Efforts to improve public health occur around the world every day. However, simply attempting to fix a problem without acknowledging, and respecting, the relationship between culture and health is not likely to have long-term success. Successful interventions, such as those in the case studies presented in your resources, demonstrate organizational collaboration. They also highlight the value of cultural relativism to improve population health outcomes. Working for the people (and with the people) can make an important impact on health.
To prepare for this Discussion, review Chapter, “Communities Working to Achieve Health Equity,” in the Promoting Health Equity document from Week. Select one case study to profile in your discussion. How do the key concepts, addressed in this week’s Learning Resources, relate to the case study you selected?
Post a comprehensive assessment of the following for your case study:
1. Briefly describe the population and health issue addressed in the case study.
• 2. In what way did cultural beliefs and behaviors contribute to the health issue in these case studies?
• 3. Which public health (or other) groups intervened, and how did they cooperate to improve health for this population?
• 4. What measures did the organization take to ensure they respected the dignity of the individuals and their culture?
• 5. How does this case study relate to our class resources addressing culture and collaboration?
• Required Resources
Media:
• Video: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases.(2009, April 27). Responding to Outbreaks. CDC TV Health Matters. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/RespondOutbreaks/index.html
“Respond to Outbreaks” Video courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases. Transcripts also provided by the CDC. ” Video courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Transcripts also provided by the CDC.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 6 minutes.
As the deadly Ebola virus hits western Uganda, a team of investigators from the CDC Special Pathogens Branch work to bring the outbreak under control by working with local health ministries and citizens. Learn how these public health professionals stop diseases in their tracks by working with people, animals, and the environment in order to protect the population.
Note: You may view this Course Video in the streaming Media Player below (or attached) and/or linked above with each resource listed. As a reminder, additional Learning Resources for the week are listed below the Media Player.
• Readings
• Course Text: Public and Global Health Essentials