Fundamentals of Global Health (Spring 2014)

Dr. David Boyd

Hanes House 131
M-W 10:05-11:20 (Section .02)
M-W 1:25-2:40 (Section .01)

Office: Trent 118 (919-613-4499)

Email: david.boyd@duke.edu
OH: Mondays, 3-4:30 & by appt. (F2F or virtual)
Team Flunches or Coffee: by arrangement

Our Team:
Indefatigable Teaching Assistant:
Information Technology Consultant:
Global Health Reference Librarian:
Global Health Fieldwork Coordinator:
DGHI Education Programs Assistant:
Dr. Boyds Senior Staff Assistant
Special Events Coordinator:

Gaoshan Junjian (j.gaoshan@duke.edu)

Lee Walls (lee.walls@duke.edu)
Jean Ferguson (jean.ferguson@duke.edu)
Lysa MacKeen (lysa.mackeen@duke.edu)
Molly Giles (molly.giles@duke.edu)
Vivien Needham (vivien.needham@duke.edu)
Agata Rocka (agata.rs@duke.edu)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
GH 101 surveys key concepts, tools, and analytical frameworks essential for continued study in
global health. Focusing on global disease burden, health determinants and disparities, health
policy and actors, and the challenges of global health interventions, the course consists of
lecture, intensive small group discussion, case analyses, experiential exercises, and team
competitions. Additionally, the course illustrates the importance of addressing global health
through multidisciplinary frameworks of the natural sciences, social-behavioral sciences,
humanities, and policy.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completing this course, students will be able to do the following:
-Articulate fundamental global health concepts, tools, and frameworks
-Analyze global health disease burden, determinants, policies, and actors
-Integrate analysis, research, and planning to solve global health challenges
-Develop team-based, multidisciplinary global health intervention strategies
-Discern how values and belief systems (including their own) impact global health
-Engage in self-directed global health research and learning

COURSE TEXTBOOK, READINGS, AND WEBSITE:

Required Textbook: We have tailored a case study collection for this course: Case Studies in
Global Health, Revised for Spring 2014. It is available at the Duke University Bookstore.
Additional Materials: At least 24 hours prior to class, I will post any additional material (such
as student slide sets, videos, readings, etc.) on our class website (see below) and will send you a
notification email. Along with the case studies, you should read or view these materials prior to
class. Additionally, you should bring a printed copy of the student slides to class so that you can
annotate them as necessary. I provide these slides so that you can write less and engage more.
If you would like to buy a traditional textbook for further reference throughout your
undergraduate career, I strongly recommend Global Health: Diseases, Programs, Systems, and
Policies, 3rd Edition (Merson et. al., 2012), which may be purchased on Amazon. You may also
check out my copy for 48 hours.
Companion Website: A special website, based on student input, accompanies our course as
well: http://sites.duke.edu/globalhealth101/ . We will discuss the site and its use during the
first day of class. You can sign into the site with your Duke NetID and password. Along with
the assignments listed below, you are required at minimum to log into this website the day before
each class, search for, and read any Breaking News items relevant to the topic of the week.
Thoughtful contributions (including responses to the posts of other students) to the websites
Lounge will also be one factor I consider in determining your final participation points, so
please make use of this feature.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADE BREAK-DOWN:
Engagement (Attendance/Participation/Preparation/Self-Assessment)
Test 1
Video Challenge
Test 2
Case Competition
Fundamental Take-Aways Web Page

25 points
20 points
10 points
20 points
15 points
10 points

We will discuss the tests and assignments in detail as the course progresses.
Extracurricular Events (Non-Mandatory):
15 January, 5:30-7 PM: Welcome to 101: Pizza for Global Health, Trent 040
20 April 3-5 PM: Local Yogurt at Chez Boyd/Helfer (arrange your own transportation)
Additionally, the Duke Global Health Institute sponsors many events over the semester, and I
encourage you to attend as many as possible. Please subscribe to the newsletter:
https://globalhealth.duke.edu/media/newsletter

SEMESTER ROADMAP
DATES

TOPICS

ASSIGNMENTS DUE

8 January -Introduction: Themes, Requirements, Policies, Set-Up

UNIT I: GLOBAL HEALTH FRAMEWORKS

13 January -Global Health Concepts, Measurements, and Disease Burden

Case Studies 1, 2

15 January -Global Health Barriers & Opportunities: The Power Walk

-Team Video Assignment
-5:30-7:00 PM: Welcome to 101 Pizza Night (Trent 040)
22 January -Biopsychosocial Model, Determinants, and Risks
-The Determinant Detective: An Exercise
27 January -Live from Bolivia: a) Chat on medicine, health, and culture
b) Discussion of Determinant Detective
29 January -Players, Strategies, and Interventions
3 February -Team Exercise: Preventing STIs in SubSaharan Africa By
Promoting Male Circumcision and Female Condoms
5 February -Test I /Discussion/Analysis

Complete and upload Video

by 21 January, 5PM
Case Studies 3-5

Case Studies 6-8

Review all course materials
to date

UNIT II: SURVEY OF GLOBAL DISEASE BURDEN

10-12 Feb. -Infectious/Communicable Disease
17-19 Feb. -Non-Communicable Disease
-Health Promotion Video Assignment
-Finding Information in Global Health Video
24-26 Feb. -Work on Health PromotionVideos
3-5 March -Video Competition Week: Screenings and Discussion
-Spring Break
-Injuries/Violence/Disaster
-Maternal, Child, and Reproductive Health
-Negotiation Exercise: On the Ground in Afghanistan
-Team Assignments on Future of Global Health
26 March -The Future of Global Health

8-16 March
17 March
19 March
24 March

Case Studies 9-12

Case Studies 13-16

Videos must be uploaded by

2 March, 5PM
REST!
Case Studies 17-20
Case Studies 21-24
Review all course materials
Be prepared to discuss your
assignment in class.

