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Advances SUMMER
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from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health
NOTES
FROM THE
FIELD
SPH Students Report on Their Unforgettable Summer Field Experiences
PREMIUMS UP 10 TIMES FASTER THAN INCOMES FAILING: HOSPITAL ISOLATION ROOMS HELPING COLLEGE KIDS QUIT SMOKING FUNDING APPROVED FOR TACONITE WORKER RESEARCH
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FROM THE DEAN Dear Friends, At the School of Public Health, we enjoy perhaps more than our fair share of special moments, the kind that emerge from the routine and demand to be savored. Photo: Richard Anderson
One such moment occurs each year at commencement. This May, we were proud to award 212 degrees to the Class of 2008. Commencement, as always, was a special, but bittersweet, time: We were sad to see friends leave, but thrilled for the possibilities awaiting them. For years, a highlight has been hearing the accounts of our students’ summer international field experiences upon their return. These days, we no longer must wait. Almost daily, one or more of our students abroad posts a blog on the SPH web site, providing details about everything from local public health dilemmas to the foods they had for dinner. Viewing their photos and reading their accounts–told in the freshness of the moment and often in vivid detail–create many special moments. Their stories help us to stop and savor the contributions our students are making and the opportunities for growth their experiences afford. The cover photo, taken by SPH student Elizabeth Hutchinson, captures fellow SPHer Sarah Sevcik with a baby befriended during a breast feeding informational session in a Tanzanian village. Elizabeth and Sarah are fostering child survival through a project in Karatu. About the events leading to Elizabeth’s photograph, Sarah writes, “I tried to take the child into my arms so her mother had free hands to write the lesson, but she refused to leave her mother’s back or arms. That was, until we started playing ‘catch the jump drive’ on the ground.” In this issue of Advances, we provide a glimpse into the field experiences of many of our students working locally and abroad. I hope these highlights will encourage you to join the students vicariously through their “Notes from the Field” on www.sph.umn.edu. In addition, this issue features recent SPH research and news from alumni and the school, including professor Jean Abraham’s selection to the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. Yes, we clearly enjoy more than our fair share of special moments. Yours in health,
John Finnegan Assistant Vice President for Public Health Dean and Professor
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERSHIP
Advances
Dean
Head, Division of Biostatistics
Diana Harvey
Senior Associate Dean for Research and Academic Affairs
Head, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health
Kristin Stouffer
Associate Dean for Public Health Practice Education
Head, Division of Health Policy and Management
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Head, Division of Environmental Health Sciences
Assistant Dean for External Affairs Chief Administrative Officer/ Chief Financial Officer
Dixie Berg Nicole Endres Toya Stewart
Todd Spichke Riverbrand Design
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Table of
Contents Advances
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SPH students are serving communities around the world
SUMMER 2008
this summer. Their journeys—and the lessons from their field experiences—will shape their public health practice
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Feature: Notes from the Field
for years to come.
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Research News
New blood test links damaged LDL (“bad”) cholesterol to higher risk of metabolic syndrome; job-based health premiums rose 10 times faster than incomes over five years; U.S. team helps lower risk of infections in Republic of Georgia hospitals; and more.
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Philanthropy
The Marguerite Queneau Scholarship Endowment honors a public health nutrition pioneer and supports student and faculty development.
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School News
Minnesota Health Commissioner addresses Class of 2008; Public Health Institute features global health perspective; state funds approved for research into taconite worker health.
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Alumni News
Alumnus marks five years in public health in Zambia; SPH alumnae closing health care gap for Somalis in Minnesota; time to volunteer as a 2008-2009 SPH mentor.
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Young Colo m reduce the bian children—and how to ir risk of m a of Noel M ueller and laria—are the study Maureen A fo yers Looby. cus
What influences fam ily planning in urban and rural India? Imee Cambron ero is determining ho w influences differ in the two are as.
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Feature Stor y Through assignments with a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, the students are serving communities in 11 different countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. With eyes wide open to new cultures, terrains and climates, they are testing theories and applying practices learned in the classroom. In the process, they’re discovering unforgettable lessons—maxims likely to guide their public health practice for years to come.
There, she makes daily rounds to visit AIDS orphans at home and school, making sure they are taking their medications and have adequate clothing and food. She is also creating a system to track the attendance and performance of older orphans who attend WOFAK-sponsored training in hairdressing, sewing, mechanics and other vocations.
Through blogs, photos and e-mails, many of the SPH students are regularly reporting their activities and observations— and managing to step back to distill fundamental insights from their experiences.
“You can read and study all you want, but until you hit the field, you’ll never really know what is involved in epidemiologic studies,” says Melissa Riedesel. Through their Riedesel is gathering participant reports, we are consent in Western Kenya’s invited to travel highlands for a malaria transalong as they mission research project led experience first by Chandy John, director of hand the the University’s Global challenges and Pediatrics Program. Studies opportunities of in other parts of the world public health in may lack for willing participants. communities around But Riedesel is finding the opposite. the world. “People are almost offended that “1-2-3! Swing!” Sarah Sevcik captures Elizabeth Hutchinson playing with children they have not been randomly selectin Karatu, Tanzania. ed,” she says. “One male head of household would not consent for his small children to have Sumaiya Mamdani may have left her native blood samples taken unless he was also chosen.” When Kenya as a young girl, but her homeland never not collecting consent forms, Riedesel helps “clean” and left her heart. Focusing in recent years on manage the study’s database. Plus, she’s learning another maternal and child health studies, Mamdani valuable public health skill: how to troubleshoot, whether has become passionate about helping Kenyan the problem is with the study itself or working through women and children suffering with AIDS. This periodic power outages. summer, Mamdani is living her passion through work with children orphaned or left vulnerable by parents with HIV/AIDS. Through Women Fighting AIDS in Keyna (WOFAK), Mamdani is working in Kayole, a crowded slum in eastern Nairobi where one meal a day is the typical diet.
