COURSE DESCRIPTION
Course Description:
Public Health Economics is an advanced university course that explores the intersection of economics and public health, examining the economic factors and principles that influence the delivery, financing, and outcomes of healthcare services at the population level. This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the economic theories, concepts, and analytical tools used to evaluate and address public health challenges, with a focus on resource allocation, policy formulation, and decision-making.
Throughout the course, students will examine the economic principles underlying the allocation of scarce healthcare resources, including the role of supply and demand, market failures, and the impact of government interventions. They will learn how economic evaluation methods, such as cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis, are applied to assess the value and efficiency of public health interventions, programs, and policies.
Key topics covered in this course include:
Introduction to Public Health Economics: An overview of the key concepts, theories, and frameworks used in public health economics, including the social determinants of health, market failures in healthcare, and the role of economic evaluation.
Health Systems and Financing: An examination of different healthcare financing models, including public and private sector mechanisms, insurance systems, and the impact of financing on access, quality, and equity of healthcare services.
Economic Evaluation of Public Health Interventions: The application of economic evaluation methods to assess the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of public health interventions, with an emphasis on techniques such as cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis.
Health Policy and Decision-Making: An exploration of the economic considerations and challenges in health policy formulation and decision-making, including priority setting, resource allocation, and the role of stakeholders in shaping public health policies.
Global Health Economics: An analysis of the economic aspects of global health, including the burden of disease, health disparities, international aid and development, and the economic implications of pandemics and emerging infectious diseases.
Health Economics and Behavioral Economics: An examination of the role of behavioral economics in understanding individual and societal health behaviors, and its implications for public health interventions, health promotion, and behavior change.
COURSE INFORMATION
- Credit value: 3-6 (US standard) | 6-12 (ECTS standard)
- Indicative duration (full-time): 4-10 weeks
- Indicative duration (part-time): 5-12 weeks
- Certificate: Yes
COURSE METHODOLOGY
This course is based on standard EUCLID methodology. Students may refer to the following resources:
- Academic Guidelines (HQ version)
- Academic Guidelines (most recent version even if unofficial)
- Student Orientation Guidelines (most recent version even if unofficial)
- Zotero instructions for EUCLID students
- Grammarly instructions for EUCLID students
COURSE OBJECTIVES | LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, students will have developed a solid foundation in the principles of public health economics and be equipped with the analytical skills necessary to critically assess and address complex public health challenges from an economic perspective. They will gain insights into the economic forces shaping healthcare systems, policies, and decision-making processes, preparing them for careers in public health, health policy, healthcare management, or further academic pursuits in health economics.
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIAL
Course material is provided in the form of embedded videos, audio MP3s, and/or downloadable PDFs.
COURSE INSTRUCTOR | ASSOCIATED FACULTY
Please see faculty profile(s) for this course at https://www.euclid.int/facultyprofiles.asp
COURSE SYLLABUS | ACCESS TO 7 PERIODS
