Infectious Disease Project

Objectives:

·  Demonstrate knowledge of major infectious diseases in the world

·  Identify political, social, economic, and other effects of the diseases

·  Identify methods to treat, cure, or eradicate the diseases

·  Demonstrate knowledge of terms, concepts, and data related to the study of global health issues

Scenario:

A funding committee whose membership consists of Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Bono, and a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) has $100 million. The committee will listen to presentations from groups, each of which will present a case in behalf of funding for efforts to combat a disease afflicting the world, and then award the $100 million to the group whose presentations was the most persuasive.

Procedure:

1.  Each group will choose one infectious disease.

2.  Groups will have two days with computers to research their disease. You must begin your research using the CHS Research Guide (www.stoga.net/web_reference.htm), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (www.cdc.gov), and/or the World Health Organization website (www.who.int/en/).

3.  Presentations will be 5-10 minutes long and each group member must participate in the presentation.

4.  Group members will have a chance to evaluate their colleagues, so make sure you are contributing to the group.

5.  After all groups have presented, you will be asked to write a 1 page paper in which you choose one disease to combat. Details on this will be provided later.

Data:

You must answer the following questions in your presentation:

1.  Description:

a.  What does it do to the body?

b.  How does it spread?

c.  Where in the world is it most common?

d.  How can it be treated or cured?

e.  What causes it? Virus, bacteria, protozoa, etc.?

f.  How many people does it affect?

g.  Who is the most at risk?

2.  What are the political, economic, social, and other effects of the disease?

3.  How would you spend money to treat, cure, or eradicate the disease?