HCR6001 Global Health and Sustainability

Assignment Brief

As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit a Global Health and Sustainability briefing paper.

Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Appraise the theoretical concepts and ideologies which inform Health Care and their translation into policy and practice.
2. Identify key elements in Health Care policy and evaluate their application in practice and the constraints on implementation.
3. Deconstruct the social, political, economic and environmental contexts of disease.
4. Present a coherent and informed case for a Healthcare intervention.

Assignment Task:

Critically discussing relevant theories, concepts and ideologies underpinning healthcare practice in a chosen country’s setting, write a Briefing paper to a local or national government addressing an issue of concern.

Sample Answer

Global Health and Sustainability Briefing Paper

Executive Summary

This briefing paper addresses the growing concern of air pollution and its impact on respiratory health in India. Air pollution is now recognised as one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and those in urban centres. This paper draws on global health theories, public health ideologies, and environmental policy concepts to propose an evidence-based healthcare intervention aimed at mitigating the health consequences of polluted air.

1. Introduction

Air pollution is a major environmental determinant of health and has become a national public health crisis in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1.6 million deaths in India annually are attributable to poor air quality. The social, economic, and environmental implications of this crisis demand urgent, integrated health policy responses aligned with the principles of sustainability and health equity.

2. Theoretical Concepts and Ideologies

2.1 Social Determinants of Health (SDH)

The SDH framework explains how socioeconomic conditions, such as income, housing, education, and environment, affect health outcomes. In India, people in low-income areas are more exposed to outdoor and indoor pollution due to proximity to industrial sites and reliance on biomass fuels.

2.2 Eco-Social Theory

This theory links ecological degradation (e.g., air pollution) with social structures, arguing that marginalised populations bear the greatest burden. Addressing pollution must therefore be integrated into wider strategies of social justice and environmental protection.

2.3 Health in All Policies (HiAP)

HiAP is a governance approach that integrates health considerations into policymaking across sectors. This ideology supports the need for coordinated efforts between ministries of health, environment, transport, and energy in India.

3. Policy and Practice Context

India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, sets reduction targets for PM2.5 and PM10 but lacks legally binding enforcement and integration with public health responses. While environmental agencies monitor emissions, health departments rarely link respiratory diseases directly to air quality data, leading to policy silos.

4. Constraints on Policy Implementation

• Lack of Intersectoral Coordination: Ministries often operate in silos, weakening comprehensive responses.

• Inadequate Data Integration: Real-time data on pollution is not effectively linked with hospital admissions or morbidity stats.

• Urban-Rural Divide: Most interventions focus on large cities, overlooking rural areas with heavy biomass use.

• Political and Economic Pressures: Industrial lobbying and economic growth narratives often undermine environmental regulation.

5. Deconstructing the Broader Context

5.1 Social

Inequitable access to healthcare and poor living conditions heighten respiratory risks for the urban poor and rural communities.

5.2 Political

Environmental health is often de-prioritised due to economic growth imperatives. Policy implementation is weakened by bureaucratic fragmentation.

5.3 Economic

High healthcare costs from air pollution-related illnesses increase economic burden on families and the national healthcare system.

5.4 Environmental

Climate change exacerbates air pollution, particularly through increased wildfires, heatwaves, and dust storms.

Continued...