Open University: Public Health Challenges in Asia

About this programme

Course deals with general development in Asia, with special focus on public health conditions and trends. Detailed focus will be in selected macro regions of Asia, which in previous courses have been South Asia, Central Asia, and Middle East. Some changes in priority areas may take place in coming years, depending on world events and development of public health across Asia. The course provides insight to prevailing health issues in Asian populations, as well as governmental and international efforts to respond to those challenges. The topics will cover population dynamics, general development trends in the UN Agenda 2030 framework, as well as cultural, economic, political, and environmental aspects that are relevant and typical to each of the various regions in Asia. Comparative health-related data from various globally recognized digital sources and databases are utilized. Course material includes online articles, reviews, reports and statistics on mortality and disease burden. Lifestyle issues are one topic, with special focus on food safety and security in some of the subregions. Various health systems across Asia, as well as health policy priorities, public health management and health promotion programs will be reviewed. Humanitarian and environmental crises that have carried a heavy toll on Asian population health, such as war in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, flooding in Pakistan, earthquakes in the region, etc., will be revisited during the course. The course is organized in modules (3-5), which include following topics: Overview of history, culture, and ethnicities in Asia, with special focus on selected macro regions Demographic trends, population growth, age structure Social and economic development in selected regions Environmental health and hazards, including issues of water, air, pollution, and climate change Current and recent disease burden across Asia (communicable and noncommunicable diseases, injuries and other external causes, mortality and morbidity) Predicted public health trends and disease patterns in the foreseeable future Maternal and child health in Asian countries Humanitarian crises, conflicts, migration Nutritional health, food safety and security as a challenge Health systems in selected regions Health promotion and health policies: regional, state- and community-level programs Conclusions on the future public health in Asia, with global considerations