Public Health Graduate Programs Research Articles

Evolving from public health libraries as a place to focus on public health librarian expertise.

This article describes the evolution of academic public health library services from standalone academic public health libraries in 2004 to centralized services by 2021. Five public health libraries serving public health graduate programs (SPH) at public and private institutions were visited in 2006-07. Visits comprised tours, semi-structured interviews with librarians and local health department staff, and collecting of contemporary print documents. We compiled and compared visit notes across libraries. In 2022, we reviewed online materials announcing library closure or transition for timing and how services were to be subsequently provided. Libraries and SPH were co-located and most librarians maintained public health expertise though they did not have faculty appointments in their SPHs. Specialized statistical and geographic information systems (GIS) software and data were provided in partnership, often with other system libraries. Only two libraries had strong connections to health departments-one with direct service agreements and another engaged in public health training. Academic public health libraries' relationships with SPHs and health departments did not ensure their existence as standalone entities. Following a national trend for branch libraries, public health information services were centralized into larger health or science libraries. The scope and specialization of librarian expertise continues to be valued with several institutions having librarians dedicated to public health.

An Anti-Racism Public Health Graduate Program: Mentoring of Students and Igniting Community

Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) are underrepresented in the public health workforce. Strengthening the public health pipeline through graduate institutions of public health is a necessary anti-racist approach to address health disparities. Programs that provide effective mentoring are one strategy for evidence-based anti-oppressive instructional practice, proven to help racial and ethnic students historically targeted by oppression in propelling career trajectories, professional development, and overall institutional experience in graduate school. The Mentoring of Students and Igniting Community (MOSAIC) program was founded in 2019 as a comprehensive and anti-racist faculty-to-student mentorship initiative for BIPOC and first-generation students. Through a scoping review of mentorship programs at schools of public health and an iterative feedback process that included faculty, students, and staff, the MOSAIC model was created. Built on the tenets of successful mentorship approaches, MOSAIC focuses on increasing equity and educational justice with a focus on professional development and academic success through faculty-to-student mentorship. The growth of MOSAIC has demonstrated it fills a critical gap for students of color and first-generation students in a school of public health. MOSAIC intends to act as a programmatic model for replication at other schools of public health to provide necessary support and mentorship for BIPOC students.

A Pipeline to Increase Public Health Diversity: Describing the Academic Enrichment Components of the Summer Public Health Scholars Program

A public health workforce that reflects the increasing diversity of the U.S. population is critical for health promotion and to eliminate persistent health disparities. Academic institutions must provide appropriate education and training to increase diversity in public health professions to improve efforts to provide culturally competent care and programs in the most vulnerable communities. Reaching into the existing talent pool of diverse candidates at the undergraduate level is a promising avenue for building a pipeline to advanced training and professional careers in the field of public health. The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) is a 10-week summer internship program with a mission to increase knowledge and interest in public health and biomedical sciences. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Undergraduate Public Health Summer Programs, sponsored by the CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, SPHSP aims to pipeline underrepresented students into public health graduate programs and careers by providing mentorship, academic enrichment, professional development, and field-based placements. The SPHSP is uniquely positioned to offer scholars a program that exposes them to core public health training components through the joint effort of all four CUIMC schools: public health, dentistry, nursing, and medicine. Here, we describe the program’s academic enrichment components, which provide advanced and multifaceted public health training opportunities. We discuss the impacts of the program on student outcomes and lessons learned in developing and refining the program model.

Is sanitation essential to human health? The sanitation issue in the public health field.

Although sanitation problems seem to have been resolved, every day thousands of children around the world die of diseases caused by the lack of it. Nevertheless, sanitation remains virtually invisible in the Brazilian health sector agenda. The objective of this study is to investigate the importance given to this topic by researchers from the public health field. The relevance of the subject was mapped out in CNPq's research groups, Brazilian scientific journals, and public health graduate programs. The results showed that few of these programs addressed the topic of sanitation. As a consequence, few public health research groups study and publish about sanitation in the journals assessed. The potential factors that could be behind the limited interest in sanitation shown by the public health academic community are discussed.

Doença renal crônica: explorando novas estratégias de comunicação para promoção da saúde

Objetivo: Descrever o desenvolvimento de novas estratégias de comunicação para promoção da saúde no âmbito da doença renal crônica (DRC). Métodos: Pesquisa de natureza aplicada, pois objetiva a produção de conhecimentos direcionados à solução de problemas específicos por meio de ferramentas práticas e da análise das hipóteses levantadas. As ferramentas foram desenvolvidas pela parceria entre o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva e o Núcleo de Aplicação em Tecnologia da Informação da Universidade de Fortaleza. O estudo intitulado “Renal Health” foi dividido em três fases consecutivas: Fase 1 - Desenvolvimento do aplicativo Renal Health; Fase 2 - Construção de conteúdos e plataformas digitais vinculadas ao aplicativo; e Fase 3 – Teste de impacto clínico e adesão ao aplicativo. No presente momento, o estudo encontra-se com a fase 1 concluída e com a fase 2 em andamento. Resultados: Foi desenvolvido o aplicativo Renal Health para uso em dispositivos móveis, em plataforma Android, com interfaces para a população geral, ou seja, pessoas que não fazem tratamento para DRC, pacientes renais crônicos em hemodiálise e transplantados renais. A fase 2 do estudo encontra-se em desenvolvimento, ocorrendo por meio de reuniões entre as equipes de pesquisadores e dos setores saúde e tecnologia para a compilação dos conteúdos e delineamento do projeto gráfico das plataformas digitais. Conclusão: A comunicação entre os profissionais de saúde e os portadores de DRC é passível de contínuo aperfeiçoamento, dada a variedade das modalidades de tratamento e suas peculiaridades. O aplicativo Renal Health e as plataformas digitais se propõem a apoiar ambos nesse processo.