Africa
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“Things move much slower here,” writes Elizabeth Jacobson, speaking of Zambia. “There doesn’t seem to be much of a hurry to do anything and ‘plans’ are expected to change.” In fact, Jacobson is finding that her own plans—to conduct a health needs assessment among rural Zambian women as part of her field experience with All Kids Can Learn International (AKCLI)— must be put on hold until she receives approval from the Chimbombo district medical director. And colleagues at AKCLI warn of other possible delays due to suspicion of outside researchers by government officials and the Zambian people. Meanwhile, Jacobson is building relationships to lay the groundwork for her project when it is approved. “I am really getting to experience what daily life is like for individuals living in resourcepoor regions of the world.” Scenes from life in India where six SPH students are doing field work. Photos courtesy Sudhir Kumar.
“Kudos to first-year community health education coursework for exposing me to public health theories and models so I was familiar with them in a real-world setting,” writes Elizabeth Hutchinson. Hutchinson and Sarah Sevcik are finding their “real-world setting” in Karatu, Tanzania. Their project: improving child survival, a critical need in a place where more than one in 10 children dies before age five. Working with Minnesota International Health Volunteers (MIHV), Hutchinson and Sevcik are gaining a range of experiences: Developing a pregnancy monitoring tool to help village health committees and traditional birth attendants who are ensuring care for the district’s pregnant women; creating a video on hand-washing to prevent diarrheal diseases, a major cause of childhood death; and helping build local capacity through computer software tutorials.
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Asia Traveling into remote communities with community health workers and clinicians from the Christian Fellowship Hospital in Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu, South India, Heather Oleson is conducting one-on-one interviews with women who visit the outreach clinics to assess their knowledge and attitudes toward HIV. “I’m seeing first-hand the effects poverty has on HIV/AIDS,” she says. “I hope that in some small way, the women we interview will be given a voice and will be empowered through community efforts to prevent the spread of HIV.” During her internship, Oleson is gaining deep appreciation for the work of community
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With an interest in factors that influence family planning in India, the world’s second most populous country, Imee Cambronero is dividing her internship between two very different parts of the country: Manipal, a progressive city in the southwest where she is spending time at India’s first private medical college and teaching university—and Agra, where she is working at a charity hospital in a rural area. In both cities, Cambronero is exploring the successes and challenges of assessing family planning needs and identifying ways to improve family planning services. “Being in India, I have great motivation for family planning,” says Cambronero. “I have also gained a greater respect for the other focuses in public health. On a daily basis, I cannot ignore the importance of water sanitation, waste disposal, air quality and proper nutrition.”
e Working through the nonprofit organization Compassion International, Betsy Mathews is putting her community health education to work in programs aimed at fostering child health in Kamblikandam, a village in the hills of Kerala, in southern India. “My field work allows numerous opportunities to conduct health education classes for the mothers,” she writes. In community meetings sponsored by Compassion International, Mathews is observing local mothers working together to build support groups— support that even includes giving what they could to an emergency fund for families in crisis. Mathews also is participating in home visits for everything from medical follow-up to family counseling. “The home visits are teaching me a great deal about humanity and how we are more similar than different, even though our lives are lived in such contrasting ways,” she says.
r. Photo: Sudhir Kuma
health workers in developing countries. “Community health workers are crucial to improvements within a community,” she says. “They are the front-line workers because they are trusted by the community and, without them, doctors and academics can do very little.”
A “welcome” sign in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), India.
Among other SPH students serving international communities this summer: Debby Caselton is in Zambia observing and assisting organizations that provide education, care, and basic needs to men, women, and children.
Jenny Ostergren and Emily Wang are in Agra, India, where they are developing a Web site for the Shanti Mangalick Charity Hospital and Nursing School. Wei Wang is helping determine trends in the incidence of pneumoconiosis, an occupational lung disease caused by dust inhalation, in factories in China. Sudhir Kumar is assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of poultry handlers in India in relation to avian influenza. Kelli Truszynski is examining public health nutrition challenges in rural areas of Tajikistan through an internship with Save the Children.
Elizabeth Tesdell is in the Palestinian West Bank, studying breastfeeding and early nutrition practices.
Noel Mueller and Maureen Ayers Looby are working with epidemiologists from the Universídad de Antioquía in Colombia to evaluate an intervention to reduce malaria in children under age five. Nicole Mesch is working with Fundacion CIMAS del Ecuador on a county-wide health and development census. Amy Cowell is assessing the effect of the nutrition transition (increased consumption of unhealthy foods in middle-to-low-income countries) on the food preferences and eating habits of adolescents in La Calera, a farming community in Ecuador. 5
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Europe
Amy Cowell finds kite building and flying are favorite pastimes of youth in rural Ecuador. “It's a blast,” she says.
