Rehabilitation in Global Health (REHB90011)

This subject is intended to provide practical insights into contemporary issues and solutions in strengthening and extending rehabilitation services. Students will have opportunities to compare rehabilitation services in a range of settings, through real and contemporary case studies from three main contexts: Humanitarian action in post conflict and emergency settings, post-conflict development settings, and in countries with newly advanced economic development.

Resources will include live interaction with current experts working in situations that provide interesting case studies for students. Students will be invited and encouraged to share their working experiences.

The subject will explore how supporting rehabilitation service development has shifted from a niche action linked to humanitarian crises, war and Victim’s Assistance obligation under international humanitarian law, to an investment in health systems that are responsive to changing health patterns. Using comparisons between different countries, emphasising the Asia and the Pacific, the subject will compare how rehabilitation services are provided in different settings. It will emphasise the multi-sectoral nature of rehabilitation, outlining the relationship between rehabilitation, disability, health and other sectors.

The course will explore the role of rehabilitation in emerging concepts of ‘inclusive health’ and universal health, including the limitations of current models and conceptualisations of rehabilitation. It will further explore the need and unmet need for rehabilitation. Drawing on current literature on global burden of disease, prevalence studies and similar, students will understand the evidence for an unmet need, as well as current limitations in the literature.

The subject will emphasise that rehabilitation is a rapidly changing sector. It will ultimately lead to an understanding of the future challenges for rehabilitation, emphasising priority areas for practice change, research and advocacy.

Following an introduction to foundational principles, students will complete two of three modules:

1. Rehabilitation in changing economies: Drawing from real case studies of current approaches to rehabilitation, students will examine service delivery, policy and barriers to scale-up in countries with increasing population wealth, changing health patterns, and a booming private sector.
2. Rehabilitation in humanitarian settings & emergencies: Students will examine and compare strategies for delivering rehabilitation in emergency and humanitarian settings. Drawing from new policy and an emerging evidence base, students will develop a proposal for action.
3. Rehabilitation in development: Students will explore real-world projects and programs on rehabilitation services in low and middle income settings. Using emerging evidence and new policy frameworks, students will develop a proposal for action.