Center for Health Literacy Announces New Director

Dr. Aldoory

The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy has appointed Dr. Linda Aldoory as the Center’s new director.

Dr. Aldoory has been a part of the University of Maryland, College Park community for 12 years. Effective July 1, her new faculty appointment will be as an Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health in the School of Public Health. Currently, she is an Associate Professor within the Department of Communication and an Affiliate Faculty Member of the Department of Women’s Studies.

Dr. Aldoory was the Founding Director of the Center for Risk Communication within the Department of Communication. Her general research area is health communications with a focus on audiences of public health campaigns and health media. She received a Ph.D. from Syracuse University where she conducted research in media campaigns and women’s health. Dr. Aldoory’s professional area of expertise is in public relations focused on health issues, and prior to joining Maryland’s faculty, she spent years creating health messages and developing comprehensive campaigns for health clients and non-profit organizations.

For several years, Dr. Aldoory has been a consultant for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to this new appointment, Dr. Aldoory has had a significant relationship with students and faculty from the School of Public Health. In her health communication courses, she has had the opportunity to work with School of Public Health graduate students. She is currently collaborating with School of Public Health faculty to study health messaging for rural families and how to connect health literacy to the empowerment of rural mothers.

The Horowitz Center for Health literacy was established in 2007 to address the major public health problem of poor health literacy and its effect on health outcomes. Its first Director, Dr. Bonnie Braun, has worked tirelessly to bring the center to where it is today. It is the nation's first academic based health literacy center and is devoted to improving health through the lifespan with emphasis on closing the health disparities gap. Improving health literacy is one pathway to reducing health disparities. To learn more about the center, visit http://sph.umd.edu/literacy/.

SPH Maryland Day Events!

Maryland Day is this Saturday, April 30, all over the University of Maryland, College Park campus. The SPH will be participating in Maryland Day again this year. Check out the list of SPH events below, and visit the Maryland Day website at marylandday.umd.edu to add them to your schedule!

Don't forget to stop by Hornblake Plaza to see the TODAY Show's Joy Bauer, an SPH alumnus. She will be giving nutrition talks, cooking demonstrations and signing her new book. Read more about her schedule here!

All Day Event

Are You a Basket Case?

School of Public Health Building - Indoor

See if you have the nerves and control to meet a basketball free-throwing challenge. Get some

shooting tips from kinesiology majors.

In Door

All Day Event

Better Than an Apple a Day

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Receive a personal assessment of different health risk factors and learn how regular physical

activity can reduce your risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Out Door

All Day Event

Cholesterol Screening by Health Solutions

Overhang, Hornbake Plaza

Wonder if your diet and exercise are enough to keep your cholesterol numbers down? Check it out

with our friends from Health Solutions!

Out Door

All Day Event

Dance to the Music

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Learn a new fitness/dance routine to burn a few extra calories. No prior experience required.

Out Door

All Day Event

Deamonte Driver Dental Project

Mobile Unit near Hornbake, Hornbake Plaza

DDDP is a community partnership for children's oral health. Visit us at our mobile unit for free

dental health screening.

Out Door

All Day Event

Dimensions Healthcare System

Hornbake Plaza

Come by to meet some health professionals from DHS to answer your health questions and to

receive some health screenings.

Out Door

All Day Event

Food-egories Game

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Come play "Food-egories" to test your healthy food knowledge under the pressure of a ticking

clock!

Out Door

All Day Event

Football Clinic

Comcast Center, Outside

Minnesota Viking Madieu Williams '03 will offer a football clinic for children ages 8-13. Preregistration

is required and there is a 300 participant limit. Register at

http://tinyurl.com/madieucamp.

Out Door

01:00 - 01:30

Gymkana Gymnastics Exhibition

McKeldin Mall

Enjoy a performance from the UM Gymkana Troupe. These athletes will put on a high flying show

full of gymnastics and acrobatics while demonstrating the importance and benefits of living a

healthy drug-, alcohol and tobacco-free lifestyle.

Out Door

All Day Event

Healthy Mouths - Healthy Bodies

Hornbake Plaza

The head bone connects to the neck bones and the rest of our skeleton. Come learn about oral

health and have an oral cancer exam. Healthy mouths--a matter of life and health.

Out Door

10:15 - 10:45

Intro to Zumba

Hornbake Plaza

Experience a 30 minute Zumba class which uses a fusion of Latin and International music to create

a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system. Tennis shoes suggested.

