PM565_Week 1

As a concept, I find global health immensely appealing. To promote health and well-being at the international level is an enterprise of profound proportions. ‘For all people to be free from the captivity of disease, poverty, and hunger…’ ‘For all people to be fully experiencing physical fitness, mental acuity, social fulfillment and spiritual realization…’ These are the sort of mission statements that fill aspiring young health practitioners with a sense of hope and purpose. I fit into this category.

However… as a construct, I find global health immeasurably overwhelming. Breaking health promotion into its constituents, bolstered quality of life and prolonged life expectancy are hard entities to tackle. Thinking as a data analyst and future epidemiologist, I tend to break large constructs into smaller “boxes.” The countries, nations, states, cities, populations, cultures, schools, and individuals are medium-sized boxes that make up the world. The physical, mental, spiritual, social, and environmental boxes each fit into those medium-sized boxes. Looking at it altogether while considering paradigms of the past, present and future, my mind absolutely spins. The infinite number of boxes and permutations therein comprise the one large box labeled “global health.” Recognizing the puzzles represented, I question whether I have it in me to consider the whole jumble at once.

These two conflicting perspectives found expression during Hans Rosling’s portrayal of epidemiological data. Rosling saw the need to communicate data which led him to generate a series of animated data collections that illustrate various aspects of health and wealth. Watching the animated datasets, I felt on the one hand liberated by the sense of knowledge of concrete trends in global health. Particularly, the animated graph of fertility rate versus life expectancy since 1962 illustrated the shift towards long life in small family throughout the world in a way that brought this trend to life. The 'boxes' were somehow opened and their contents presented clearly in relation to the other 'boxes.' On the other hand, I felt overwhelmed. Beyond the recognition of what Rosling points out as the locked nature of various datasets from widespread dissemination, I began pondering the nature of these seemingly larger than life issues within the big global health 'box.' Looking back on the video and preparing myself for the road ahead, the question looms in my head: “well what can we do about it?”

So, I enter into PM565: Emerging Trends in Global Health Leadership at USC (taught by Professor Gurinder Shahi) with big dreams tempered by realistic expectations. I'm ready to tear the wrapping apart :)