Public Health Degree Research Articles

Variability in public health ethics education in EUPHA and ASPHER members

Abstract Background Public health professionals face decisions that have far-reaching ethical implications. Despite this, the field of public health ethics is relatively new, and teaching and training in ethics for public health professionals is “highly variable in quantity and content” [Doudenkova et al 2017]. Building on a prior body of research, surveys of ASPHER and EUPHA members were undertaken to explore current levels of ethics education. Methods Online surveys were distributed to ASPHER and EUPHA members with the aims of a) exploring the current status of ethics education in public health courses in ASPHER institutions and b) understanding the ethics education of individual public health practitioners in EUPHA. Results The ASPHER survey was completed by teaching staff at 35 different institutions between April and August 2019. The EUPHA survey was completed by 232 professionals between October 2019 and January 2020. ASPHER Survey: 39% (n = 12) of institutions awarding master's degrees in public health had one or more degrees in which no ethics was taught. Only 48% (n = 13) of institutions had someone in their academic team formally qualified to teach ethics by holding a master's degree, PhD or further academic role in ethics. EUPHA Survey: Despite 79% (n = 165) of respondents encountering ethical dilemmas on at least a monthly basis, 21% (n = 48) reported that they had never had any ethics education or training, and 50% (n = 101) respondents thought that they had too little training in ethics for their professional role. Conclusions There remains a significant proportion of those studying or working in public health who do not receive any public health ethics training or education. Key messages Ethics education in public health remains variable among ASPHER organisations and EUPHA members, a significant minority lacking any ethics training. To ensure ethically reflective and sensitive public health practitioners, access to ethics education is key.

Hybrid team based learning-personalised education for teaching epidemiology in public health degrees

Abstract Background University education in Australia and internationally involves teaching diverse students: in terms of age, life experience, previous degrees completed, and level of English competency. In Australia the Bachelors of Public Health (BPH) at The University of Wollongong, epidemiology is a core subject. It aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to design, critique and interpret studies that investigate why different populations experience different health outcomes. A student-centred learning strategy; Hybrid Team Based Learning and Personalised Education teaching strategy (HTBL-PE) was created to maximise academic success. Each phase has a distinct purpose based on learning theories (e.g. TBL, Bloom's taxonomy and Vygotsky). HTBL-PE aims to systematically build students abilities; strengthen self-confidence and belief, by teaching the way students learn and harnessing the capabilities of the team to strengthen the individual. Objectives HTBL-PE was evaluated in spring 2019 in the BPH, where their experiences at the beginning and end of semester were measured. Results In total 73 out of 84 enrolled students provided data at both time-points (87%). At the end of the semester, the vast majority of students indicated their interest in epidemiology had increased (93%), critical thinking had improved (92%), and confidence as independent learners had increased (86%). Outcomes did not differ significantly by gender or across learning styles. More than two thirds of students had already applied learnings from this subject in other settings (67%). Students' final mark for this subject was significantly higher than their Weighted Average Mark (WAM) prior to the semester (+17.4, p < 0.001). Average scores for the subject were > 84/100 with a < 0.5% failure rate. Conclusions HTBL-PE has positive learning outcomes; low failure rates, increased confidence in learning and themselves, increased interest in epidemiology and high overall scores in the subject. Key messages An effective new innovative teaching strategy resulted in a subject average score > 84/100 and <0.5% failure rate. The vast majority of students reported increased confidence as independent lifelong learners, critical thinking, confidence in epidemiology (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) and themselves.

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Public health competencies in global health education and demand of the global health labour market

Abstract Background Many competencies frameworks exist worldwide and it is well known that competence-based education supports employability. However, little research exists regarding public health graduates' employment outcomes. This paper aims to stir the discussion about the expectations of the global health employment market and the competencies, which should be developed in graduates of public health programs with global orientation. Methods Material from in three different studies is used, including a systematic review of public health competency frameworks, scoping review of employment outcomes of students earning public health degrees, and analysis of 16 years' worth job postings with focus on competencies related to climate change. Results Employers currently value competencies, such as the knowledge of climate mitigation/adaptation, climate-health justice, direct/indirect and downstream effects of climate on health, health impact assessment, risk assessment, pollution-health consequences and causes, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, communication/writing, finance/economics, policy analysis, systems thinking, and interdisciplinarity. Conclusions The public health workforce needs to be equipped with the capabilities which trespass disciplines, professional silos and paradigms in order to be effective and able to address multiple challenges and global disruptions including climate change, as well as to lead through insecure contexts. More systematic research is needed on tracking the employment outcomes of the global health workforce, which may help to adapt public health competencies frameworks and education programs to the changing demands of the global health employment market.