Out Door

All Day Event

Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program/DentaQuest

Hornbake Plaza

The Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program is Maryland's Medicaid Dental Program for children,

pregnant women, and Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) adults. We're here to help

Maryland families stay healthy! Come and learn more!

Out Door

All Day Event

Panel Discussion: Discover Undergraduate Degrees in the School of

Public Health

1304, School of Public Health Building - Indoor

Discover a career helping individuals and families choose healthy and active lifestyles. If you want

variety in courses and career options, enjoy promoting healthy lives and communities, and are

looking for excitement in school, come and learn about majors in community health, family

science, and kinesiology.

In Door

All Day Event

Public Health Trivia by PHEAR

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Join PHEAR (Public Health Engaging and Representing) for some PHUN with Public Health Trivia. Do

you know - What is Public Health???

Out Door

09:00 - 12:00

Put Your Face on Testudo!

Artificial Turf Field

Maryland Wishes will take a picture of your face in a life-size cutout of this infamous reptile. We

are a student organization that helps raise funds to grant the wishes of children living with lifethreatening

medical conditions.(http://www.midatlantic.wish.org)

Out Door

All Day Event

Stress Reduction Workshops

0107, School of Public Health Building - Indoor

Family Member Stress Reduction workshops:every 15 minutes - deep breathing workshop, muscle

relaxation workshop, guided imagery workshop, family stress reduction education/brainstroking;

relaxation workshop, guided imagery workshop, family stress reduction education/brainstroking;

this schedule will then repeat throughout the day.

In Door

All Day Event

Surf's Up! Discover Your Inner Ear

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Good balance is important not just for surfers and snowboarders. Poor balance leads to falls and

injuries numbering in the millions annually. Try our Bongo board challenge and test your balance.

Out Door

All Day Event

This Is Public Health at Maryland

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

Place your face in a cutout photo showing people engaging in public health activities. Participants

get a link to a website where they can see and download their pictures.

Out Door

All Day Event

Visit the Public Health Garden

Between Rec and SPH, School of Public Health Building - Outdoor

Come visit the site of the new Public Health Garden. Children can plant seeds and learn about how

they grow. You can also look at the progress of the construction of the Garden. Learn about

sustainable agriculture and how community gardens can improve environmental, community, and

public health.

Out Door

All Day Event

We Like to Move It, by PESO

McKeldin Mall-College Tent-School of Public Health

UMD's Physical Education Student Organization leads a variety of activities that are not only fun but

good for developing physical fitness.

Out Door

Community Health Course Offers Practical Learning Experience

Students from Dr. Robert Feldman's Principles of Community Health class are hosting a Spring health fair at the School of Public Health this Thursday, April 28. The following article was written by students in the course about their experiences planning the fair.

How many students does it take to get to the center of a healthy campus? One, two….YOU! This slogan, reminiscent of the Tootsie Pop slogan, is being used by Dr. Robert Feldman’s HLTH391 Principles of Community Health I class to help advertise their “Spring Back into Health” Fair.

In addition to lecture-based learning, students in HLTH391 are required to plan and execute a health fair as part of their curriculum. Though Dr. Feldman’s section this semester is smaller than average, the class is still able to carry out the same duties as would be required by a larger class.

The class is divided into five committees, each of which is responsible for performing a specific role for the implementation of the fair. The members of each committee collaborate with each other, members of other committees, and campus resources to ensure a successful and smoothly operated health fair. The committees, each consisting of two to three students, perform different tasks such as outlining the topics of highest importance on campus, advertising, renting the necessary equipment for the day, setting and cleaning up, and providing an assessment of the success of the fair for the Department of Behavioral and Community Health.

In addition to the multiple duties that the students must carry out for their committees, each student is individually responsible for creating an engaging and unique display about a specific health issue. These issues, as determined by a needs assessment, include nutrition, exercise, stress, alcohol, safety, and many more.

Though it may seem daunting for the HLTH391 students to assume all these responsibilities, the hands-on experience attained from such an endeavor provides students with the organizational and research skills that can be utilized in many other public and community health positions that the students will eventually pursue. The class would like to thank Dr. Feldman, the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, and the School of Public Health for their help and support throughout this process.

