Infectious diseases have a specific, ethiological cause, e.g. a microbe such as tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, most people exposed to TB does not develop the disease. What determines this may be poverty, weakening of the person by other diseases or smoking and alcohol. So-called life-style diseases are (also) determined by the way you live, and include prevalent non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases, but besides of risk factors such as smoking and drinking or over-eating, the living conditions matter equally and sometimes more. The environment, climate changes, urbanization, socio-economic factors all impact health and disease. When an individual grows older, patterns of his/her diseases changes: the same applies when a society grows ‘older’.

Previously infectious diseases previously caused the majority of ill-health and premature death globally, but in high- and middle-income countries during the 20.th century infectious diseases – with the exception of HIV – declined. Introduction of hygiene and discovery of microbes and later vaccines an antibiotics contributed to the decline, but changing living conditions with better housing, nutrition, water and sanitation were the main drivers of infectious diseases’ decline.

This session will expand the student´s knowledge about human health and quality of life in the context of global and local ecology. Examples will be provided on how environmental management and development influence human health. The session provide an overview of the disease burden attributable to the environment, and much of this burden is placed across different geographical regions of the world. Examples will be presented on the impacts of poor quality water, insufficient access to water, lack of appropriate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. Other examples of environmental health factors included relate to reduced forest cover, unsustainable agricultural production systems, climate change, and poor management of natural resources that significantly influence livelihood, food security and migration patterns.

WHO has estimated that about 100 million people are driven below the poverty line every year because of out-of-pocket payments for health services. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a strategy to ensure that all people can use health services of sufficient quality to be effective, while the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. UHC receives increasing global attention, strongly promoted by the WHO, and the strategy is a cornerstone of the global post 2015-agenda for health. In this video lesson we will discuss three central questions for achieving UHC: How to secure adequate financing for health, how to protect the poor from financial consequences of ill health, and how to encourage optimum use of resources.

This presentation provides an overview of the major determinants and specific drivers of epidemiological transition and changes in disease burdens, including demographic factors, urbanisation, diet, economics, climate changes, disasters, health sector reforms, health care and health care technology.

This presentation discusses how the political instability has an impact on health care services. It focuses upon a period in Uganda where the government health facilities were neglected resulting in the lack of adequate health care provision and access to medicines. Following the instability in the country, the development and management of its health care services was highly dependent on funding from external donors and significant international influence on national services, including health care programs.
Participants: Professor Susan Whyte.

This presentation provides an introduction to diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites and other disease causing agents or pathogens. Furthermore, we’ll look at the range of syndromes associated with diarrhea and uncover two significant pathogens: rotavirus and vibrio cholera. Finally, we’ll delve into methods for managing diarrheal diseases and the significance of sanitation in preventing diarrheal diseases.

In this presentation the global burden of diseases – deaths as well as disabilities – jointly named DALYs – is presented and differences and similarities between lo-, middle-, and high-income countries presently and over time are presented. The strict division between non-communicable and communicable (infectious) diseases is also challenged, and propositions on how to manage them jointly are given. The double burden of NCD+overnutrition and CD+undernutrition in societies in fast transition is presented. The present vs. the expected global burden of diseases by the year 2030 are also introduced.

The session argues for why the three main resources that humanity needs for its survival on this planet are land / soil, water resources and air. In addition, how degradation of such resources places limits health and to the quality of life for the affected human population.
Participants: Senior adviser (IWA) Robert Ros

The video introduces health challenges for the very varied group of migrants. A large part voluntarily migrated, but non-voluntary groups include refugees, IDPs, Stateless and trafficked persons. Internal migrants are both due to conflicts and disasters and general urbanisation. The different groups have very varied health issues, and also very varied protective frameworks – whether international conventions or national laws and services - and may not be able or willing to seek health care.

This presentation provides an introduction to migrant health and its importance in the global health context. We’ll look at the key concepts of migration and ethnicity and how they are related to health. Furthermore we’ll look at how barriers may arise in access to health care for migrants, and finally we’ll provide examples from a Scandinavian context on differences in health between migrants and ethnic Danes.

This presentation provides an introduction to the term Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD). We’ll explore what NCD’s are, and look at some of the epidemiology (the burden of disease) and finally we’re going to look at some of the major misconceptions and misunderstandings around NCD’s

This interview provides knowledge about which role WHO plays in the shaping of global health, and how WHO’s role relates to the roles of government, non-government and other actors. Furthermore we’ll explore what a “health in all policies” approach is and why it’s important in the combat of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Finally we’ll discuss the role of an integrated approach in relation to public health in general and the NCDs in particular.
Participants: Dr. Gauden Galea.

This video is about interactions between nutritional deficiencies and infections in low-income settings. First, the typical diet in low-income countries, and the most common micronutrient deficiencies will be described, and basic concepts about the malnutrition-infection cycle will be introduced. Then the role of iron, zinc and vitamin A in relation to childhood infections will be discussed. Finally, students will hear about the need for nutritional support to patients with TB and HIV patients.

The number of refugees and IDPs are increasing from fragile situations around the world. Lack of protective community structures and poor reach of health systems to these people result in both groups facing a triple burden of disease: 1) communicable diseases due to e.g. poor housing and sanitary conditions, 2) NCDs, because of poor life style and refugees are today older, and 3) injury due to e.g. violence and poor working conditions.

This presentation provides an introduction to the innovative use of technology to improve maternal and child health in low and middle income countries. Two of the major challenges in relation to reproductive and child health is access to health services and the quality of services provided in the health system. In continuation of this we’ll look into how mobile phone interventions can strengthen access to and quality of life saving interventions particularly in the time surrounding the delivery when the woman and the newborns are most vulnerable.

Educators can use the toolkit as a whole or borrow pieces to meet their unique learning objectives and circumstances. You may watch the film in the classroom or assign it to your students to watch on their own time. Many of these activities can be assigned virtually, as many schools will not resume in-person classrooms during 2020. The film can also be useful for student groups and associations.

The film has been divided up into 3 sections to accommodate for classroom viewing. Each section includes discussion questions, a lesson plan, and a lab. All of the student-facing materials are available on the website while the lesson plans and video links are accessible by signing up for a free screening license. All activities have NGSS and/or AP Bio standards alignment.

We also have 2 activities geared toward career exploration. We need young people to enter the fields of science now more than ever! ​Finally, we have some bonus materials that include materials created by other educators that can be useful as well. If you would like to submit an activity for us to include and share with other educators, please email breakthrough@uncommonproductions.com.

The Kindness Curriculum, available in both Spanish and English, has been shown to help students self-regulate, improve peer relationships, develop a stronger sense of empathy and kindness, and positively impact academic performance and social competence.

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This patient education program explains what leukemia is and reviews the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. This resource is a MedlinePlus Interactive Health Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine, designed and developed by the Patient Education Institute.