Health in Africa

The lectures on disease and health will focus on central aspects of disease, disease prevention and health promoting work in Africa. The most important health and demographic indicators will be introduced, as will the complex interaction between socio-economic development, education, health-related conduct and health.
Lectures will also be given on the classic tropical and infectious diseases which cause great morbidity and mortality, and the significance of poverty, hunger, war and conflict for public health in Africa. Particular emphasis will be laid on children's health and reproductive and maternal health and mental health. One of the main objectives of the course is to place health in a broader cultural context. The significance of traditional medical practice and biomedicine will be presented and illuminated through case studies.

After completed and passed course, the students should:
- have knowledge about the connection between powerty and health. They should know how malnutrition, poor hygiene, lack of education and health services affect public health.
- know why women and children are particulary vulnerable. They should also know the major health problems affecting these groups.
- know the most central patophysiological mechanisms behind infectious diseases. They should also know the pricipels about how the organism can protect itself against infections.
- have knowledge about the most important infectious diseases affecting Africa today. The should know the main patophysiology and the most important sosioecconomic effects.
- have knowledge about the main health challenges affecting Africa. Which challenges is this, and what can be done to combat and prevent those.
- have knowledge about how culture influence the understanding of health and disease. The students shoud know how culture is affecting peoples attitude and behaviour regarding health and disease.
- have knowledge about the most important preventive efforts applied against the big health challenges in Africa.

27 hours of lectures, plus "problem solving"