The class would also like to invite the members of the UMD community to their health fair, which will take place on Thursday April 28, 2011 from 2-5pm on the Ground Floor of the School of Public Health. Free food, giveaways, door prizes, and fun activities will be provided in addition to the informational displays. We look forward to seeing you there!

UMD PRC Receives National Excellence Award

The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) was recently selected to receive one of 11 awards for best-practices in community-based participatory research (CBPR) from the National Community Committee, which is associated with the Prevention Research Centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are currently 37 PRCs. The purpose of the award was to recognize and stimulate excellence in CBPR within the diverse group of CDC Prevention Research Centers across the country.

Mr. Chikezie Maduka, Dr. Bradley Boekeloo and Dr. Suzanne Randolph.

The UMD-PRC was established with CDC funding in 2009 at the University of Maryland School of Public Health in College Park, Md. Its mission is to reduce health disparities in Maryland along the national capital border, an area in Prince George’s County, Maryland between the “National Capital Beltway,” the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, Md.  This area is specifically targeted for community health improvement as much of this Prince George’s County national capital border area is medically underserved. Contrasts between this area and surrounding areas are pronounced in regard to demographics, health services, and health status. This Prince George’s County national capital border area suffers from remarkably high rates of primary Syphilis, HIV, stroke, diabetes, low birth weight, and other health problems.

The SPH happens to be located in Prince George’s County at the nexus of the contrasting jurisdictions. The UMD-PRC infrastructure builds on an existing collaborative with the City of Seat Pleasant in Prince George’s County, the Prince George’s County Health Department and the SPH to further engage with organizations within and across the many area borders. It links needs with resources and addresses issues that exacerbate disenfranchisement. The ultimate goals of the UMD-PRC are to make significant strides toward increasing community capacity, eliminating health disparities in Maryland along the national capital border, and advancing Community-Based Participatory Research.

Bradley Boekeloo, Ph.D., M.Sc., is the principal investigator and director of the UMD-PRC. The award application was coordinated by Mr. Chikezie Maduka, Dr. Suzanne Randolph, Ms. Denise Bellows, and Mr. Brian Gilchrist.  Mr. Maduka and Dr. Randolph are two area residents and UMD-PRC’s representatives to the NCC and members of the UMD-PRC Community Advisory Committee; and Ms. Bellows and Mr. Gilchrist are graduate research associates in the UMD-PRC.  Dr. Boekeloo, Mr. Maduka and Dr. Randolph accepted the award on April 12, 2011, on behalf of the entire UMD-PRC team in Atlanta, Georgia at the annual CDC Prevention Research Center meeting.

For more information contact umdprc@umd.edu.

Advancing Oral Health in America

The Institute on Medicine released a report titled Advancing Oral Health in America to highlight the role the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can play in improving oral health and oral health care.

The report, released April 8, was created by a special committee organized in 2009 that explored ways to increase public awareness of the relationship and importance of good oral health to good physical health; promote prevention and improve oral health literacy to health providers and the public; and recommend ways to improve access to oral health care.

Dr. Alice Horowitz, a research associate professor at the SPH, was a member of the committee that reviewed current relevant oral health care actions, the barriers to progress and ways in which policy can improve access to oral health care.

Along with that, the committee examined existing oral health activities and programs; existing regulations, statutes and resources that affect efforts to support oral health care and research data; and financing and policy efforts that bear on oral health.

"We tried to see how HHS could have more of a real focus on oral health," Dr. Horowitz said. 

The committee recommended that HHS design an oral health initiative consistent with IOM’s proposed set of organizing principles, which are based on the areas in greatest need of attention and on the approaches that have the most potential for creating improvements.

In addition, the IOM stressed three key areas needed for successfully maintaining oral health as a priority issue: strong leadership, sustained interest, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. 

Dr. Horowitz said if the committee's recommendations come together and there is a strong influence with HHS, it could be a model for states to follow in regards to oral health policies and practices.

SEIPH Hosts Public Health Awareness Day

The Shady Grove Public Health student club, SIEPH, students engaging in public health, hosted a Public Health Awareness Day at the Universities at Shady Grove on April 6, in honor of National Public Health Week.

Public health students partnered with the UMES Hospitality Program, UMB Nursing and the Shady Grove Center for Academic Success to hold an event to raise awareness of the importance of health and fitness, and to celebrate public health week.