Some 100 SPH students are gaining field experience closer to home this summer. For example: Lindsey Kubischta, with the North Dakota Department of Health, is helping develop systems that provide realtime data for decision-making during a flu pandemic. David Wilson, at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), is part of a team exploring the feasibility of statewide autism surveillance. Also at MDH, Geeta Naidu is researching dental access, health care affordability and other topics for the next legislative session. At the New York Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access, Heather Palenschat is building an online tool to help small businesses evaluate employee health insurance options. Summer Anthony is studying perceptions of the African Outreach Health Center in Brooklyn Park, Minn., as part of an effort to attract more clients. Tara Gause is developing a strategic plan to help St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City be the “best place to give care.” Lindsey Johansen is helping advance mother and child health through research for the Commonwealth Health Center in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
Go to www.sph.umn.edu/notes08 to check out the blogs of SPH students in the field. Learn more about their adventures and see photos of people they’ve met and places they’ve been. WEB EXTRA
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Matilda Essandoh-Bondzie is gaining new perspective on public health in her work with the World Health Organization (WHO) Department of Nutrition for Health and Development in Geneva, Switzerland. Her tasks—updating a global database on body mass index, reviewing literature on waist-to-hip ratio in relation to obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes and collecting anthropometric data on school-age children and adolescents—are “helping me think through all that takes place before the intervention can finally get to those who need it,” says Essandoh-Bondzie, who previously has done public health work in her native Ghana. For those in public health who are motivated by the faces of people whose lives are being improved, work at WHO can be challenging, she says. “Perhaps it is the ability to better the lives of great numbers on different continents, compared to their individual impacts in their own corner of the world, that drives them.”
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South America For epidemiology doctoral student Alicen Spaulding, an assignment in Argentina is reinforcing her determination to “use my previous work and volunteer experiences to the benefit of the people of Latin America.” Working with researchers from a number of Argentine hospitals and the University of Buenos Aires through the Latin American Clinical Research Center, she is analyzing data gathered from a cohort of HIV-positive people from Argentina and three other Latin American countries. Spaulding is learning the challenges of conducting research and working with cohort data from across four countries—and helping identify solutions. “Of course, I am enjoying using my Spanish every single day and exploring the wonderful city of Buenos Aires,” she says.
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Clockwise, from top left: With an eye on preventing avian influenza, Sudhir Kumar examines poultry operations (left) and poultry handling (right) at a live bird market stall in India. Elizabeth Hutchinson and Sarah Sevcik receive a warm welcome from a family in Karatu, Tanzania. Elizabeth Jacobson poses with local children in Zambia, where she is helping with community health education. Sumaiya Mamdani visits AIDS orphans in Kayola, outside Nairobi, Kenya.
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RESEARCH NEWS
Malt Liquor Heavily Promoted in Poor Black Neighborhoods
New Blood Test Reveals Risk for Metabolic Syndrome School of Public Health researchers have discovered that people with high levels of damaged low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad” cholesterol, are much more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, putting them at risk of heart disease and diabetes. The research team, led by SPH professor David Jacobs, made the connection with a newly developed blood test that measures subtle damage or oxidation to LDL. The researchers followed some 1,900 adults who had been in the long-running CARDIA study of cardiovascular risks. Tracking them at 15 and 20 years into the study, Jacobs’ team found that people with an average age of 40 who had the highest concentrations of oxidized LDL were three and a half times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome over five years. Findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “This discovery is especially important for prevention of heart disease since the participants were relatively young and few had any signs of it,” says Jacobs. “The study supports the notion that the disease process begins years before it manifests itself in symptoms.” Although the study did not determine what causes oxidation of LDL, Jacobs says lifestyle is key. “Smoking is one of the most common sources of oxidative stress,” he explains. “I would also recommend a healthy diet and physical activity.” The researchers plan to examine the participants again at the 25-year mark to see who developed disease and determine how lifestyle and other factors influence the process.
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It appears that living in a poor neighborhood with a high concentration of African Americans is associated with greater alcohol availability and promotion—especially of malt liquor—according to a study led by SPH associate professor Rhonda Jones-Webb. Comparing neighborhoods in 10 U.S. cities, researchers found that malt liquor beverages and their store-front advertisements are far more prevalent in poor neighborhoods with high concentrations of African Americans. Malt liquor is a particular concern because of its high alcohol content, link to aggressive behavior, and cheap price. The study found that the average 40-ounce bottle cost just $1.87—less than a gallon of milk. A major aim of the study was to investigate whether access to high-alcohol beer could be contributing to higher homicide rates in African American communities. To make this connection, the research team analyzed information on homicide rates and locations with their proximity to alcohol establishments. “Living in a low-income black neighborhood you’re not only more likely to be a victim of homicide, but have a greater exposure to ads promoting these high alcohol-content beverages, as well as greater access to them,” says Jones-Webb. Jones-Webb says her team will need to do further work to prove a link between malt beverages and higher homicide rates. In the meantime, she hopes the study will encourage new policy debate. “Policy leaders should be asking why high-alcohol content beverages such as malt liquor are highly promoted in poor and minority neighborhoods,” says Jones-Webb. “And we should consider how we can mobilize communities to implement effective policies to restrict the sale and promotion of these beverages.”