Heart Best Research Paper Award 2020

Each year, the Heart editorial team selects the most meritorious research paper to receive the Heart Best Research Paper Award. Primary considerations are the relevance of the clinical question addressed...

Attitudes and practices of public health academics towards research funding from for-profit organizations: cross-sectional survey

ObjectivesThe growing trend of for-profit organization (FPO)-funded university research is concerning because resultant potential conflicts of interest might lead to biases in methods, results, and interpretation. For public health academic programmes, receiving funds from FPOs whose products have negative health implications may be particularly problematic.MethodsA cross-sectional survey assessed attitudes and practices of public health academics towards accepting funding from FPOs. The sampling frame included universities in five world regions offering a graduate degree in public health; 166 academics responded. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were conducted.ResultsOver half of respondents were in favour of accepting funding from FPOs; attitudes differed by world region and gender but not by rank, contract status, % salary offset required, primary identity, or exposure to an ethics course. In the last 5 years, almost 20% of respondents had received funding from a FPO. Sixty per cent of respondents agreed that there was potential for bias in seven aspects of the research process, when funds were from FPOs.ConclusionsGlobally, public health academics should increase dialogue around the potential harms of research and practice funded by FPOs.

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine.

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine.

Master's-Level Education in the Governmental Public Health Workforce.

More than 16 000 graduate degrees in public health are awarded annually. Yet only 14% of the governmental public health workforce has formal public health training of any kind, and 8% has a master of public health (MPH) degree. We characterized the differences among governmental staff members with master's degrees across US health departments. We used data from the 2017 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, a national survey of state and local public health departments (43 669 responses; response rate, 48%). We examined the characteristics of the workforce by educational attainment and compared respondents who had obtained a "terminal" (ie, highest degree obtained) MPH degree with respondents who had obtained a terminal non-public health (non-PH) master's degree. Respondents who had a non-PH master's degree were as likely as respondents who had an MPH degree to hold a supervisory role (43% vs 41%; P = .67). We found only 1 significant difference between the 2 groups: respondents aged ≤40 with a terminal MPH degree were significantly less likely than respondents aged ≤40 with a non-PH master's degree to earn more than the national average salary (adjusted odds ratio = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.47-0.97; P = .03). We found only marginal differences in career outcomes for people working in governmental public health who had a terminal MPH degree vs a terminal non-PH master's degree. This finding does not necessitate a full reconsideration of the MPH as it relates to governmental public health practice but a greater recognition that there are multiple paths into practice.

When Staples Vanished: Supermarket Panic-Buying during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research Article| August 01 2020 When Staples Vanished: Supermarket Panic-Buying during the COVID-19 Pandemic Erin C. Kawazu, Erin C. Kawazu Erin C. Kawazu holds a Master of Public Health degree in Environmental Health Sciences from Columbia University. She has a strong interest in the built environment, having conducted research to identify cityscape features that may play a role in mitigating the adverse health effects of air pollution. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Fernando Ortiz-Moya Fernando Ortiz-Moya Fernando Ortiz-Moya, PhD, is an architect and urban planner with a training in human geography. He researches global transformations of urban systems, and particularly declining cities, analyzing the responses given in different countries to the problems generated by decay. His more recent work explores urban-based solutions to confront climate change. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Gastronomica (2020) 20 (3): 79–81. https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2020.20.3.79 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Erin C. Kawazu, Fernando Ortiz-Moya; When Staples Vanished: Supermarket Panic-Buying during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Gastronomica 1 August 2020; 20 (3): 79–81. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2020.20.3.79 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentGastronomica Search This content is only available via PDF. © 2020 by the Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press's Reprints and Permissions web page, https://www.ucpress.edu/journals/reprints-permissions.2020The Regents of the University of California Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Global Health and Public Health Majors and Minors at 411 Universities, 2019-2020.