Activities included fitness screening, healthy snack taste test, a yoga and relaxation session, bottled vs. tap water taste test challenge, and information on global health and malaria and a demonstration of a bed net.

Zofia Klosowska, the vice president of SIEPH, said, "As USG's only health awareness/prevention club, SEIPH knew how important it was to try and bring fun activities to the students that promote the idea of healthier living."

Klosowska said that the group decided during the fall semester that they would like to bring awareness to various health concerns to the USG campus, and they began to work towards that goal during the spring semester. With help from the USG Office of Student Services, who helped the group with funding the events prizes and with spreading the word, the event was a success.

"We had volunteers from several different programs: nursing students helped at our Physical Fitness booth doing BMI's and Blood Pressure screenings, Biology students helped with the infectious disease booths, and Hospitality students helped us bake foods for a taste test that we had, where students sampled two versions of a snack and had to guess which one was the healthier option," she said.

This was the first Public Health Awareness Day the group has held, but Klosowska said SIEPH hopes to hold the event again next year and maybe even once per semester.

"As the weather was very cooperative, we were able to hold everything outside in the main courtyard where we drew plenty of people," Dr. Jennifer Todd, director of the Public Health Science Program, said. "It was not only well attended, but enthusiastically attended! We had a lot of fun and the students did an amazing job."

The Story Behind Public Health Week with Dr. Caswell Evans Jr.

Dr. Caswell Evans Jr., Professor & Associate Dean of Prevention & Public Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a former president of the American Public Health Association, visited the SPH on April 5 to discuss how National Public Health Week came about.

Evans shared information from his experience as APHA president, as well as from his time at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, where he first implemented a public health week.

The idea for public health week came from a meeting between Evans and Bailus Walker, a former APHA president and friend of Evans'. The two discussed what it would take to get traction for a national public health week.

Evans decided to work toward a smaller version of that in Los Angeles. His first public health weeks had a slow start gaining supporters outside of the local media, but they slowly began to grow in popularity, he said.

Evans said he continued to push for a public health week in Los Angeles County because it required minimal effort from the involved parties, but it would highlight the work they do year-round.

"You can do what you normally do- just celebrate what you normally do as public health week," he said.

He said his team capitalized on making the event fun and on making public health visible, encouraging creativity among the different departments and organizations.

"Each entity was expected to do something that they were really invested in," he said.

The event grew every year, and gathered interest from outside parties as well. Evans' staff began to package primers on how other organizations, cities, states, etc. could implement a public health week of their own.

Public health week continued to grow in popularity until it was eventually adopted nationwide under the Clinton administration.

"Back then I had no idea public health week would be what it is today," he said.

He said he believes in giving stuff away and, through that, empowering others to take whatever piece they want and to build on that with their own vision.

Evans also stressed the importance of focusing on the organization, not the individual. He said having good friends who provide support in times when you need support is critical.

"If you're gonna do something that's bold, you've got to have the strength, and the fire and the guts to see it through," he said.

SPH Celebrates National Public Health Week April 4-10, 2011

For more than a decade, communities across the country have celebrated National Public Health Week (NPHW) each April by highlighting public health achievements and raising awareness of issues important to improving the public’s health. This year, APHA will continue its vision to make America the healthiest nation in one generation by addressing the importance of injury and violence prevention through the theme “Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-free”. Learn more about NPHW at www.nphw.org.

The SPH is happy to take part in National Public Health Week this year for the first time as a CEPH-Accredited school of public health. The school's National Public Health Week 2011 events are listed below. Come out to join us and help promote public health!

Monday, April 4
3 - 4 p.m.
Public Health Garden Club Meeting: Learn and Get Involved in the Public Health Garden
National Public Health Week’s “Safety Is No Accident” Campaign gives the club a great opportunity to tie in issues about safety in our implementation planning for the Public Health Garden.  Discussion will focus on planning and implementation of the garden, and encourage participants to consider safety issues while they learn about and participate in community gardening.
SPH Building, Room 2234CC (MIEH/EPIB Conference Room)

Tuesday, April 5
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Public Health Garden LARC321 Final Design Presentations
Undergraduate Landscape Architecture students in the LARC321 class will present final design concepts for the Public Health Garden.
Plant Sciences Building, Room 1130

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Prevention Road Tour: APHA NPHW Hill Briefing
Join APHA for a National Public Health Week briefing titled “Safety is No Accident: Live Injury-Free.”
US Senate Visitors Center, Room SVC 208/209

2:30 p.m.
Community Advisory Council Meeting
The Council provides the School with insights on public health needs and issues of relevance to our School’s research, teaching and service activities.

