.org
Secretariat of the Pacific Community – www.spc.int
Asian Development Bank – www.adb.org
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria – www.theglobalfund.org
Association of Southeast Asian Nations – www.aseansec.org
Third World Network – www.twnside.org.sg
AusAID – www.ausaid.gov.au
Transnational Institute – www.tni.org
Center for Policy Analysis on Trade and Health – www.cpath.org
WHO Watch – www.ghwatch.org/who-watch
Center for Global Development – www.cgdev.org
World Bank – www.worldbank.org
Consumers International – www.consumersinternational.org
World Federation of Public Health Associations – www.wfpha.org
Global Development Network – www.gdnet.org
World Health Organization – www.who.int
Global Forum for Health Research – www.globalforumhealth.org
UK Dept for International Development – www.dfid.gov.uk
Global Policy Forum – www.globalpolicy.org
UK Partnership for Global Health – www.ukglobalhealth.org
Global Health Council – www.globalhealth.org
United Nations Development Programme – www.undp.org
Global Health Watch – www.ghwatch.org
UN Commission on Human Rights – www.ohchr.org
Institute for Development Studies – www.ids.ac.uk
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific – www.unescap.org
Institute of Medicine, Board on Global Health – www.iom.edu
UN Environment Programme – www.unep.org
Inter-American Development Bank – www.iadb.org
UN Population Fund – www.unfpa.org
International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations – www.patientsorganizations.org
UN Research Institute for Social Development – www.unrisd.org
International Association of Health Policy – www.healthp.org
UNAIDS – www.unaids.org
International Labour Organization – www.ilo.org
UNICEF – www.unicef.org
International Monetary Fund – www.imf.org
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – www.cdc.gov
International Development Research Centre – www.idrc.ca
USAID – www.usaid.gov
International Union for Health Promotion and Education – www.iuhpe.org
World Economic Forum – www.weforum.org
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development – www.oecd.org
World Trade Organization – www.wto.org
Overseas Development Institute – www.odi.org.uk
World Watch Institute – www.worldwatch.org

Student feedback

The Student Feedback on Subjects (SFS) Survey is part of the quality assurance process that occurs across the university. In this survey you are invited to tell us about your learning experiences in this subject. We want you to tell us of your experience in this subject. Your views will be taken seriously and will assist us to enhance this subject for the next group of students. Your feedback will also contribute to the text for ‘Summary of Previous Student Feedback’ below so please take the time to tell us your views. The surveys are anonymous and will be distributed prior to the end of the teaching period. Summary of SFS Feedback from Last Year Student feedback from previous iterations of PHE5IPO has not been made available to the subject coordinator. Rest assured, however, that we take continuous student feedback very much seriously. In order to make this subject as enjoyable, scholarly, responsive and suited to individual needs as possible we welcome comments throughout the semester.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity means being honest in academic work and taking responsibility for learning the conventions of scholarship. La Trobe University views this seriously as evidenced by the following extract: Academic honesty is a fundamental principle in teaching, learning, research and scholarship. The University requires its academic staff and students to observe the highest ethical standards in all aspects of academic work and it demonstrates its commitment to these values by awarding due credit for honestly conducted scholarly work, and by penalising academic misconduct and all forms of cheating. Academic Integrity Procedures (2010, p. 1 of 6) Academic misconduct includes poor referencing, plagiarism, copying and cheating. You should familiarise yourself with your responsibilities in relation to Academic Integrity and if you have any questions, direct them to your Course Coordinator. Information can be found on the website at: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/learning/integrity.html.