Global Health Comparison Matrix
In this Assignment, you will examine a global health issue and consider the approach to this issue by the United States and by one other country.
To Prepare:
• Review the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global health agenda and select one global health issue to focus on for this Assignment.
• Select at least one additional country to compare to the U.S. for this Assignment.
• Reflect on how the global health issue you selected is approached in the U.S. and in the additional country you selected.
•
Review and download the Global Health Comparison Matrix provided in the Resources.
The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Global Health Comparison Matrix; 1-page Plan for Social Change)
Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix
Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:
• Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected for study.
• Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each policy.
• Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the global health issue you selected. Be specific and provide examples. Fill out the Global Health Comparison Matrix by comparing the country you chose and the U.S. Don’t forget to talk about the following:
• Think about how the national and federal health policies of the United States have been changed to address the global health issue you chose from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these rules to the ones of the other country you chose to study.
• Talk about the good points and bad points of each policy.
• Explain how the social factors that affect health might affect the global health issue you chose. Give examples and be specific.
• Use the WHO’s global health agenda and your own research to look at how each country’s government handles cost, quality, and access to the global health issue you chose.
• Describe how the health policy you chose might affect the health of people around the world. Give examples and be specific.
• Describe how the health policy you chose might affect the nurse’s job in each country.
• Explain how global health issues affect both countries’ local healthcare organizations and policies. Give examples and be specific.
• Using the WHO’s Organization’s global health agenda as well as the results of your own research, analyze how each country’s government addresses cost, quality, and access to the global health issue selected.
• Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the health of the global population. Be specific and provide examples.
• Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the role of the nurse in each country.
• Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. Be specific and provide examples.
Part 2: A Plan for Social Change
Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment and the impact that global health issues may have on the world, the U.S., your community, as well as your practice as a nurse leader.
In a 1-page response, create a plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
• Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
• Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.
• Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to social change. Be specific and provide examples
Global Health Comparison Matrix
Global Health Issue Vaccination and immunization
Description Vaccination and immunization is a major health issue in the world. The United States has several vaccines and policies but other countries struggle with developing quality frameworks. According to the Global Vaccine Action Plan, all individuals should have access to vaccines to prevent mortalities (World Health organization, n.d.).
Country United States Mexico
Describe the policy in each country related to the identified health issue America has policies governing vaccinations across states especially regarding requirements for school children. There is no federal policy (World Health organization, n.d.). Mexico has no policies on vaccinations regarding entering to schools (World Health organization, n.d.).
What are the strengths of the policy? The policy allows states to ensure religious exemptions or philosophical beliefs. For example, 50 states allow medical exemptions (Ventola et al., 2016). Medical and religious exemptions are acceptable but personal beliefs are not (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017).
What are the weaknesses of the policy? Parents can express reservations if they have no health education on the importance and number of vaccines (Ventola et al., 2016). Mexico lacks proper health infrastructure and thus mortality rates from preventable diseases are high (World Health organization, n.d.).
Explain how the
social
determinants of
health may impact
the specified
global health
issue. (Be specific
and provide
examples) Low and medium-income and rural families have poor access to health care. Mortality and morbidity needs to be addressed (World Health organization, n.d.). Lack of education lowers the rate of immunization. For example, some parents fail to take children for vaccination (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017).
How has each
country’
government
addressed cost,
quality, and
access to the
selected global
health issue? United States provides quality vaccines at a lower cost (Ventola et al., 2016). It improves accessibility to low income and people living in rural areas. Mexico has quality vaccines but the cost is high due to lack of an elaborate healthcare infrastructure (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017).
How has the
identified health
policy impacted
the health of the
global population?
(Be specific and
provide examples) Access to vaccinations prevents the community from diseases such as flu (World Health organization, n.d.). It impacts the world since it cannot spread the disease to other countries. Lack of an elaborate health infrastructure puts the neighboring countries at risk of diseases such as flu (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017).
Describe the
potential impact of
the identified
health policy on
the role of the nurse in
each country. Nurses are affected when patients refuse to take the vaccination shots. The patients put the nurses at risk of infections (Ventola et al., 2016). Nurses have a responsibility of educating the patients on the benefits of the vaccines. In Mexico, patients fail to come for vaccination. The patients put the nurses at risk of preventable diseases (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017). Infections can undermine ability to deliver health services.
Explain how
global health
issues impact
local healthcare
organizations and
policies in both
countries. (Be
specific and
provide examples) The global health issue shows that the United States should train additional nurses to provide care and vaccinations to families in rural areas (Ventola et al., 2016). The government should deploy additional funds to increase access to vaccines. The global health issue of vaccinations requires Mexico to widen the access to vaccinations. The issue requires the nation to deploy additional health personnel to the rural areas to educate and provide vaccination (Romero-Morelos et al., 2017).
General comments The United States has developed an elaborate healthcare framework, but additional measures are necessary to protect the community at risk such as people low income earners, the homeless, and those living in rural areas. Mexico should develop an elaborate infrastructure to provide vaccination for the communities left out of such programs. The country should increase the preparedness to respond to address outbreaks if they occur or prevent them.
Social Change
Social change involves a deliberate effort to apply strategies to develop communities. One of the ways is to educate the public about the need for vaccines. My role is to advocate for the development and implementation of education programs. It will involve empowering communities with information to promote positive health outcomes (Lam et al., 2018). Empowerment involves training that will address non-communicable diseases.
A global perspective impacts local practice since it enhances the skills of nurses. For example, the learning will help nurses learn how to take better care of themselves to prevent preventable diseases. It will educate them to take the initiative to educate patients on the role of vaccines (Lam et al., 2018). I will work with other nurses to recommend education programs that will ensure quality patient outcomes. For example, the global approach will affect the nurses in Mexico and the United States to prioritize vaccines to patients of all ages when necessary.
The global perspective is crucial in changing the belief systems that hinder vaccination programs. For example, it will encourage people to bring their children for vaccination. A global approach will involve coordinating the nurse leaders to develop a coordinated framework to provide information to nurses about vaccination (Lam et al., 2018). The education will help nurses to overcome the social barriers to vaccinations. Social change will involve researching the community, identifying the leaders, and planning education programs (Lam et al., 2018). Education will promote social change and elimination of barriers such as myths that hinder quality health outcomes.
References
Lam, S. K., Kwong, E. W., Hung, M. S., Pang, S. M., & Chiang, V. C. (2018). Nurses’ preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks: A literature review and narrative synthesis of qualitative evidence. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(7-8), 1244-1255.
Romero-Morelos, P., Uribe-Jiménez, A., Bandala, C., Poot-Vélez, A., Ornelas-Corral, N., Rodríguez-Esquivel, M., … & Salcedo, M. (2017). Genotyping of the human papilloma virus in a group of Mexican women treated in a highly specialist hospital: Multiple infections and their potential transcendence in the current vaccination programme. Medicina Clínica (English Edition), 149(7), 287-292.
Ventola, C. L. (2016). Immunization in the United States: recommendations, barriers, and measures to improve compliance: part 1: childhood vaccinations. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 41(7), 426.
World Health organization (WHO). (n.d.). Global Health agenda. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/about/vision/global_health_agenda/en/