5 - 6:00 p.m.
LECTURE: The Story Behind Public Health Week
Caswell Evans Jr., DDS, MPH, will speak of his experiences that led to the creation of Public Health Week during his tenure as President of the American Public Health Association. He will address how the week is a tool for health communications and health literacy.
SPH Building, Room 2242H

Wednesday, April 6
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
LECTURE: Can HIT Become PHIT During a Public Health Emergency?
Nathanial Hupert, MD, MPH
Co-sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Health IT Research.
Van Munching Hall, Robert H. Smith School of Business

Thursday, April 7
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
LECTURE: Epigenetic and genetic approaches in cancer epidemiology and risk assessmentMukesh Verma, Ph.D.
Chief, Methods and Technologies Branch; Program Director, Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
5 p.m.
Dean's Scholars Dinner
Outstanding SPH students will be recognized for their scholarship, leadership, community service and character.

Friday, April 8
11 a.m.
Exercise in Stroke and Neurological Disease: A Public Health Perspective
The 2011 Department of Kinesiology Husman Lecture will feature Richard F. Macko, M.D., University of Maryland School of Medicine and College Park, and VA Maryland Health Care System.
SPH Building, Room 1312

Download a PDF of the calendar here.

SPH Students Makes a Difference at Maryland General Assembly

On a visit to the Maryland General Assembly in March, we had the chance to catch up with Monica Machado, a UMD SPH graduate student working on completing her Masters in Health Administration this spring. She shared with us some of her experiences as an intern for Delegate Hubbard and how they relate to public health.

How did you end up interning with Delegate Hubbard?

I first met Delegate Hubbard and learned about his relationship with the School of Public Health and the University of Maryland on a field trip to the Maryland State Assembly in my Health Policy and Politics course in Spring 2010. On the field trip, we learned about his bills on BPA in baby bottles and chemicals in detergents. He emphasized that he thought very highly of UMD SPH and that in the past he had had interns from the school. He encouraged the students in my class to apply for an internship the next year and to encourage fellow students as well. Since then, I have had my eye set on getting the internship. Wes Queen in SPH knew about my intentions, so in the fall of 2010 when Delegate Hubbard’s office was looking for students to help organize student volunteers for the primary campaign, Wes asked if I was interested. I took the opportunity and I got PHEAR (Public Health Engaging and Representing) involved. I organized five students to help at the polls. Delegate Hubbard won the primary and then I volunteered at the polls for the general elections. After he won the general election, I contacted his office and applied for the internship. Delegate Hubbard has a good relationship with many of the faculty and staff in my Department. I was well recommended and soon started on the paperwork to make me official! I started my Capstone Experience/Project during the first week of the legislative session in January 2011.

My time interning with Delegate Hubbard is my Capstone Experience and it is structured similarly to an internship. My Capstone Project is on how to effectively advance state-level health policy and the role of academia and research on health policy. I am working on a specific bill, which will serve as a case study for my larger project.

What do you like most about it?

I really like the excitement about all of the bills being discussed and having up to the minute details about the progress of some of the more controversial bills (gay marriage was the biggest one). I really like the pace here. The beginning of session was sort of slow because there weren’t too many bills introduced because it was an election year.

What are your major responsibilities?

My main responsibility is researching, coordinating, and providing testimony on one bill. This includes finding out what other states have done on the issue, looking at federal recommendations, finding the legislative history, talking to advocacy groups, helping to draft amendments, preparing testimony, and delivering testimony to a committee. 

After that, I provide support for the many other bills that Delegate Hubbard sponsors. This includes making copies of testimony, getting amendments, drafting letters, and talking with constituents, lobbyists, and advocates.

Which bill are you supporting and why?

The bill I am working on is HB1150: Trauma-Informed Care. I chose to work on this bill because I am interested in patient safety and because it was grounded in research. This bill calls for improved patient safety in state mental health facilities, including training and separating male and female bedrooms. This bill was originally written by the Maryland Disability Law Center, which is the designated Protection and Advocacy agency for the State of Maryland, mandated to advance the civil rights of people with disabilities. They approached Delegate Hubbard to ask him to be the sponsor for the bill and after reviewing it, he agreed.