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RESEARCH NEWS
Health Premiums Continue to Outpace Earnings Employer-based health insurance premiums have increased 10 times faster than workers’ incomes in the past five years, a new report reveals. Workers with job-based coverage for their families saw earnings rise three percent from 2001 to 2005, while their health insurance premiums increased 30 percent, according to researchers at the SPH’s State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC). The report, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was released as part of the organization’s sixth annual Cover the Uninsured Week, a nonprofit, non-partisan effort to increase awareness about insurance coverage issues. Experts estimate that 47 million Americans are uninsured, of whom nine million are children. SPH assistant professor Michael Davern led the SHADAC analysis of the increase in health insurance premiums relative to income by analyzing state-level data available from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The report shows that the 30 percent rise in employee premium costs for family coverage translates to an additional average out-of-pocket expense of $664. The average American employee now pays $2,585 a year for family coverage. The authors raise concern about the affordability of insurance coverage for workers as the cost of health insurance outpaces the increases in workers' wages over time. “With this report we’ve tried to highlight for state and national leaders what families already know—that it’s getting harder and harder for Americans to pay for health insurance,” says SHADAC director and SPH associate professor Lynn Blewett. “This is just the latest evidence to illustrate the need for health care reform.” The report is available at http://www.shadac.umn.edu/img/ assets/30697/CTUW2008_Squeezed.pdf.
Hospital Isolation Rooms Fail to Meet Key Performance Standards More than two-thirds of airborne infection isolation rooms in hospitals fail to meet national safety standards related to air pressure, according to SPH researchers. By constructing them with air pressure that is lower than surrounding spaces, these rooms are supposed to ensure that air flows into the room and not out—meaning patients inside will not infect other people in the hospital. “With increased awareness of bioterrorism threats and infectious diseases like pandemic influenza, the need for these rooms to meet standards has taken on greater urgency,” says SPH assistant professor and study author Peter Raynor. The research team evaluated the performance of 678 airborne infection isolation rooms in 140 hospitals using design guidelines from the American Institute of Architects and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 32 percent of the rooms met the recommended air pressure needed to contain infectious agents. In nine percent of the cases, the rooms had higher air pressure than surrounding areas, resulting in air flowing the wrong way and into other parts of the hospital. Other findings include that only 36 percent of isolation rooms had self-closing doors and just half were ventilated at the recommended rate. The Minnesota Department of Health is using the study findings to work with hospitals in the state with the aim of improving the isolation rooms. The SPH team has launched additional studies to determine whether existing performance guidelines need to be stricter. To see an SPH Research Brief video on this WEB EXTRA project, go to www.sph.umn.edu/brief. 9
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RESEARCH NEWS
U.S. Team Helps Decrease Hospital Infections in the Republic of Georgia Online Tools to Help College Kids Quit Smoking Experts have found that smokers who quit by age 30 have a two percent risk of death from lung cancer, compared to a risk of more than 16 percent for those who continue smoking into adulthood. It was this striking statistic that heightened Xianghua Luo’s desire to join the research team of a new study aimed at helping college kids kick the habit. “I had no idea the benefit of early cessation was so great,” says the SPH assistant professor. Luo and SPH professor John Connett make up the biostatistics group of a study involving students from the Universities of Minnesota, Michigan, and Texas-El Paso. Larry An, of the Medical School, is heading up the project. Using a Facebook-like online tool, the study will deliver uniquely tailored smoking cessation messages to participants, as well as an e-mail peer support system. Web pages include discussion boards, a real-time tally of the program’s success rates, and video tips from students who have quit. The study is built on the success of RealU, a University of Minnesota-based pilot project that proved successful. The new study, known as RealU II, plans to recruit close to 1,700 students from three campuses. Analysis will examine quit attempts, 30-day abstinence rates at three and eight months, and changes in cigarette consumption. Surprisingly, there are no evidence-based cessation programs designed for college students. The research team is hoping to change that by making their online tools available to colleges and universities throughout the country. 10
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
A team of U.S. researchers has partnered with European colleagues on a project to cut down on the rate of hospitalacquired infections in the Republic of Georgia. The U.S. team includes SPH adjunct faculty members John Besser and Frank Rhame, SPH professor William Toscano, School of Nursing associate professor Carol O’Boyle, and Billie Juni, of the Minnesota Department of Health. For the three-year project, the team partnered with Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control and focused their work on Ghudushauri National Medical Center, one of country’s top hospitals. Infections analyzed included surgical site infections, blood stream infections, and urinary tract infections. The researchers conducted a hospital laboratory needs assessment, analyzed patient records for patterns of infections, and collaborated with the hospital epidemiologist and other staff to implement a hospital-wide, real-time infection surveillance system. The results proved effective. From 2006 to 2007, hospitalacquired infections at the medical center decreased by 18 percent. And of those infections, the group categorized as “unknown” (meaning type of infection) went from 19 percent to less than 1 percent. Two project guidelines about hand hygiene and infection control principles have been approved by the Ministry of Health of Georgia as national guidelines for all hospitals. The researchers hope to make the real-time surveillance system a reality in other Georgia hospitals. “One of the most promising aspects of this project is that it was successfully implemented in the national hospital,” says Toscano. “It’s a sustainable model that can be easily adapted for other hospitals.”
