Definition of Global Health
INVITED EDITORIAL æ
What is global health?
‘G
lobal health’ is coming of age, at least as measured by the increasing number of academic centres, especially in North America, which use this title to describe their interests (1). Most global health centres are in high-income countries although several have strong links with low- and middleincome countries. A task force is establishing a mechanism to coordinate European Academic Global Health initiatives through ASPER. Two recent papers raise important issues about the meaning and scope of global health (2, 3) and highlight, yet again, the need for a common definition of global health which is short, sharp and widely accepted, including by the public (4). Koplan et al. from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health Executive Board point out that without an accepted definition of global health, it will be difficult to agree on what global health is trying to achieve and how progress will be made and monitored (2). This is particularly important given the recent global crises Á climate change, economic, food and energy crises Á that make global health efforts even more challenging (5). Koplan and colleagues propose a definition of global health which they hope will receive wide acceptance and thus encourage global health efforts. They distinguish between global health, international health and public health; tropical medicine has close connections with international health (1). However, there is widespread confusion and overlap among the three terms. International health, in Koplan’s view, focuses on the health issues, especially infectious diseases, and maternal and child health in low-income countries. However, elsewhere international health is also used as a synonym for global health. For example, Merson et al. view international health as ‘the application of the principles of public health to problems and challenges that affect low and middle-income countries and to the complex array of global and
What is global health?
‘G
lobal health’ is coming of age, at least as measured by the increasing number of academic centres, especially in North America, which use this title to describe their interests (1). Most global health centres are in high-income countries although several have strong links with low- and middleincome countries. A task force is establishing a mechanism to coordinate European Academic Global Health initiatives through ASPER. Two recent papers raise important issues about the meaning and scope of global health (2, 3) and highlight, yet again, the need for a common definition of global health which is short, sharp and widely accepted, including by the public (4). Koplan et al. from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health Executive Board point out that without an accepted definition of global health, it will be difficult to agree on what global health is trying to achieve and how progress will be made and monitored (2). This is particularly important given the recent global crises Á climate change, economic, food and energy crises Á that make global health efforts even more challenging (5). Koplan and colleagues propose a definition of global health which they hope will receive wide acceptance and thus encourage global health efforts. They distinguish between global health, international health and public health; tropical medicine has close connections with international health (1). However, there is widespread confusion and overlap among the three terms. International health, in Koplan’s view, focuses on the health issues, especially infectious diseases, and maternal and child health in low-income countries. However, elsewhere international health is also used as a synonym for global health. For example, Merson et al. view international health as ‘the application of the principles of public health to problems and challenges that affect low and middle-income countries and to the complex array of global and
References: 1. Macfarlane SB, Jacobs M, Kaaya EE. In the name of global health: trends in academic institutions. J Public Health Policy 2008; 29: 383Á401. 2. Koplan JP, Bond TC, Merson MH, Reddy KS, Rodriguez MH, Sewankambo NK, et al. Towards a common definition of global health. Lancet 2009; 373: 1993Á5. 3. Fried LP, Bentley ME, Buekens P, Burke DS, Frenk JJ, Klag MJ, et al. Global health is public health. Lancet 2010; 375: 535Á7. 4. Harrar L. Definitions of global health Á the 2005 PBS series Rx for survival’s approach. J Public Health Policy 2008; 29: 402Á3. 5. Fidler DP. After the revolution: global health politics in a time of economic crises and threatening future trends. Global Health Governance 2009; 2. Available from: http://www.ghgj.org [cited 10 March 2010]. 6. Merson MH, Black RE, Mills AJ. International public health: diseases, programs, systems, and policies, 2nd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett; 2006. 7. Kickbush I. The need for a European strategy on global health. Scand J Public Health 2006; 34: 561Á5. 8. European Foundation Centre. European perspectives on global health: a policy glossary. Brussels: European Foundation Centre; 2006. 9. HM Government. Health is global: a UK Government strategy 2008Á13. London: UK Government; 2008. 10. Editorial. Evaluation: the top priority for global health. Lancet 2010; 375: 526. Global health: a high-income country concern? Although the burden of preventable disease is predominantly in middle- and, especially, low-income countries, most global health centres are located in high-income countries. There are several explanations for this anomaly including the following: . Centres in low- and middle-income countries are engaged in global health issues but under other labels. For example, several centres in low- and middleincome countries have recently been funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institutes to undertake chronic disease prevention activities, though the focus seems to be on national programmes of work (see http://www.fogartyscholars.org/articles/nhlbi-centers). . Global health builds on international health interests stemming from institutions in high-income countries over a century ago. 2 number not for citation purpose) (page Citation: Global Health Action 2010, 3: 5142 - DOI: 10.3402/gha.v3i0.5142