Background:There has been rapid growth in the popularity of undergraduate degrees in global and public health, but that growth has not been evenly distributed across different types of institutions of higher education.Objective:To examine the prevalence of undergraduate global and public health majors and minors and related degrees at a diversity of higher education institutions in the United States during the 2019–20 academic year.Methods:We examined curricular offerings at the top 100 national universities, national liberal arts colleges, regional universities, and regional colleges included in the 2020 U.S. News and World Report rankings. With ties, the dataset included 411 of the 1600 ranked U.S. colleges and universities.Findings:In total, 101 (25%) of the 411 schools offer a general public health, community health, or global health major, 105 (26%) a minor, and 144 (35%) a major and/or minor. When subdisciplines and other population health related programs are included, 160 (39%) offer a major, 183 (45%) a minor, and 227 (55%) a major and/or minor, including 83% of national universities, 57% of regional universities, 45% of national liberal arts colleges, and 35% of regional colleges. Global health programs, usually minors, are offered by 32% of national universities and 8% of national liberal arts colleges.Conclusions:Global and public health have become common areas of primary and secondary study at the bachelor’s level at diverse schools in the United States. Although these degree pathways are especially prevalent at large urban universities, schools of all sizes, types, and locations have invested in offering educational programs in population health areas.

Learning Through Practice: The Design and Implementation of an Advanced Integrative Practicum for DrPH Students

Students enrolled in Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health complete an applied practice experience resulting in an advanced project. This requirement can vary by program, but it commonly occurs as a singular experience after students have begun coursework. In 2016, we assessed the practicum component for the Doctor of Public Health degree at Claremont Graduate University. We sought feedback from employers and reviewed other professional programs with required practice experiences. Data indicated that successful experiences integrated didactic coursework with practice, suggesting the design of an embedded format versus a stand-alone requirement. The Advanced Integrative Practicum (AIP) was launched in Fall 2017 through a partnership between Claremont Graduate University School of Community and Global Health and Riverside University Health System. The practicum series began with an introduction to the health system through rotations led by Riverside University Health System (AIP-A), continued with students engaging with experts to propose solutions to public health issues (AIP-B), and concluded with a high-level practice-based project (AIP-C) where students, under supervision of a mentor at an external entity, implement projects. Qualitative data obtained through final written syntheses indicated that a majority of students feel the experience was integral to their DrPH training. Steps were taken to address threats to sustainability and a program component that seemed not sufficiently engaging. Although the practicum was not continued in its piloted form, best practices were realized as were lessons learned, ultimately leading to broader modifications in the DrPH program curriculum.

4453 Public Health Ethics: Utilizing open education methods to foster interprofessional learning and practices

4453 Public Health Ethics: Utilizing open education methods to foster interprofessional learning and practices

Implementing value-based care at the state level: A conversation with Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Delaware Department of Health and Social Services Secretary

Dr. Kara Odom Walker is Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHHS). Trained as a family physician, with advanced degrees in public health and health services research, Dr. Walker has worked for numerous organizations to advocate for health equity and care for underserved populations. As Delaware DHHS Secretary, she oversees a department with an annual budget of over $2 billion, responsible for health and social services administration.

First person profile: Leslie L. Robison, PhD: A world-renowned epidemiologist, Dr. Robison played key roles in developing both the national Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

First person profile: Leslie L. Robison, PhD: A world-renowned epidemiologist, Dr. Robison played key roles in developing both the national Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.

The Importance of Teaching History of Inequities in Public Health Programs

Learning the history of inequities is typically not a major part of public health degree programs but can be fundamental to truly understanding health inequities and identifying potential solutions. A historical perspective on inequities can help understand present-day inequities as constructed over time, provide needed context for community engagement efforts, and help identify the system of advantages and disadvantages based on race, gender, and class that have been built into U.S. society. There are many ways to integrate a historical perspective on inequities into public health degree programs, and this article provides an example course on historical roots of health inequities. To more effectively reduce health inequities, it is imperative that Schools and Programs of Public Health adopt curriculum content to provide public health professionals and researchers a much-needed historical perspective on inequities.

Master of Public Health Concentrations in Global Health in 2020: Preparing Culturally Competent Professionals to Address Health Disparities in the Context of Globalization.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, 37 (17%) of 223 Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited or applicant schools and programs of public health offered Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees with concentrations in general global health. Concentration-specific competencies build on the foundational competencies required for all MPH students enrolled in CEPH-accredited programs. The most popular global health competencies focus on agencies and organizations, ethics and human rights, program management, social and environmental determinants of health, the global burden of disease, collaboration and partnerships, and cultural competency. There is significant overlap between the current concentration competencies and the ones recommended by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health in 2018. The online program descriptions for MPH concentrations in global health feature four key themes: globalization, low-income countries, social justice and equity, and culture and diversity. (1) Most programs emphasize transnational health issues and the effects of globalization on health in countries of all income levels. (2) Some programs have a special focus on preparation for serving low-income countries and other disadvantaged populations, such as refugees. (3) Most programs emphasize the social justice and equity issues underlying local and global health disparities. (4) Most programs promote development of the cultural knowledge, awareness, and skills required for serving diverse populations effectively as rising leaders in the international, national, or local public health workforce. Global health MPH programs prepare students for public health practice in resource-limited settings in their home communities as well as internationally.