Photo: William Toscano
Ghudushauri National Medical Center in the Republic of Georgia
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PHILANTHROPY
Bernard Queneau and his wife Esther with some of the 33 SPH recipients of the Queneau scholarship.
Siblings Create Scholarship to Honor Sister’s Contributions to Public Health Nutrition Marguerite Queneau was never inclined to complacency. After earning her undergraduate degree in home economics at the University of Minnesota in 1925, she quickly became an internationally recognized authority in the field of public health nutrition. Within about a decade of her graduation from the University, Queneau became the first public health nutritionist for the New York State Department of Health, where she helped build the department’s reputation as a pioneer in public health nutrition. In 1941, Queneau earned a master’s degree in child development at Columbia University. Then she served overseas as a U.S. Army First Lieutenant and head dietitian for the 34th General Hospital during World War II. Upon her return to the New York Department of Health, Queneau was granted several leaves of absence that allowed her to share her knowledge around the world. She taught maternal and child nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, was a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Paris and spent a year in Rome with the United Nations Food Agricultural Organization. Though she retired—at the mandatory age of 70—she continued to learn about her chosen field. Queneau attended her last international conference on nutrition as honorary chairperson at age 85.
“She kept going, like most of the Queneaus do,” says her 96-year-old brother, Bernard Queneau, Ph.D., who earned his doctorate in metallurgy at the University in 1936. After Margot—as she was called—died in 1994, Bernie Queneau wanted to do something to honor her. “She really was quite an outstanding nutritionist,” says Bernie. “I took care of Margot near the very end, and we were very good friends. We climbed a lot of mountains together.” So Bernie talked to his siblings, and in 1995 they decided to establish a scholarship at the University’s School of Public Health in Margot’s name. Their parents had met as students at the University, and three of the six Queneau children have degrees from the University, so it was close to their hearts. “Plus, the University of Minnesota was willing to accept small blessings,” Bernie adds. But when their brother Roland Queneau died in 1997, one-third of his estate went toward the Marguerite Queneau Memorial Scholarship Endowment. The size and impact of the fund grew substantially. The endowment is now valued at more than $700,000. To date, 33 SPH students have received the Queneau scholarship, which supports research assistantships and student and faculty development in the SPH Public Health Nutrition Program. Felisha Rhodes, M.P.H., M.S.W., R.D., L.D., was the first recipient of the Queneau scholarship. She says the scholarship allowed her to resign from her part-time job and really focus on school. Today Rhodes manages the area’s Simply Good Eating program, which educates limited-resource families in the Twin Cities on “how to put healthy, clean food on the table within their budget,” she says. Rhodes, who also has spent 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserves, now holds the rank of major and serves as an Army dietitian. In the 2007–08 academic year, Kelli Truszynski was one of three students to receive a Queneau scholarship. Truszynski looks forward to working with diverse populations in maternal and child nutrition, specifically in the areas of breastfeeding and eating disorders. “I was extremely fortunate to receive the Queneau scholarship,” she says. “It allowed me to gain first-hand experience working with a research study and provided me with an opportunity to apply what I was learning in my classes to a real-life situation. My fellowship experience made my first year of graduate school that much more enjoyable and fulfilling.”
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SCHOOL NEWS Award News James Begun received the Filerman Prize from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. The prize is awarded to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of health administration education and exhibited leadership in the field. Bradley Carlin received the School of Public Health’s highest teaching honor, the Leonard M. Schuman Award for Excellence in Teaching. Carlin teaches courses in spatial biostatistics and Bayesian analysis.
Sanne Magnan speaks at SPH commencement.
Photo: Tim Rummelhoff
Minnesota’s Health Commissioner Delivers Commencement Address “In Minnesota and beyond, we desperately need you—your talents, your diversity, and your energy,” said Sanne Magnan to the School of Public Health’s class of 2008. The Minnesota Commissioner of Health shared “Ten Things to Remember” with the SPH’s 246 graduates, friends, and families at this year’s commencement ceremony, which took place at the University of Minnesota’s historic Northrop Auditorium. Magnan said it was a “sincere privilege” to return to the campus where she earned a medical degree and a doctorate. And she thanked SPH colleagues for their support in her first months as health commissioner. Gov. Tim Pawlenty appointed Magnan to her position in September 2007. In her remarks, Magnan drew on her current experiences as head of Minnesota’s leading public health agency. Prior to her time as commissioner, Magnan served in leadership positions at a nonprofit health care quality improvement organization, a county health department clinic, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Said Magnan, “I’m honored to be among such a distinguished group of public health leaders—those of you who have been in the field for many years, as well as those who are about to start or advance your careers in public health.” To hear Magnan’s commencement address, go to WEB EXTRA www.sph.umn.edu/lectures/magnan.
