Overview of Course

Population health is one of the most critical inputs into poverty alleviation and economic growth and development around the world. The United States has the highest per capita expenditure in the world, yet, it also has declining life expectancies and relatively higher maternal and infant mortality rates, compared to other high-income countries. In global settings, per capita health expenditure is much lower than in the US, with countries receiving significant development assistance in health to address infectious diseases, such as malaria, HIV and preventable childhood infections, like measles. Yet, non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, are on the rise, with more people dying of chronic disease in low-and middle-income countries, than in high income countries, like the United States. In this class we will explore health issues and their consequences from an economic perspective. This course will explore the relationship between health and economic development; identify individual, household and community factors that affect the demand for health services; explore the factors that affect the supply of health services by understanding health systems structures, health financing, and the roles of government and private sectors in the provision of health care; and describe concepts of financial risk and universal health coverage. By the end of this class, you will be able to explain how health economic principles are used to solve health problems through improved resource allocation. You will develop skills to find, assess and interpret empirical evidence on cost-effective solutions to improve health and health care delivery in countries around the world.