31 March -Test II (cumulative)/Discussion/Analysis

-Fundamental Take-Away Webpage Assignment

UNIT III: APPLICATION & SYNTHESIS: MAYA

GUATEMALA CASE COMPETITION
2 April -Introduction to Health Disparities in Guatemala
-Screening and Discussion of Uneven Ground
-Case Competition Challenge
7-9 April Work on Case Competition
14 April -Case Competition: The Semi-Finals
16 April -Case Competition: The Final Showdown

Materials Due 13 April, 5PM

UNIT IV: PARTING GLANCES

20 April 3-5PM: Local Yogurt at Dr. Boyds House
21 April -Course Wrap-Up
23 April LDOC: TBA
General Course Information & Policies
Format: We will incorporate lecture, active learning exercises, and individual/group challenges.
Lectures will survey the key fundamental concepts of global health in class (along with
recommendations for further investigation and classes you should take if a subject is of particular
interest to you). We will read case studies and draw on current events that relate to those
concepts in a variety of ways.
In class, I expect you to be fully engaged in the task at hand. In order to free you from virtual
temptations, I am banning laptops for note-taking. I will let you know any days we will be using
laptops for exercises. Most of our polls will require texting so please bring your mobile or smart
phone. Unless we are specifically using the web or text-messaging as part of our active learning
polls and exercises, laptops and mobile devices are to be put away. (Based on university policy
regarded documented disability, some exceptions may be granted.) Please note that in Hanes
Auditorium you will need to access the web via the Medical Centers guest network. If you do
not have text messaging or a smart phone, please see me after the first day of class so that we can
set up an alternative form of access. Each instance of unauthorized mobile use, texting, emailing, surfing the internet, etc. during class will result in your final grade being lowered by one
step.
Team Challenges: Our class will also be subdivided into 12 teams (5 students each) to carry out
a series of challenges and competitions. You must sit in your assigned team-spot during class.
Testing: Testing provides feedback about your 1) mastery of basic conceptual and factual
information; 2) ability to apply and synthesize this information; 3) areas of misunderstanding
requiring review. We will have two tests consisting of 10 short questions (short answer,
multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, sentence correction, etc.) and one longer analytical response
(45 minutes total). We will grade the tests in class and use them as the basis of discussion so that
everyone is prepared for subsequent parts of the course. Note: honest grading is part of my
expectations under the Honor Code.
4

Attendance, Late Assignments, and Electronic Devices in the Classroom: Unexcused late
assignments will have the grade lowered by one step per hour late. More than 2 unexcused
absences will result in your final grade being lowered by one step for each additional absence.
Please note the following: I will consider 2 late arrivals as an unexcused absence. I will allow
make-up tests only if your absence from class that day qualifies as an excused absence. Section
attendance is not fungible. And I repeat: Each instance of unauthorized mobile use, texting, emailing, and surfing the internet will result in your final grade being lowered one step.
Plagiarism and Community Standards: Plagiarism or cheating will result in an F for the
assignment and referral to the Honor Council. I also expect students to adhere to Duke
Community Standards as relevant to this course. For more information please refer to the
following documents: plagiarism (http://library.duke.edu/research/plagiarism); community standard
(http://registrar.duke.edu/university-bulletins/duke-community-standard-practice-guide-undergraduates).
Grading Scale: A+:98-100, A: 94-97, A-:90-93, B+: 87-89, B:83-86, B-: 80-82, C+:77-79,
C:73-76, C-: 70-72, D+: 67-69, D:63-66, D-:60-62, F: 59 and below. There is no curve in this
class; nor are there double round-ups on grades.
E-mail policy: I respond to e-mails (which should be written in professional format, including
salutation) daily on weekdaysgenerally in the afternoon. However, I also scan my inbox very
early each weekday morning for any critical issues that need to be addressed. If you write to me
with a critical issue, please indicate high priority signal when transmitting.

Getting Set Up with PollEverywhere

(Technical instructions courtesy of Mr. Marc Sperber, former Educational Technologies Consultant,
Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University)

We will use PollEverywhere for class polls. So that you can respond to the polls via text (SMS)
or Twitter, you MUST register in the system and then certify your cellphone number. Your
responses will not be identifiable to your classmates.
This is how to create a free PollEverywhere account that will be registered with our course:
1. Enroll here: http://www.polleverywhere.com/register?p=1nu45-1dry
2. Use your real name and Duke email address
3. After logging in, complete your Personal Info and Voter Registration:
a. Personal Info:
i. Enter your phone number so you can respond to polls from your cellphone
via text (SMS) (Enter US numbers in this format: 19195550000).
o If you discover during the phone number certification process that
you are unable to send a text to CERTIFY, you do not have short
codes enabled on your phone plan. If you click Show instructions
for other regions, you will see the US 10-digit backup number
is 17474443548. This is the same number you can use in the future
for texting responses. Or, preferably, enable short codes on your
plan; more info: http://www.polleverywhere.com/faq#cannot-text.
ii. Change the time zone to (GMT 05:00) Eastern Time
iii. Click Update profile
b. Voter Registration
i. Browse to the Voter Registration submenu of Personal Info
ii. Click on Details in the yellow bar for Account Owner David Boyd.
iii. Enter Duke NetID in How should David Boyd identify you? section.
iv. Click Update