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Michael Davern received the John D. Thompson Prize for Young Investigators from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. The prize recognizes young investigators based on their contributions to health services research. Susan Goodwin Gerberich received the Excellence in Advising Award from the School of Public Health in recognition of extraordinary dedication to student mentoring. Gerberich, an expert in the field of injury prevention, has advised close to 80 graduate students during her career. Patricia Homyak received the Professional and Administrative Excellence Award from the School of Public Health. The award recognizes SPH staff members who have demonstrated extraordinary initiative, skill, or creativity in their work. Russell Luepker was named Science Advocate of the Year by the American Heart Association. He was recognized for 30 years as an active association volunteer and leading advocate for increased federal funding for heart disease and stroke research and prevention. Ruby Nguyen is a President’s Faculty Multicultural Research Award recipient. The award, sponsored by the University of Minnesota Office of the Vice President and Vice Provost for Equity and Diversity, is designed to support research on issues related to people of color in North America. Traci Toomey received the MADD Choice Award from the Minnesota Chapter of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving. Toomey, an expert on underage drinking issues, has served on MADD’s national board of directors for four years.
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SCHOOL NEWS SPH Public Health Institute Goes Global This year’s University of Minnesota Public Health Institute went global. From course content to visiting students from Africa, China, India, and Iceland, global outreach was key. The three-week event, now in its seventh year, attracted current students, recent graduates, and working professionals seeking to gain new insight. “Strong enrollment for new institute courses such as globalization and health, ecosystem health, and world food problems all reflect a new era of interdisciplinary collaboration to strengthen and advance global public health practice and leadership,” says Debra Olson, SPH associate dean for public health practice education and an institute founder. “Students come together from many different fields, share their experiences and unique perspectives, and focus on developing and strengthening their skills to improve the health of communities across the world,” she adds. Sharon Vegoe, SPH Global Outreach (GO) team leader and an institute coordinator, says she hopes to continue to see the institute develop as a hub of international participation and faculty exchange. “The 2008 Public Health Institute reflects a new era of interdisciplinary collaboration and global health perspectives,” says Vegoe. “Faculty from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, School of Nursing, and College of Veterinary Medicine took leadership roles in identifying new course topics and expanding their own instructor base to include international faculty colleagues.”
SPH instructor Jim Hart (right) listens to student discussions during a field trip to the Powderhorn Wellness Center for the class Culturally-Based Community Health Immersion: Focus on African American Communities.
2008 Institute At-a-Glance Courses held: 43 Number of students: 283 States represented by students and faculty: 24 Countries represented by students, faculty and guests: China, Iceland, India, Nigeria, Tanzania Faculty and guest speakers represented: –12 University of Minnesota academic units – 3 other universities –23 community, government, and private-sector organizations
Photos: Paula Keller
Graduate students from the University of Iceland, Agnes Gislasdottir (left) and Ragnhildur Gudmundsdottir visiting the institute. Earlier in the year, University of Minnesota students traveled to Reykjavik for the weeklong Global Health Institute. The global institute collaboration includes the SPH, School of Nursing, College of Veterinary Medicine, and the SPH Global Outreach team. For more information about global outreach, visit, cpheo.sph.umn.edu/go.
Students from Sun Yat-Sen University in China mingle during the institute’s opening reception at the Weisman Art Museum. The Chinese delegation of 24 participants from the executive M.B.A. program at Sun Yat-Sen spent the day touring the U of M campus before arriving at the museum. Two participants, Xie Bing (left) and Du Cong, in conversation. 13
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SCHOOL NEWS Humphrey Named to AARP Board SPH Ranks in Top 10 of Two National Education Lists Two prominent publications have ranked SPH professors and degrees in top 10 listings of national education programs. In a ranking of faculty productivity for Ph.D. programs, The Chronicle of Higher Education tracked 217,254 professors around the country. The rankings included quality and quantity of faculty publications, grants, and awards. The SPH Division of Biostatics ranked fifth, while the school’s Divisions of Epidemiology and Community Health and Environmental Health Sciences each ranked eighth. The Chronicle’s rankings did not include educational programs covered by the school’s fourth division, Health Policy and Management. In the most recent U.S. News and Word Report ranking of best graduate schools, the SPH Master of Healthcare Administration program ranked second. U.S. News collected data from more than 12,000 graduate programs for the rankings.
Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III has been appointed to the board of directors of AARP. The nonprofit group claims over 39 million members, making it one of the largest membership organizations for people age 50 and over in the United States. He is stepping down as president of AARP-Minnesota to serve on the national board. A senior fellow for the School of Public Health since 2000, Humphrey teaches the course Policy, Politics and Ethics of Public Health Decision Making. The former Minnesota attorney general is currently a consultant and member of the ACE (affiliates, consultants, and experts) panel at Tunheim Partners, a strategic communications agency. Humphrey was the first attorney general in the nation to bring an antitrust and consumer fraud lawsuit against the tobacco industry. The 1998 landmark settlement ended tobacco billboards and branded merchandise in Minnesota and imposed the first-ever injunction against marketing aimed at youth.