How is the bill progressing?

The House bill has been cross-filed (the same language as the House bill) in the Senate (SB 556), and was discussed by Senate committees earlier in the session than the House bill was. I provided my testimony to the Health and Government Operations Committee on March 17^th. In the Senate, the committee members, the MDLC, and the Mental Hygiene Administration (they must implement the bill) have come up with amendments that all parties can live with, and the bill is going to be voted out of committee soon.  In the House, the bill has not yet been assigned to a sub-committee, but we have already drafted amendments to match what happened in the Senate. The next steps are to discuss the House bill in a committee hearing and approve the amendments. After that it will be voted out of committee, voted on the floor, and then sent to the Senate to make the second to last approval. After that, it goes to the Governor to sign.

At the current point in the process, there have been some compromises on the bill, and it looks like the bill will pass!

SPH faculty discuss public health outcomes of radiation at Fukushima nuclear power plant

Dr. Donald Milton, director of the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health and a professor at the SPH, and Dr. Amir Sapkota, a MIAEH and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics professor, have spoken with multiple news outlets about the possible public health risks associated with radiation at the nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, in the aftermath of the country's earthquake and tsunami.

In a University of Maryland news release Milton and Sapkota addressed possible radiation ingestion risks, "sheltering in place" risks and radiation sickness.

As far as ingestion risks, Milton said, "Even in most of the Ukraine and in larger areas of Europe after Chernobyl, the major routes of exposure were not directly from the air, but rather through food, especially milk, produced from contaminated areas, and from fallout deposited on the ground."

"It remains highly unlikely that we will see problems with significant crop, dairy, or ground contamination in the United States as a result of the events in Japan," added Sapkota.

Milton and Sapkota said radiation is usually carried on particles coming from the fires and steam releases at the plant, and "sheltering in place" could lower exposure to those particles.

"Because much ground contamination comes from fallout in rain, the act of simply staying indoors would still provide significant protection from ground contamination, even if it only cut airborne exposure by half," they said.

"We all owe a debt of gratitude to the courageous workers who are struggling to control the plants," Milton said.

Read the full release here.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Milton said the workers at the plant are at tremendous risk. He added that the sooner the symptoms come on after radiation exposure, the worse the case is.

Read the full AP story, "Elite Japan nuclear workers race to stop meltdown," here.

This morning Milton discussed the evacuation of Americans in Japan and other public health issues related to radiation exposure with a Fox 5 reporter in Washington, DC.

Watch the video below to see more about his analysis of possible public health risks at this point.

US Authorizes American Evacuations Out Of Japan - Analysis with Doctor Donald Milton: MyFoxDC.com

Many Americans Have Poor Health Literacy -The Washington Post

The Washington Post featured an article about health literacy in the United States on Feb. 28, 2011. Dr. Bonnie Braun, the endowed chair and director at the Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the UMD SPH provided her comments on the Post's article.

"As this article explains, health literacy is a vital set of knowledge and skills. Health literacy paves the way to positive health outcomes. It’s so important that all health professionals, not just those in the medical field, possess and use health literacy competencies in their professional practice settings.

"The Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy is the nation’s first academic-based endowed health literacy center. We are addressing health literacy through education of students and current public health workers. We are conducting research and promoting the incorporation of health literacy science in education, public policy and the practice of all health professionals. We are currently launching Health Literacy Maryland, an initiative to collaboratively address barriers described in this article. We welcome others who want to join us.

"Thank you for writing this article. It laid a good foundation for the case of improving health literacy. We’d like to see a series of stories in the Post explaining how area hospitals, health centers, clinics, including dental and mental, health departments, nutrition educators and others are working to eliminate health literacy barriers among urban and rural populations."

Read the article on The Post's website here.

UMD SPH Staff Present at the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Dr. Sandra Crouse Quinn and Dr. Stephen B. Thomas and were invited by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to present as a part of the center’s NIH Health Disparities Seminar Series on Thursday, February 17.

The presentation focused on strategies aimed at increasing minority participation in biomedical and public health research, as well as the influence of researchers as potential contributors to the low participation rate of African American and Latino populations in clinical trials research.

