Maternal & Reproductive Health and Health Policy

GHHP 20 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Global Health and Health Policy 20: Maternal and Reproductive Health and Health Policy: 
What Do We Know? How Do We Know It? What Are We Doing About It?

This course will introduce students to the dominant issues in reproductive, maternal, and newborn health—including determinants of health care access, equity, quality, and outcomes—while exploring how evidence is generated and the complex translation of evidence into policy. We will consider a range of programmatic and policy approaches to improving maternal and reproductive health and unpack why some have worked and some have not. We will read and discuss research from a range of settings, including the United States and low- and middle-income countries. A primary goal of the course will be to sharpen students’ ability to think critically about the measurement and evaluation of health care programs and to expose them to the tradeoffs inherent in different approaches to evidence generation and dissemination. Readings and coursework will introduce students to, or deepen their familiarity with, approaches to causal inference, including randomized controlled trials and “natural experiments.” Throughout the course we will discuss the implications of health policy choices, health system designs, and clinical guidelines for maternal-reproductive health equity, both within and across countries. Some sessions will include guest speakers, who are experts in the field of maternal health, including clinicians, researchers, policy-makers, and advocates.  

Course Notes

Lotteried course; enrollment limited to 25.

Recommended Prep

Some familiarity with statistics is beneficial, but not required