Abraham Appointed to President’s Council of Economic Advisors
SPH Expert Helps Create Vitality Compass SPH professor Robert Kane has helped design an algorithm that calculates how long you will live based on your lifestyle and diet. It’s called “The Vitality Compass,” and it is available online. The two-minute test asks questions regarding health and lifestyle factors. Kane developed the tool in collaboration with Dan Buettner, a bestselling author and explorer who has traveled the world to discover common traits for longevity. The Vitality Compass suggests behavior changes that can add years to your life. And it offers a coaching feature to check in with participants via e-mail, encouraging them to make better choices. Says Kane, “The goal is not just to make a change, but to stick with it.” The Vitality Compass can be found at www.bluezones.com/vitality-compass. 14
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
SPH professor Jean Abraham has been selected as one of 10 senior staff economists to serve on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA). Abraham and her fellow staff economists, as a part of the CEA, will provide the president and other government departments and agencies with the best, current academic thinking on a wide range of subjects. “This appointment will enable professor Abraham to have a lasting impact on economic policy and health care reform,” says University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks. “It is a tribute to her research, her dedication to the important issue of health policy, and to our entire School of Public Health.” Abraham’s research specialties include health economics and policy, with specific focus on health insurance access, affordability of insurance and medical care, consumer use of health care information, and quality improvement. She will serve as staff economist to the CEA for the upcoming academic year. Because the CEA functions as a nonpartisan advisory council, the appointed CEA staff members will continue to serve their term even if the political party in power changes after the presidential election.
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SCHOOL NEWS State Funds Taconite Worker Research With the stroke of his pen on April 28, Iron Range legislators approached Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty made history, University officials in the summer of signing into law landmark legislation to 2007 to take on this research, SPH dean fund a first-of-its-kind comprehensive John Finnegan pledged that the effort research project to find answers to lingering would be mindful of the needs of the questions about taconite worker health. Iron Range community and fully involve The bill was authored by Rep. Tom the community at large. To that end, he Rukavina and enjoyed near-unanimous formed the Minnesota Taconite Workers support in the legislature. Lung Health Partnership, which involves SPH associate professor Jeffrey Mandel individuals and organizations who have will serve as principal investigator on the a stake in mine worker health, including $4.9 million project, which includes geologic state agencies, unions, legislators, mining research and community air sampling, in companies, health care organizations, addition to wide-ranging occupational and more. To date, there have been health research. The SPH is partnering three meetings of the partnership to with the Medical School and the describe the research project and solicit University of Minnesota-Duluth-based community input. Natural Resources Research Institute on “We are thankful to finally have the Minnesota State Capitol the project. political will and financial means to Important forces began to coalesce on this issue in early conduct this long-overdue research,” says Finnegan. 2007 when it was discovered that mesothelioma, a rare For the latest on the research and the work of form of lung cancer triggered by exposure to asbestos, was WEB EXTRA the partnership, visit www.sph.umn.edu/lunghealth. affecting taconite miners at inordinately high rates. When
The University of Minnesota’s Pi Chapter was founded in 1985 and now has over 600 members. SPH professor William Toscano is the Pi Chapter president. The Delta Omega Society was founded in 1924 and now includes 39 chapters throughout the United States. The 2008 Pi Chapter inductees are:
Photo: Paula Keller
2008 Delta Omega, Pi Chapter inductees
SPH Inducts New Members of Delta Omega The Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health Pi Chapter recently inducted new members from three groups: faculty, alumni, and students who are graduate degree candidates. Election is based on teaching and research for faculty members, community service for alumni, and scholarship for students.
Faculty
Students
Deborah Hennrikus William Lohman Marshall McBean Peter Raynor Baolin Wu
Claire Bender Kari Bomash David Dobmeyer Dina Dobraca Abiola Fashanu Erin Galegher Tracy Glenz Amy Hemstad Xiang Li Katherine Nygaard Zhenyu Pan Elisaveta Petkov John Schousboe Karilyn Schrankler Charlotte Sortedahl
Alumni Vaughn Barry (’06 M.S.) Mona Bormet (’05 M.P.H.) Barbara Frohnert (’05 M.P.H.) Mira Grice (’02 M.P.H., ’07 Ph.D.) Rachel Hayes (’03 M.P.H.) Todd Monson (’79 M.P.H.)
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ALUMNI NEWS Class Notes Sue Abderholden (M.P.H. ’80) was named public citizen of the year by the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter. Abderholden is executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota. Ingo Angermeier (M.H.A. ’74) received an honorary Doctor of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina Upstate. Angermeier is president and CEO of the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System in South Carolina. Judy Beniak (M.P.H. ’81) has been accepted into the Doctorate of Nursing Practice program at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. She will focus on public health nursing in emergency preparedness.
Jason Paltzer checks on a water well in a Zambian village. It’s one of 60 wells his organization has built in the past four years.