The Challenges of Public Health, Social Work, and Psychological Counselling Services in South Korea: The Issues of Limited Support and Resource.

Public health, social work, and psychological counselling professions in South Korea are facing challenges of human resource shortage and shortage of professionals who can provide multilingual services. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand why public health, social work, and psychological counselling services degree graduates and professionals with multilingual skills in South Korea decide to leave their professional field to the hospitality and business industries, particularly for those who completed their initial training at one of the international universities. Based on the approach of the Social Cognitive Career Theory, individuals’ self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and goals were examined and considered. The data were collected from 12 participants with the methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis. The general inductive approach was employed to categorize the themes for reporting. The results indicated that public health, social work, and psychological counselling services-related positions are not available, modelling from peers, and lack of career development skills are the primary difficulties of public health, social work, and psychological counselling services graduates. The completion of this study provides clear recommendations to educators, policymakers, school leaders, human resource planners, and university administrators to improve their curricula and school counselling for public health, social work, and psychological counselling services graduates and the next generation.

Preventive medicine's equivalence problem

The structure of preventive medicine residency training in the U.S. warrants serious examination. U.S. public health and general preventive medicine residencies have suffered a 17% decline in the number of residency programs since 2000, and current residency programs are, on average, half-empty. The required clinical year is not unique to preventive medicine, a basic, undifferentiated MPH for preventive medicine doesn't distinguish the preventive medicine specialist, and practicum year requirements are overly broad and not necessarily specific to the specialty, leaving the specialty vulnerable to equivalence by most other specialties. Strategies including creation of an additional preventive medicine-specific clinical year, developing a new public health degree for the specialty, and more specific practicum rotations, as well as potentially changing the specialty's name and altering the annual structure of training, are proposed along with an equivalence test.

Attitudes and behaviors regarding public health of dental school graduates from A. T. Still University.

To survey A. T. Still University, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH) graduates and evaluate the impact of completing a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree during dental school on a dentist's practice behaviors, volunteerism, and attitudes toward dental education, practice preparedness, and the dental profession. In 2018, a 35-question survey was emailed to 637 (ATSU-ASDOH) graduates from 2007 to 2017. Questions were related to demographics, obtaining an MPH, postgraduate education, practice setting, and attitudes regarding dental education on practice preparedness and the dental profession. One hundred and seven dentists completed the survey for a response rate of 16.8%. Of those, 40 respondents received an MPH from (ATSU-ASDOH) at the same time as graduating with a DMD or within 5 years following graduation. Dentists with an MPH were more likely to practice in public health settings (P=0.028). However, the MPH did not appear to influence attitudes toward the dental profession. Dentists from (ATSU-ASDOH) who obtained an MPH and those who entered dental school wanting to work with the underserved are more likely to practice within public health settings. This study begins to paint a picture of a dual degree graduate. Future studies should explore which variables are more likely to result in a graduate working within a public health setting.

Master of Science (MS) and Master of Arts (MA) Degrees in Global Health: Applying Interdisciplinary Research Skills to the Study of Globalization-Related Health Disparities

Graduate global health education has grown in popularity over the past decade. The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health has defined global public health competencies for Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees, but there are no similarly established lists of learning outcomes for other types of master’s degrees in global health. The objective of this study was to examine the program goals, curricula, and applied learning requirements for non-MPH master’s degrees in order to understand how global health is being defined and operationalized by these programs. We identified the 14 universities in the United States and Canada offering Master of Science (MS) or Master of Arts (MA) degrees in global health in 2019. Their program descriptions typically emphasize applied research skills, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, health disparities, and globalization. Both MS and MA degree pathways use a similar research-oriented core curriculum in which (1) foundational courses introduce the social and environmental determinants of health and global burden of disease trends in the context of globalization, global health ethics, and health systems and policy; (2) a research core develops competencies in biostatistics, epidemiology, and quantitative and qualitative research methods; and (3) a thesis or other written capstone project synthesizes and applies knowledge. Only 4 of the 14 programs require an international field experience, but most encourage applied experiential learning activities. Global health appears to be maturing as an academic discipline, with non-MPH graduate degrees in global health emphasizing similar knowledge areas, research skills, and competencies.