Key issues in global health

Question 1

What is ‘global health’?

Answer 1

Refers to health issues where the determinants circumvent, undermine or are oblivious to the territorial boundaries of states, and are thus beyond the capacity of individual countries to address through domestic institutions.

Question 2

How many women become pregnant globally each year?

Answer 2

210m

Question 3

What is the difference in maternal mortality between women in Africa and women in Europe?

Answer 3

Africa: 1 in 12
Europe: 1 in 4,000

Question 4

What is a communicable disease?

Answer 4

Any condition which is transmitted directly or indirectly to a person from an infected person or animal through the agency of an intermediate animal, host, or vector, or through the inanimate environment.

Question 5

What is a chronic disease?

Answer 5

Requires ongoing medical care, limits what one

can do, and is likely to last longer than one year.

Question 6

What percentage of adults in the UK have chronic conditions?

Answer 6

60% (45% with multiple conditions)

Question 7

What percentage of over 75s have a chronic condition?

Answer 7

75%

Question 8

What percentage of GI cancer is estimated to be caused by inadequate fruit/vegetable intake?

Answer 8

14%

Question 9

What percentage of IHD is estimated to be caused by inadequate fruit/vegetable intake?

Answer 9

11%

Question 10

What percentage of stroke is estimated to be caused by inadequate fruit/vegetable intake?

Answer 10

9%

Question 11

What non-health factors impact upon global health?

Answer 11

• Economics
• Politics
• War
• Sexual violence
• Environment
• Agriculture
• Culture

Question 12

What health factors influence global health

Answer 12

• Anti-microbial resistance
• Access to healthcare
• Access to food
• Access to potable water

Question 13

What percentage reduction in GDP does HIV/AIDS cause in some sub-Saharan African countries?

Answer 13

1%

Question 14

What percentage reduction in GDP does malaria cause in some sub-Saharan African countries?

Answer 14

1.3%

Question 15

How much in lost earnings does TB cost a person on average in sub-Saharan Africa?

Answer 15

3-4 months - can be 30% household annual income

Question 16

What percentage of the world’s population live in slums?

Answer 16

32%

Question 17

What percentage of the least developed countries urban populations live in slums?

Answer 17

78%

Question 18

What percentage of the world’s deaths will tobacco be responsible for by 2030?

Answer 18

10%

Question 19

What are the six building blocks of a health system according to the WHO?

Answer 19

1. Service delivery
2. Financing
3. Medical products and technology
4. Health information system
5. Leadership and governance
6. Health workforce

Question 20

Countries that spend less than $10 per person per year generally achieve how much of the life expectancy that is possible?

Answer 20

75% (seldom)

Question 21

Do countries that spend less than $60 per person per year provide a decent health service?

Answer 21

No - find it difficult to deliver a reasonable, minimum range of services.

Question 22

According to the IMF, what percentage of GNP in low-income countries should be spent on health in order to meet international development goals?

Answer 22

12%

Question 23

What are the 5 ways of financing a health system?

Answer 23

1. Direct or out-of-pocket payments,
2. General taxation to the state, county or municipality,
3. Social health insurance,
4. Voluntary or private health insurance, and
5. Donations or community health insurance.