Module: Challenging Global Health Problems

Module Specifications

Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Challenging Global Health Problems
Module Code	HEA1014 (ITS: NS370)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The purpose of this module is to analyse the global health problems that confront populations of the world and how they can be challenged in decolonising ways. This module encourages active participation and application of knowledge, focusing on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse the factors behind contemporary global health problems including conflict, poverty, inequalities and climate change.
2. Examine specific global health challenges such as maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality, non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases and malnutrition.
3. Critically evaluate responses to global health challenges under the Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030.
4. Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration while working towards a potential solution(s)/recommendations on specific challenges/issues.
5. Reflect on strategies to decolonise global health towards a more just and inclusive approach.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Independent Study	101	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	10781	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Anne Matthews	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Challenge-based learning (CBL)
The CBL approach, stages and practical guidance

Decolonising global health
Understanding and taking action on decolonisation.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The SDGs, their targets and progress

Factors influencing global health problems
Poverty, conflict, education, climate change and environmental degradation, trade, water and sanitation, poverty, gender and other inequalities.

Specific global health challenges
Maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality, Communicable diseases, Non-communicable diseases, Hunger and malnutrition.

Responses to global health challenges
Development aid effectiveness, global health organisations and governance, community and civil society activism.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

edited by Ichiro Kawachi, Sarah Wamala: 2007, Globalization and health, ebook (via DCU library), 9780195172997
Barry H. Smith MD PhD (Editor), Joyce J. Fitzpatrick PhD MBA RN FAAN (Editor), Pamela Hoyt-Hudson BSN RN (Editor): 2010, Problem Solving for Better Health, ebook (via DCU library), 0826104681
Robert Beaglehole (Editor), Ruth Bonita (Editor): 2009, Global Public Health: A New Era, ebook (via DCU library), 0199236623
Sara Davies,: 2010, Global Politics of Health, Polity, Cambridge, 9780745640419
Malcolm MacLachlan: 2006, Culture and health, Wiley, Chichester, 0470847360
edited by Martin McKee, Paul Garner, Robin Stott: 2001, International co-operation in health, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 0192631985
edited by David A. Leon and Gill Walt: 2000, Poverty, inequality, and health, ebook, 0192631969
Stephen McCloskey; Boyle, Aisling: 2011, The activist's handbook: a guide to activism on global issues, ebook, Centre for Global Education, London,
edited by Marianne H. Marchand and Anne Sisson Runyan: 2011, Gender and global restructuring, ebook, 0203894979
Smith, Richard, Hanson, Kara: 2012, Health systems in low- and middle-income countries: an economic and policy perspective, ebook, 0191731188
Jeff French, Clive Blair-Stevens, Dominic McVey, Rowena Merritt,: 2010, Social Marketing and Public Health, ebook, Chapters 17 and 21, 9780199550692
edited by Daniel Perlman, Ananya Roy: 2008, The practice of international health, Oxford University Press, New York, 0195310276
Amartya Sen: 1999, Development as freedom, OUP, Oxford, 0192893300

Articles:
None

Other Resources

1: Website, World Health Organisation,
421928: 1, Website, OECD- Health,
http://www.oecd.org/health/: 421929, 1, Website, Countdown to 2015: Maternal newborn and child survival
http://www.countdown2015mnch.org/: 421930, 1, Website, United Nations Population Fund
http://www.unfpa.org/public/: 421931, 1, Website, Irish Forum for Global Health
http://www.globalhealth.ie/: 421932, 1, Website, UN Entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women
http://www.unwomen.org/: 421933, 1, Website, UN MDGs
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/: 421934, 1, Website, UN Development Programme- Human development reports
http://hdr.undp.org/en/humandev/: