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Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy

Approx. 11 hours to complete

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Course Summary

One Health is a course that introduces students to the concept of One Health, which is the idea that the health of humans, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Students will learn about the history, principles, and practices of One Health, as well as the challenges and opportunities that exist in this field.

Key Learning Points

Learn about the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health
Understand the principles and practices of One Health
Explore the challenges and opportunities in the field

Learning Outcomes

Understand the principles and practices of One Health
Identify the challenges and opportunities in the field
Apply One Health concepts to real-world scenarios

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of biology and health
Interest in the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

One Health: Connecting Humans, Animals and the Environment
One Health: A Ten Thousand Year-Old View into the Future

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Director-General, World Health Organization
Founder, Jane Goodall Institute

Related Books

Description

Welcome to "Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy".

One Health is the concept that human, animal, and environmental/ecosystem health are linked. The concept provides a useful framework for examining complex health issues such as food safety and security, emerging and vector-borne diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. It can be used to analyze government policies to determine if they are effective in improving health and well-being. Agriculture is the foundation of civilization. Surplus food enabled the growth of cities; cities led to nations, and nations discovered the science and technology that allowed populations to grow. But agriculture comes with costs including environmental and ecosystem destruction and the emergence of zoonotic diseases. Antibiotics are the foundation of modern medicine. But antibiotics have come with costs too, including antimicrobial resistance and potentially harmful changes to human and animal microbiomes. This interdisciplinary course will cover diverse subjects such as basic epidemiology, public health, public policy, basic microbiology, food safety, and security, zoonotic diseases, sanitation and hygiene, antimicrobial resistance, environmental and ecosystem health, and the national and international organizations that oversee health, agriculture, and the environment. Disease outbreaks including Influenza, Q fever, and Ebola will be discussed. While the course was developed and recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic, the concepts learned very much apply to it. This course emphasizes holistic, not siloed, approaches to health, and disease.

Knowledge

Define One Health and provide examples where the concept can be used
Investigate the politics of disease outbreaks—leadership, communication, health care access, and corruption
Identify the components of an effective organization

Outline

Getting Started. One Health, Public Health, Basic Epidemiology
About this Course
A Brief History of Public Health
Basic Epidemiology
A Brief History of One Health
Welcome to the Course!
Week 1 Overview
Week 1 Readings
Week 1 Additional Resources
Quiz 1

Public Policy, Environmental and Ecosystem Health, National Governments, International Organizations
What is Public Policy?
Environmental and Ecosystem Health
Features of Successful Governments
International Organizations
Week 2 Overview
Week 2 Readings
Week 2 Additional Resources
Quiz 2

Human Nutrition, Basic Microbiology, Food Safety, Food Security
Basic Microbiology
A Brief Overview of Human Nutrition
Food Safety
Food Security
What Did Our Pre-agricultural Ancestors Eat? An Interview with Alan Mann
Week 3 Overview
Week 3 Readings
Week 3 Additional Resources
Quiz 3

Examining Leadership, Corruption, Communication, and Healthcare Access
Examining Leadership
Communication During an Outbreak
Government and Corruption
Healthcare Access
Responding to Disease Outbreaks: An Interview with Dr. Neil Vora
Week 4 Overview
Week 4 Readings
Week 4 Additional Resources
Quiz 4

Antimicrobials: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Resistance, Bacteriophages, Vaccines and Antivirals
Antibiotics
Antimicrobial Resistance
Bacteriophages
Vaccines & Antivirals
Week 5 Overview
Week 5 Readings
Week 5 Additional Resources
Quiz 5

Containing Disease Outbreaks, Prion Diseases, Bacterial Diseases and Viral Diseases
Containing Disease Outbreaks
Prion Diseases
Q fever
Influenza
Ebola Virus
Final Question: Mars Colony Government
Week 6 Overview
Week 6 Readings
Week 6 Additional Resources
Quiz 6

Summary of User Reviews

The One Health course on Coursera received high praise from users for its comprehensive coverage of the subject matter.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

The course's interdisciplinary approach was a standout aspect, with many users appreciating the integration of various fields.

Pros from User Reviews

In-depth coverage of One Health topics
Engaging and knowledgeable instructors
Well-structured course material
Collaborative learning opportunities
Practical applications and case studies

Cons from User Reviews

Some users felt the course was too challenging for beginners
Technical difficulties with course platform
Limited interaction with instructors
Heavy workload and time commitment
Lack of focus on specific areas of interest

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Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy

Welcome to "Bats, Ducks, and Pandemics: An Introduction to One Health Policy". One Health is the concept that human, animal, and environmental/ecosystem health are linked....

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