Comparisons & Careers - Essay Example

Quality Improvement Plan The essay aims to address a two-fold objective to wit to compare one other countrys health data to that of the United States using the World Health Organizations health data; and (2) to select, describe, and rationalize one position that is listed on the Global Health Councils Job Board that interests you.Global Health – Comparisons and Careers The global context for public health has transitioned over the past centuries. Public health prospects depend greatly on trends in global environmental conditions, increasing population, and in pressures of economic activity.

May it be global or local, public health aims to prevent disease, promote population health, and prolong life through organized community or group efforts (Beaglehole & Bonita, 2009, 2). Thus, it is essential to study the individual population health of each country in order to understand the global public health of the United States. To have a comparison of public health among other countries and the United States, the author selected Kenya’s health data. Kenya is located in the African region and the health metrics used both in Kenya and United States’ health data are for 2009.

From the global perspective, 50% must be the global average of population living in urban areas. Kenya has less than global average of people living in the urban areas (22%) while the United States is far above the global average (82%). Meanwhile, United States has greater life expectancy (81 years) than Kenya (62 years) from a global perspective of 71 years (WHO, 2012, n.p.). Other health metrics are also observed, particularly those of mortality rates among children, adult risk factors, availability of health workforce, and inequities in health care.

Surprisingly, the author found strikingly deviations between two countries and the global perspective of public health. For instance, health metrics of Kenya revealed that the population has higher mortality rates than U.S. in children under five years old, adult, pregnant women, and those with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Kenya’s morality rates of 63 cases of HIV per 1,000 population aged 15-49 years and the 283 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 population have caught the attention of the author as communicable diseases are more prevalent in Kenya (76) than in U.S. (9) while non-communicable diseases are more prevalent in U.S. (72) than in Kenya (14) (WHO, 2012, n.p.).

In addition, the author found out that there are 360 deaths per 100,000 population due to maternal-related causes which calls for extensive need to address this health problem. Other surprising findings that the author depicted from the health metrics are the deaths of children under five in Kenya due to neonatal sepsis and HIV while children in U.S. died from congenital anomalies and injuries. Adult risk factors are also different in countries of Kenya and U.S. While prevalence of obesity in more than 20 years of age is the leading adult risk factor in U.S. (M=30, F=33.2) but the least in Kenya, the prevalence of increase blood pressure among 25 years and older is the leading adult risk factor in Kenya (M=37.1, F=33) (WHO, 2012, n.p.).

Meanwhile, inequities in terms of the presence of health workforce and utilization of health services vary among U.S. and Kenya. Absence of physician is noted in Kenya while U.S. has 24.2. Nurses and midwives in Kenya is only 9 while U.S. has 98.2 nurses and midwives. Availability of contraceptive services, antenatal care, births assisted by health care personnel and measles immunization (1 year olds) in U.S. are higher than in Kenya while smear positive TB treatment success in Kenya is higher than in U.S. (86, 2) (WHO, 2012, n.p.).

Based on the comparisons between Kenya’s and United States’ health metrics and on the Global Health Councils Job Board list, the author finds interesting the position for Country Director (Epidemiologist). According to the Global Health Council (2012), the Country Director (Epidemiologist) leads all CDC’s Division for Global HIV/AIDS (DGHA) “Global AIDS Program (GAP)” activities in the country of assignment (n.p.). The author finds the job interesting as epidemiologic skills in research and data collection, control, and utilization methods will be enriched and enhanced to expertise.

In addition, it is a privilege to be considered as a recognized expert in epidemiology that could help identify and help communities with HIV.ReferencesBeaglehole, R. & Bonita, R. (2009). The global context for public health. Global Public Health: A New Era (2nd ed.) (p. 1-22). New York: Oxford University Press.Global Health Council. (2012). Jobs. Retrieved on July 1, 2012 from http://careers.globalhealth.org/World Health Organization (WHO). (2012). Countries. Retrieved on July 1, 2012 from http://www.who.int/countries/en/