Dr. Thomas and Dr. Quinn are both principal investigators in the NIH Bioethics Research Infrastructure Initiative: Building Trust between Minorities and Researchers. They presented highlights from the data gathered through this national study including, but not limited to, preliminary results from a national random household survey of 2,500 African American and Latino adults; an online survey of 425 researchers, research staff and IRB members and qualitative interviews with 31 investigators with experience recruiting minority populations into research. Additionally, they showcased selected television media products created as part of the Building Trust curriculums designed for researchers and for minority communities.

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) sponsors the monthly NIH Health Disparities Seminar Series. The forum disseminates information on advances, gaps, and current issues related to health disparities research. It features national and international health disparities research experts, including many funded by the NIMHD, the other NIH Institutes and Centers, and federal agency partners. Drs. Quinn and Thomas were honored to have their work featured in February during the NIH Black History Month celebration.

SPH Staff Joins State and National Officials to Focus on Oral Health

Alice M. Horowitz, a research associate professor at the SPH, and Dushanka Kleinman, the associate dean for research and academic affairs at the SPH, attended a press conference hosted by the Maryland Dental Action Coalition on Monday, February 7 honoring Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old boy who died four years ago when an untreated tooth infection spread to his brain.

The event highlighted Maryland’s initiatives to improve oral health care for its most vulnerable residents.

This goal is mirrored by Alice Horowitz’s research, entitled the Maryland Oral Health Literacy Model to Prevent Childhood Dental Caries (Tooth Decay). Horowitz has directed an extensive assessment of the communication skills and their understanding and practices related to tooth decay prevention in young children of physicians (pediatricians, family practitioners), nurse practitioners, dentists (pediatric dentists, general practitioners), and dental hygienists. Maryland adults who have young children in their homes were surveyed as well. The findings will be used to create interventions and messages that support better oral health for children and adults alike.

The press conference took place at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene headquarters in Washington, DC, and Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Maryland Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin and Congressman John Sarbanes attended as well. Maryland is the first state to hold a gathering of Senate and Congressional leaders to focus on oral health care in our state and nationally.

The SPH has taken an active role in pursuing and supporting improved oral health care in Maryland. The SPH is a member of the Maryland Dental Action Coalition and a partner in their upcoming state summit that will take place in October.

Kleinman, Horowitz and SPH staff member Wesley Queen are on the advisory board for the Deamonte Driver Dental Project. The goal of the project is to identify and treat children in Prince George’s and neighboring counties in Maryland who do not have dental insurance, are under insured or who have not received dental care.

A week prior to the press conference, the state Senate voted not to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and the legislators at the event emphasized the important role health care reform will play in Maryland’s communities.

Read more about the Deamonte Driver Project's recent accomplishments in this Washington Post article.

SPH Alumnus Named to the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media Advisory Board

Andre Blackman, Public and Community Health 2005, was named to the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media advisory board last month.

The Mayo Clinic’s Center for Social Media was established this summer to promote the use of social media tools within the clinic and to other healthcare providers.

According to their website, the center offers in-depth training opportunities to organizations and individuals wanting to get started quickly in applying social media while minimizing the associated growing pains.

The center also runs workshops, offers consulting and hosts conferences related to utilizing social media outlets, including the clinic’s second Social Media summit which took place in Jacksonville, Fla. in September.

Blackman, along with 17 others, was named to the advisory board at the end of January.

Blackman is passionate about the role of new media, mobile technology and other useful innovations as they relate to health communications and public health in general.

“The Mayo Clinic is an established leader in healthcare, providing quality services to the people,” he said.

“I am looking forward to working with this stellar panel of thought leaders to give quality insight around social media/innovation - resulting in effective strategies for health at the Clinic.”

SPH alumna puts degrees to use with volunteer work in Haiti

Joanne Perodin, an alumna of the SPH has been using her free time to help prevent the spread of cholera in Haiti.

Perodin collaborated with the Medical Public Health Information Sharing Environment to put together a series of posters that provided information about how to prevent and identify cholera.

The posters included information on recognizing symptoms similar to those of cholera, an action plan until being seen by a medical doctor or trained health care provider, a homemade water filtration plan and oral rehydration solution and routine sanitation practices.

“I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow up in a developing world that is Haiti,” she said. “Being exposed to health disparities, environmental (in)justice, natural disasters, constant insecurity have led me to develop a passion for public health.”

