HEALTH AND HUMAN

RIGHTS
NEOUCOM PHR
The Big Picture
“A central component of the right to
health is the right to people to active
and informed participation in heath
related decisions that affect them.
This means participation in the
development, implementation,
evaluation and review of health
programs, strategies and plans.”
PHR Chief Program Officer of Health Programs
Helen Potts, PhD
 Human Rights are Intrinsic to Health…
TORTURE SLAVERY

HARMFUL VIOLENCE
TRADITIONAL AGAINST
PRACTICES WOMEN

HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS
RESULTING IN
ILL-HEALTH

RIGHT TO
INFORMATION RIGHT TO
PARTICIPATION

HEALTH &
HUMAN
PROMOTION FREEDOM FROM
RIGHT TO REDUCING RIGHTS
DISCRIMINATION
EDUCATION VULNERABILITY OR VIOLATION
TO ILL-HEALTH OF HUMAN
THROUGH RIGHTS
HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH
RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF
FOOD &
HEALTH
MOVEMENT
NUTRITION DEVELOPMENT

RIGHT TO
RIGHT TO WATER PRIVACY
Health Consequences
 250 wars in the 20th century and 109,764,000
war related deaths
 1960's: 63% of war deaths were civilians,
1990's: 90% are civilians
 More than half of the world’s countries practice
torture
 In 2005, 32.8 million people were refugees or
internally displaced and 120 million landmines
continued to threaten the lives and limbs of
non-combatants
 Detained people are unable to access
adequate medical care for themselves or their
families
The Local Angle
 Violations of basic human rights contribute to
the declining health of people in the United
States

 If people could obtain the care they need in the

time they need it then it would greatly increase
the health of the US population and decrease
health care costs
Why Students Matter
 A health and human rights curriculum examines
the root causes of ill health and provides a legal,
philosophical and operational framework to build
health systems and tackle disease.
 Health professional students will learn to locate
patient issues within a broader framework and
take steps to eliminate both injury and the root
causes.
 Health professional students are in a unique
position to influence a much needed
transformation in the delivery of health care.
 The Baseline
232 NEOUCOM Students

The Baseline (cont’d)
The Baseline (cont’d)
The Baseline (cont’d)
The Baseline (cont’d)
The Baseline (cont’d)
 Student ideas
 Mental Illness and Health
 Geriatric Health
 Illegal Immigrants and Health
 Health Care in Times of Disaster
 Health for the Addicted
 Unidentified Remains
Student Feedback
 “Human Rights is a really broad term and I'm not
sure what you are referring to in this survey, but Q
6 includes lots of interesting topics that I would
personally be interested and I think we should
learn about.” – M4
 “The belief that humans have rights, period, is a
philosophical frame of reference. While I do not
discredit the positive morality and utility behind it,
I do not necessarily agree with it. However,
understanding the arguments behind the belief
should be explored, but only with open dialogue
containing opposing sides of the issue (or multiple,
as there are more than two). Of course, being able
to get the most out of something like this and fully
understand it requires an open mind and some
experience in ethical philosophy.” – M2
Origins of a Movement
Physicians for Human
Rights
Health and Human
Rights

AMSA
Plan for Implementation
 Gradual incorporation of thinking from a “human
rights” perspective
 Distribute Declaration of Human Rights to M1 and
P1 students

 M4 Year Capstone

 Doctoring Curriculum

 Advocacy Project
 Education
 Student Input
 Implementation
Established Momentum
Dr. Delese Wear
Andy Schulz, Julia Ng, Devicka
Ojha, Vince Leone
AIDS WoA
Global Health WoA
The Free Clinic
Collaboration on a Broader
Stage
The Free Clinic
Case Western Reserve
University
AIDS Advocacy Network
Anatomy of the Health and
Human Rights Curriculum
Example Syllabus
Washington University in St.
Louis
The Impact
 Give NEOUCOM students an additional
perspective on their role in health and how
through viewing health in a “human rights”
framework can greatly increase the health of
patients
Assessment and Revision
Why assess?
Student progression in Health and
Human Rights knowledge
Maintain course objectives

Survey
Pre-assess & Post-assess

Resource Assessment
We now ask for your support.