SPH Alumnus: Relationships Key to Health of All Cultures Jason Paltzer’s five years in Zambia have highlighted the similarities Africa shares with other parts of the world, not the differences. “It’s hard when people think of Africa as this different beast,” he says. “It’s not.” Although diseases may differ, the health of all cultures relies on strong relationships, whether they are familial, community-based, or otherwise, says the 2003 Community Health Education graduate. Improving those relationships is the foundation of Paltzer’s work as a program director with the Lutheran Health and Development Program. With a staff of four and some 80 volunteers, the program addresses a range of issues, from nutrition to clean water to HIV patient care to literacy. Viewing health through a complex lens is something Paltzer learned during his time in the SPH, and it’s a lesson he sees play out every day in Zambia. “Physical health is so intertwined with culture and beliefs—it’s not just medical,” he says. Despite the miles, Paltzer has remained connected to the SPH. Last year, he spoke live from Zambia about his experiences at a teleconference for current SPH students. This summer he traveled to Minnesota to attend the Public Health Institute (see page 13), and when he returned to Africa, he hosted two SPH students for an international field experience. There since 2003, Paltzer, along with his wife Amanda (also a U grad), sees his work in Zambia as far from complete. And his connection to the country has moved beyond professional to personal. “I consider Zambia home now,” he says. 16
University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Jessica Bilics (M.P.H. ’08) was selected for a two-year U.S. Presidential Management Fellowship. She will serve as a public health analyst at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Evan Cole (M.P.H. ’08) received a fellowship from the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute. He will work on Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program policies for the Wisconsin Department of Family Services. Mark Enger (M.H.A. ’76) has been appointed COO for Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region in Portland, Ore. Previously, he served as practitioner associate program director for the SPH Master of Healthcare Administration program. Deb McKinley (M.P.H. ’00) has accepted a position as manager of communications and outreach for Stratis Health, a nonprofit quality improvement organization based in the Twin Cities. Melissa Nelson (Ph.D. ’08) was awarded the National Research Service Award in mental health services research. The two-year fellowship is at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers University. Kate Breiter Uslan (M.P.H. ’04) is a technical writer for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Nome Xaphakdy (M.P.H. ’08) was selected for the Executive Pathways Internship Program with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Xaphakdy will work on a cultural competency initiative for nursing homes. Lyann Yates, (M.P.H. ’02) has started work as an e-health nurse educator with First Nations and Inuit Health, a department of Health Canada. For the position, Yates has relocated to her home province of Nova Scotia. Six SPH alumni were inducted in the Delta Omega Honorary Society. See page 15 for more information.
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ALUMNI NEWS Connect with SPH Alumni What can the SPH do to support you? The SPH alumni board’s engagement committee invites alumni to share their ideas on how the school can facilitate connections among alumni, and how alumni can connect with SPH faculty, staff, and current students. The committee’s primary focus is to develop ideas that will engage alumni. Committee members are looking for ways to develop professional networking opportunities and promote events that will benefit SPH alumni. For information about ways to join the alumni engagement committee or offer ideas, contact Michelle Lian-Anderson, director of alumni relations and special events at liana001@umn.edu or 612-626-5536 or go to www.sph.umn.edu/engage.
SPH Alumnae Lead Somali Health Initiatives
Sara Rohde and Andrea Leinberger-Jabari
Photo: Paula Keller
Become a Mentor Help prepare the next generation of public health leaders and mentor a SPH student. The school is inviting alumni and other public health professionals to join the SPH mentor program for the 20082009 academic year. As members of the largest public health mentor program of its kind, SPH mentors have the opportunity to greatly expand their own network of colleagues. After completing a brief application, mentors will be matched with current SPH students based on their shared interests and skills. While mentors and students decide together how often to meet, and what activities to engage in, the average level of commitment is one to two hours per month. The school will also host mentor program events throughout the year. Apply now at www.sph.umn.edu/mentor. You can send questions to phmentor@umn.edu.
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Photo: Tim Rummelhoff
Juliet Nguyen, a 2008 master’s of healthcare administration graduate, receives a congratulatory handshake from Goldy.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States. It’s also home to an organization that is leading the way on addressing the health needs of this rapidly growing community. With the 2008 launch of the Center for Somali Health, Minnesota International Health Volunteers (MIHV) offers a variety of services to organizations that serve the state’s more than 30,000 Somalis. Founded in 1979, MIHV has operated community-based health programs throughout the world. In 2000, the nonprofit organization began to apply its global health experience to international communities in the United States. MIHV has strong connections to the SPH, employing four alumnae, one current student, and two soon-to-be students who will enroll in the school this fall. Two SPH alumnae are MIHV project coordinators who work closely with the Somali community. Andrea Leinberger-Jabari (M.P.H. ’04) oversees MIHV’s Somali health care initiative, which aims to reduce health disparities in a number of areas, including cardiovascular health, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. Leinberger-Jabari says program evaluation—a skill she learned as an SPH student— is something she relies on regularly. “It’s amazing how often I use the evaluation training,” she says. “It’s become work that I really enjoy.” Sara Rohde (M.P.H. ’06) oversees a breast cancer awareness and prevention program. The desire to close the gap on health disparities is what fuels her work. While half of MIHV’s staff are Somali, Rohde says she looks forward to involving the community even more in the organization’s efforts. “I’m excited to see Somali people coming out of the SPH,” she says. “Soon they’ll be sitting in my chair, and they’ll be able to help their community so much.”
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Upcoming Events
Next Issue:
CANCER
Join the SPH at APHA The School of Public Health will be at the American Public Health Association (APHA) 136th Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego October 25-29. You are invited to a special SPH reception that will take place near the San Diego Convention Center (pictured above), the site of the annual meeting.
SPH Alumni & Friends Reception Monday, October 27, 6:30-8 p.m. Buster’s Beach House 807 West Harbor Drive www.bustersbeachhouse.com
The SPH will participate in APHA Visit Day, an opportunity to engage prospective students with all 40 accredited schools of public health in one location. Wednesday, October 29, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. San Diego Convention Center www.asph.org/visitday
Be sure to stop by the SPH booths #531 and 533 at the APHA Public Health Exposition
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