Health Equity Curricula Within Health Policy and Management Concentrations in U.S. Public Health Graduate Programs

Achieving health equity is a national priority in the United States and having a public health workforce equipped to make health policy and administrative decisions that reduce disparities is needed. We examined 50 schools that offered an on-campus Master of Public Health and are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health with concentrations or tracks in health policy and management (HPM). Nationally, only 6 (12%) HPM tracks required students to take a course in health equity and/or disparities. Of the optional courses offered within HPM tracks, 30.5% were focused on specific health conditions, and 28% were focused on broadly defined inequities. A smaller portion of health equity courses covered topics in sexual and reproductive health (5.1%), women and gender (3.4%), immigration (1.7%), and LGBTQ populations (1.7%). If health equity is to be achieved in health policy and management, educating all students earning a Master of Public Health in HPM tracks on these issues and equipping them with competencies to effectively tackle health inequity is a starting place.

Team-Based Learning: Successful Experience in a Public Health Graduate Program

ABSTRACT Background: In the review of curriculum matrices, the elaboration of learning strategies that combine theory and practice is extremely important, allowing the building of new concepts and learning methods by the students. Team-based learning (TBL) is growing in academic centers and refers to the pedagogic strategy grounded in constructivism. The aim of this research was to describe the application of TBL in a Public Health graduate program. Methods: TBL was applied in a class with 22 students in the discipline “Quantitative Research in Health” of the Public Health graduate program (Master degree) at the University of Fortaleza, Brazil, in 2016. The discipline was structured in 8 lessons, approaching the thematic of quantitative research. Before each class the students were required to study the contents at home, a test was done for each subject in the beginning of each class (individually and then in teams of 5 or 6 students) and then a brief review was performed by the professor, where the students could ask questions and solve any doubt. At the end of the semester an evaluation questionnaire was applied with objective questions and a qualitative survey. Results: The application of TBL was done in a class with 22 students of the Public health Master Program, aged 22 to 36 years, and 83.3% were female. The method was well received by the students. All the evaluations and discussions went on without any problem. There were some complaints about the requirement to study at home prior to the classes. Students’ evaluation of the discipline and the TBL method was satisfactory with answers’ average score of 4.7 (scale 0-5). The lowestscore was achieved by the question number 11 (4.3) about the students motivation for their study at home. The comparison with the evaluation of the previous semester (where a traditional method was applied) evidenced higher scores for the TBL method. Conclusions: The application of TBL was satisfactory and the main difficulty presented by students was the requirement for previous study at home. TBL was better evaluated than the traditional method.

Using Social Media as a Pedagogical Tool in Graduate Public Health Education and Training

Public health is a complex field where current information and evidence available to inform best practices are constantly changing. With the rise of social media influencing public health actions, it is becoming more important for those working in the sector to have a proficient understanding of this form of communication. Social media use amongst public health organizations is also on the rise. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have been used to disseminate timely information as well as for public health education. We argue that formally integrating social media as a pedagogical tool in public health graduate programs would benefit both, educators and students as well as the public health field in which students will work. Communication skills have been included in core competencies for public health professionals as an essential skill. Critical in that skill is the ability to work with new methods of communication, such as social media. We bring forward the idea that social media should both be used in teaching and taught as an essential skill. Using social media as an educational tool is an opportunity to ensure that graduate public health programs train students with the competencies to work in public health.

Fluoride concentration in public water supply: 72 months of analysis

Known as one of the ten most important advances on Public Health in the 20th century, fluoridation of public water supply is a measure of wide population coverage, which is effective on caries control. The city of Araçatuba, in the Northwest region of the São Paulo state, Brazil, started public water supply fluoridation in 1972 and, based on the average annual highest temperature, has kept the fluoride concentration between 0.6 to 0.8 mgF/L. The purpose of this study was to analyze monthly the fluoride concentration in public water supply in the city of Araçatuba during 72 months. Water samples were collected monthly on weekdays, directly from the water distribution network, on pre-established locations and analyzed in duplicate between November 2004 and October 2010 at the Research Laboratory of the Nucleus for Public Health (NEPESCO) of the Public Health Graduate Program from Araçatuba Dental School/UNESP, Brazil, using an fluoride-specific electrode connected to an ion analyzer. From the total of samples (n=591), 67.2% (n=397) presented fluoride concentration between 0.6 and 0.8 mgF/L; 20.6% (n=122) below 0.6 mgF/L; 11.5% (n=68) between 0.8 and 1.2 mgF/L and 0.7% (n=4) above 1.2 mgF/L. Most samples showed fluoride levels within the recommended parameters. Minimal variation was observed among the analyzed collection locations, showing that the city has been able to control the fluoride levels in the public water supply and reinforcing the importance of surveillance and constant monitoring to assure the quality of the water delivered to the population.

