Challenges of Public Health Education in the former Soviet Union: Example of Ukraine, by Anna Piekkala

[Tatiana Andreeva]

Challenges of Public Health Education in the former Soviet Union:
Example of Ukraine
Anna Piekkala
http://andreevin.narod.ru/journal/2012/02/67.htm

BACKGROUND: Many former Soviet Union (fSU) countries face a high
burden of disease and a much lower life expectancy compared to western
countries. Many of the underlying causes are amenable to public health
interventions, but the prevailing Soviet approach to prevention has
largely failed to address the new and more complex public health
issues these countries face. This study looks at public health
challenges in Ukraine, in particular at those related to public health
education.
METHODS: The research is based on a small-scale, qualitative analysis
of information collected through i) review of literature related to
public health and public health education in the former Soviet Union
and Ukraine, as well as curricula and training material for
epidemiology students in Ukrainian medical schools, ii) observations
during workshops for epidemiology students and teachers from Ukrainian
medical schools and iii) semi-structured interviews with epidemiology
students and teachers from Ukrainian medical schools. The collected
data was interpreted using the method of thematic discourse analysis,
which allowed identifying major areas challenging public health
education in the country.
RESULTS: The main challenges identified were seen in the outdated
conceptual understanding of public health, particularly in
epidemiology. These challenges underlie further problems including
limited hours and narrow content of epidemiology training, lack of
training in research skills, inadequate training material and
conservative attitudes among teachers and students towards prevailing
ideas and development.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: There is urgent need for a wider definition
of public health, moving towards the “New Public Health” approach and
subsequently a series of changes to education curricula and materials.
Curricula reform should provide additional hours for covering non-
communicable diseases, non-medical topics such as health policy and
health promotion and ensure linkage between training and research.
Critical evaluation of current approaches, their impact and
performance is essential for reforming public health education
programmes and strengthening health systems.

KEYWORDS: public health; preventive medicine; epidemiology; soviet
approach to prevention; former Soviet Union countries; Ukraine