Hi Guys!
So we’ve finally gotten the process of writing our papers underway. In our past two classes we’ve been given an overview of the Public Health Problem Solving Framework. I’ve known from pretty much the beginning that I wanted to write my paper on something having to do with international health. I toyed around with a bunch of different ideas and I’m pretty settled on writing about Global Reproductive Health and maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. I’d like to focus specifically on this problem as it occurs Sub-Saharan Africa. In our lecture focused on International Health, Dr. Mosley talked about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a list of goals made by the United Nations. Two of the highly prioritized targets on this list include: to reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate and to reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality ratio. The statistical numbers in Sub-Saharan Africa for these two issues are alarmingly high and no other region really comes close to what is exhibited in this area of the world. Two factors that contribute to high mortality in both mothers and children include high fertility and marrying at an early age. Women in Sub-Saharan Africa get married at a very young age and often give birth to many children, leading to a high mortality rate in children and mothers. Also, the health services there are very rarely up to par with what it should be to keep mothers healthy during pregnancy. Being one of the 15 MDGs, this is obviously a very prevalent challenge that we face. Multiple organizations and committees are aware of this pressing problem and working to accomplish the goals set by the United Nations. Even before hearing Dr. Mosley’s lecture, I knew I was most interested in International Health. His lecture just further excited me. We also had a blog assignment a few weeks back in which we had to read an article about global health. In the article, it mentions how important both infant and maternal health are to the rest of the health of the community. I’m really excited to continue researching this topic and learning more about it.
Dani, this is a great topic, and one that is near and dear to my heart as a pediatrician. I think you can strengthen your paper by focusing on a single MDG--either under five mortality or maternal mortality. Even though they share many of the same risk factors, you'll be able to write more persuasively if you choose just one of them. Additionally, you will probably want to choose a single country in Sub-Saharan Africa and delve into the literature for that country rather than try to write about such a large and diverse continent! Many ideas have been tested to help with the problem, so I look forward to seeing some of your research in what has worked and what hasn't in the country of your choice.
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