Wanted: Interdisciplinary, Multidisciplinary, and Knowledge Translation and Exchange Training for Students of Public Health

Students vocalized their concern with public health training programs in Canada at the 2010 CPHA Centennial Conference. Given these concerns, we reviewed the objectives and curricula of public health graduate (master's) programs in Canada. Our objective was to understand to what extent public and population health graduate programs in Canada support interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) training. This was achieved through a review of all public and population health master's programs in Canada identified from the public health graduate programs listed on the Public Health Agency of Canada website (n = 33) plus an additional four programs that were not originally captured on the list. Of the 37 programs reviewed, 28 (76%) stated that interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary training opportunities are of value to their program, with 12 programs (32%) providing multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary training opportunities in their curriculum. Only 14 (38%) of the 37 programs provided value statements of KTE activities in their program goals or course objectives, with 10 (27%) programs offering KTE training in their curriculum. This review provides a glimpse into how public health programs in Canada value and support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration as well as KTE activities.

Wanted: interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and knowledge translation and exchange training for students of public health.

Students vocalized their concern with public health training programs in Canada at the 2010 CPHA Centennial Conference. Given these concerns, we reviewed the objectives and curricula of public health graduate (master's) programs in Canada. Our objective was to understand to what extent public and population health graduate programs in Canada support interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) training. This was achieved through a review of all public and population health master's programs in Canada identified from the public health graduate programs listed on the Public Health Agency of Canada website (n = 33) plus an additional four programs that were not originally captured on the list. Of the 37 programs reviewed, 28 (76%) stated that interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary training opportunities are of value to their program, with 12 programs (32%) providing multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary training opportunities in their curriculum. Only 14 (38%) of the 37 programs provided value statements of KTE activities in their program goals or course objectives, with 10 (27%) programs offering KTE training in their curriculum. This review provides a glimpse into how public health programs in Canada value and support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration as well as KTE activities.

Dental Public Health Graduate Programs for Indian Dentists

Journal of Dental EducationVolume 71, Issue 4 p. 449-449 Letter to the Editor Dental Public Health Graduate Programs for Indian Dentists Meghashyam Bhat B.D.S., M.D.S., P.G.D.H.H.M., F.A.G.E., Corresponding Author Meghashyam Bhat B.D.S., M.D.S., P.G.D.H.H.M., F.A.G.E. Assistant Professor msyamb@yahoo.com Department of Community Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal-576104, Udupi District, Karnataka State, India Department of Community Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal-576104, Udupi District Karnataka State, India, msyamb@yahoo.com.Search for more papers by this author Meghashyam Bhat B.D.S., M.D.S., P.G.D.H.H.M., F.A.G.E., Corresponding Author Meghashyam Bhat B.D.S., M.D.S., P.G.D.H.H.M., F.A.G.E. Assistant Professor msyamb@yahoo.com Department of Community Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal-576104, Udupi District, Karnataka State, India Department of Community Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, Manipal-576104, Udupi District Karnataka State, India, msyamb@yahoo.com.Search for more papers by this author First published: 01 April 2007 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.0022-0337.2007.71.4.tb04295.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume71, Issue4April 2007Pages 449-449 RelatedInformation

Making Sense of Data: How Public Health Graduate Students Build Theory Through Qualitative Research Techniques

Data interpretation and theory building are two key skills often taught in health sciences qualitative methods courses. However, little is known about how novice researchers make sense of data, as well as how their thought processes differ from those of expert researchers. In this classroom research project, the author explores how qualitative methods students in a public health graduate program describe their processes of making sense of data and building theory. She then compares these processes with "expert" guidelines to draw implications for how to enhance teaching in a qualitative research class.

The Simmons-Harvard Graduate Program in Public Health Nursing, 1953-1961: an experiment in nursing education.

AbstractThis historical study recalls the evolution, contributions, and demise of a graduate public health nursing program. The Simmons College‐Harvard School of Public Health Graduate Program in Public Health Nursing existed for eight years from 1953 to 1961. The account of the program's design and cooperative, interdisciplinary approach is based on historical documents, oral histories, interviews, and professional publications. Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the program borrowed the best from two fields: nursing education and public health theory and practice. It relied on institutional cooperation, and highcaliber faculty, students, and curriculum. The program succeeded in preparing students for leadership positions in the nursing field. It failed to sustain the interest of a significant number of students and also failed to become a model for other institutions. The historical division within public health nursing practice, a division that supported two distinct educational tracks—graduate schools of public health and graduate schools of nursing—is one factor that led to the demise of the program.