Analytical Case Study on Public Health Issues, Health System, and Future Health of a Country

Introduction to the case study and the main health issues/challenges in the country

1.Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

Awareness of the differences in patterns of health and disease around the world and how these have been influenced by historical and geographical factors.

2.Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

Describe how the health of the global population is promoted and protected by analysing how global, regional and local health systems address key economic and social determinants of health.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

This is an analytical case study presented in 3 sections.

A.Introduction to the case study and the main health issues/challenges in the country

B.A description of the health system in the country

C.Predicting the future health of the population

You must choose 3 contemporary public health issues in the chosen country. The three public health issues must focus on

• communicable disease,
• non-communicable disease and
• health issue that is grouped as an accident/intentional or unintentional injury in that country.

You are NOT required to describe these public health issues themselves (i.e. what they are) but you need to describe the scale and the nature of the health challenges (e.g. social group that are most affected). You can also discuss how the issues are tackled by the government. Your overview should be based on sound and recent global health data from the World Health Organisation, as well as studies or reports published by credible sources of global health data and you must include one  graph, chart or table to support this section. The source of the attached graph/chart/table must be clearly noted and its relevance to your discussion must be well signposted.

You must discuss the health system in the chosen country (i.e. how it was created, changed and its existing building blocks).

Provide a historical account of key health events or trends in the country and describe the evolution and constitution of its health systems. You will need to present a concise historical account, or timeline about these key events , how those events were dealt with and how the health system changed, therefore. Students must also explore current issues relating to at least two selected building blocks of the health system. The priority in this section is to describe how and why the country’s current health system and policies are functioning as they are. You must include a graph, chart or table to support this section. The source of the attached graph/chart/table must be clearly noted and its relevance to your discussion must be well signposted.

The case study should also include the chosen country’s performance in relation to meeting specific targets under any of the named SDG goals. Your prediction should be based on sound and recent health data from credible sources of global or national health data. You must also include a relevant graph, charts or table to support this task. The student can make brief comparisons to the performance of the chosen country to similar countries in the relevant WHO region. In this section, students may also note any current political, economic and/or social issues in the country that are likely to affect the effectiveness of the health system/policy/health issues of that country in the future. The source of the attached graph/chart/table must be clearly noted and its relevance to your discussion must be well signposted.

What do I need to do to pass?

In order to pass Assignment  1 you will need to:

• Identify and describe key health issues in a country
• Analyse policies and programmes introduced in order to tackle the health issues in the country
• Critically assess the effectiveness of the interventions employed

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

These will be explored in assignment support sessions

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

The lectures and seminars for the first six weeks of teaching will explore topics that will help contribute to the case study assignment. These topics will include exploring the nature of Global Public Health, an introduction to Health Systems, measuring Health Status, understanding the global burden of disease and the World Health Organisation, Regional and National Health Challenges and the SDGs.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.