Perodin’s volunteer work in Haiti to this point has primarily included work in secondary school settings. She volunteered with students, custodial staff, professors and administrators to discuss and teach about topics like climate change, first aid, garbage and recycling, integrated pest management, natural disaster responses and cholera prevention and action.

She currently works with the Children’s Environmental Health Network as a program coordinator. The CEHN is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect developing infants and children from environmental hazards, and to promote a healthy environment through education, research and policy.

“Outside of the Network, I continue to remain active in public health outreach, something many at the UMD SPH witnessed when I was a student over there,” she said.

Perodin graduated from the SPH with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health, and said she is grateful to have met such a great team at the SPH, especially within the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health.

“I have learned and been exposed to a lot from the school, and created a great network in the field of public health, a great portion of which started off by simply talking to faculty at the UMD SPH.”

SPH Signs Agreement With the HRSA

On January 19, 2011, the University of Maryland School of Public Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, entered into an agreement to establish multiple collaborative programs, including internship placement opportunities for SPH students.

Dean Robert Gold, Associate Deans Dushanka Kleinman, Laura Wilson and Sandra Crouse Quinn, Assistant Dean Colleen Farmer and Chief of Staff, Blakely Pomietto met at the SPH with Patrick Lockett, Vickie Baldwin and Coral Cope, who represented HRSA’s Division of Workforce Development.

The two organizations are working to establish an internship program that will be beneficial to students and the employees they are working alongside at the HRSA. Along with internship opportunities, the SPH and the HRSA will initiate planning for programs to address workforce development for the agency.

Dr. Sandra Crouse Quinn, Associate Dean for Public Health Initiatives, said, “HRSA’s broad array of responsibilities and offices provide a rich source of internship opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students in the school.”

This is the first formal agreement signed by University of Maryland President Wallace D. Loh, and it aims to expand upon the commitment to improve public health programs and knowledge shared by the HRSA and the SPH.

Above: Sandra Crouse Quinn, Dushanka Kleinman, Vickie Baldwin, Blakely Pomietto, Patrick Lockett, Dean Robert Gold, Laura Wilson, Colleen Farmer and Coral Cope at the first meeting between the SPH and the HRSA.

New Library Service Offered for Students

A new library service will be offered for SPH students this semester. Nedelina Tchangalova, the SPH librarian, will hold office hours in SPH room 1226 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays.

Tchangalova said students should feel free to come to her office hours if they have any questions related to locating books or articles as well as with any questions about which databases are best to search for certain topics.

Aside from specific searches, she will be available to instruct on improving search strategies by highlighting certain tools and databases related to their research topics.

Tchangalova said many students have trouble focusing their searches, a problem she hopes to help them solve by consulting on ways to make searches more specific. She said many publications are located in specific databases that would be hard to find without a previous knowledge of the database.

For students having trouble locating resources that are not accessible through the school's library and resources, Tchangalova can request an interlibrary loan or order the book to add to the library’s catalog.

Tchangalova can consult on creating bibliographies with EndNote Web, Refworks and other programs, as well as help verify the correctness of citations.

Stop by Tchangalova’s office hours or e-mail her at nedelina@umd.edu to schedule an appointment.

Faculty and Staff Attend Governor's Forum on Children and Health

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown convened hundreds of leaders from across the state in a call to action designed to improve the health of the state's population at a Forum on Children and Health on Monday, Jan. 10. University of Maryland School of Public Health faculty and staff took part in the forum, based around the state's new plans to improve the health of children in Maryland.

The plans call for the reduction and elimination of health disparities through the exploration of financial, performance-based incentives. At the forum, a number of goals for the future of child healthcare in the state were discussed. Some goals have a more long-term reach, like ending child hunger in Maryland by 2015. However, the governor is hoping for more immediate changes by reducing infant mortality in the state by 10 percent by 2012, expanding access to substance abuse services in Maryland by 25 percent by 2012, and establishing best in the nation statewide health information exchange and electronic health records adoption by 2012.

“The University of Maryland School of Public Health is central to the success of this ambitious plan designed to move Maryland forward as a national model for addressing Healthy People 2020 Goals,” said Dean, Robert S. Gold. “We are fortunate to live in a state where our highest elected officials have embraced the challenge and opportunity to eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity.”

Above: Wesley Queen, Karoline Mortensen, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, Stephen B. Thomas and Carolyn C. Voorhees at the Governor's Forum on Children and Health on January 10.