School of Public Health Receives Grant from Pfizer for Grand Rounds. The Saint Louis University School of Public Health received a $15,000 grant from Pfizer to offer a public health grand rounds beginning September 2009. The grand rounds will encompass five areas: disease prevention, health promotion, access to healthcare, healthcare quality improvement and public health law. The School of Public Health will partner with the Saint Louis University Schools of Law and Medicine, in addition to other community partners from the greater St. Louis area, to provide useful information to community health agencies and academia on ways to put public health research into practice.
SPH Policy Expert Weighs in on Report of Uninsured in Missouri. William Kincaid, PhD, interim director of the health policy program at the School of Public Health, was quoted by the Associated Press about a report on Missourians who lack health insurance. The study by Families USA, Americans at Risk: One in Three Uninsured, was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of how many Americans were directly affected by the lack of health coverage in 2007-2008. Read the full report here.
SLU SPH Health Administration Students Recognized in National Competition. A team of students representing the Department of Health Management and Policy of Saint Louis University's School of Public Health was awarded third place in a national competition to test the knowledge and skills of future health administrators in a “real world” health care organization case scenario. The 3rd Health Administration Case Competition, hosted by the University of Alabama Birmingham's Department of Health Services Administration, was held on February 19, 2009, drawing teams of graduate students from twenty-five universities from across the country. Jennifer Keskey, Steven Meyer and Noel Pugh were the Master of Health Administration students representing SLU SPH at the competition. . . . more
School of Public Health Accredited for Full Seven Years. The Saint Louis University School of Public Health was notified on June 26, 2008, that it has received full accreditation for seven years, the maximum time for accreditation under the guidelines of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). This accreditation extends to July 1, 2015, with an interim report to be submitted in spring 2010. The interim report in 2010 will document the School of Public Health's progress in more fully developing an integrated planning and evaluation process, and in recruiting minority faculty.
Accreditation is based on the School's excellence in meeting all CEPH requirements, including highly qualified faculty in all public health disciplines, and an integrated program of teaching, research and service to generate, transmit and disseminate knowledge to improve the health of the population.
SLU School of Public Health Leads $26 Million Landmark NIH Study of Child Health. The National Children's Study, the largest study ever conducted to learn about the health and development of children, is expanding its footprint in the St. Louis area. Children from Jefferson County in Missouri and Johnson, Union and Williamson counties in southern Illinois will be among 100,000 children across the nation whom researchers will follow from before birth to age 21 to learn more about environmental and genetic influences on diseases. As the lead study site, Saint Louis University School of Public Health received a $26.3 million contract from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. . . more
CNN Documentary Features SLU School of Public Health Research. A CNN documentary that includes SLU SPH research profiles La Oroya, a small Peruvian village and home of the Doe Run Peru lead smelter, which is affiliated with the Doe Run Co. The documentary, "Planet in Peril," features the work of Fernando Serrano, a School of Public Health researcher, who led a local team to La Oroya to study the levels of lead in the blood of children. . . . more
SPH Faculty Awarded More Than $3 million in Funding for Health Disparities Research. Two School of Public Health faculty members have recently received funding for research to improve the health of African Americans in the community. Elizabeth A. Baker, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Health and Co-Director of the Doctoral Program in Public Health Studies, received a $2,898,922 grant from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities for a project titled, "Men on the Move: Growing Communities." The grant is for the time period 7/1/2008 to 6/30/2013. Thomas E. Burroughs, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Co-Director of the Doctoral Program in Public Health Studies, received a $324,077 subcontract from Indiana University for a project titled, "Physical Frailty in Urban African Americans." The grant, which is funded by the National Institute on Aging, is for the time period 4/6/2007 to 3/31/2012.
SPH Professor Gives Preparedness Advice to St. Louis Community. Greg Evans, Ph.D., Professor of Community Health and Director of the Institute for Biosecurity at the School of Public Health, was profiled in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article about preparing for a terrorist attack or other disaster. Recent events in the news have highlighted the need for individuals and workplaces to prepare for biological or other emergencies.
SPH Students Awarded National Fellowships in Epidemiology. Two students from the Department of Community Health' Class of 2008 have accepted Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Applied Epidemiology Fellowships. They are Katelin Bugler and Tiffany Marchbanks. SLU's strong representation in this competitive program, and the success of previous years' graduates, is indicative of the quality education and experience that students gain while at the School of Public Health . The CSTE Fellowship is a two year program in which participants are placed within various local and state health departments where they are assigned to two upper-level mentors and work on projects within several different concentrations (chronic disease, infectious disease, maternal and child health, etc.). The fellowship is designed to help the fellows gain skills in applied epidemiology with the hope that they will go on to become leaders in public health within departments of health at the state and local levels.
SPH Study Finds That Physician Advice to Get Vaccinated Works with Older Patients. Doctors have long known that concerns about safety and effectiveness were a barrier that kept many older adults, African Americans in particular, from getting the flu vaccine. According to Ricardo Wray, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health and principal investigator of the study, the purpose of this study was to identify specific concerns and ways to address these fears and encourage vaccination. . . . more
Institute for Biosecurity Receives $160,000 Grant for Training. Saint Louis University's Institute for Biosecurity in the School of Public Health has been awarded a one-year $160,000 grant from Meridian Medical Technologies. With the grant they will develop training materials that show emergency first responders how to administer an antidote injector that counteracts the effects of a chemical nerve agent or insecticide poisoning attack.
SPH's Heartland Center Receives Grant for Public Health Collaboration. The Heartland Center at Saint Louis University's School of Public Health has received a three-year, $171,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand and improve leadership development and collaboration opportunities for public health practitioners in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma. The new initiative will provide public health officials with access to comprehensive, life-long learning opportunities. . . . more
Research Finds More U.S. Children Taking Drugs to Treat Chronic Conditions. Researchers from the Saint Louis University Schools of Public Health and Medicine and pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts found dramatic increases in children's use of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma and depression. Findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, in Washington, D.C. . . more
School of Public Health Receives $530,000 Grant to Clean Up Lead in St. Louis City Homes. A team of researchers lead by Roger Lewis, PhD, the director of Saint Louis University 's Environmental Health Research Laboratory and an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health , is working to develop a strategic, proactive approach to removing lead from St. Louis city homes. They have received a $530,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop and pilot a strategy to help city official determine which properties should be targeted for removing lead. . . . more
SPH to Lead $26 Million Long Term Study of Children's Health. Saint Louis University School of Public Health leads a group of research institutions that has received a $26 million, five-year contract from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to carry out the National Children's Study, the largest study of child and human health ever conducted in the United States. This project will study the health of children from before birth to age 21. The study seeks information to prevent and treat some of the nation's most pressing health problems, including autism, birth defects, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. . . . more
SPH Offers Expanded 2008 Summer Graduate Program. The School of Health will be offering its 2008 summer program for both students in SPH programs and for professionals in the public and private sectors. The Summer Graduate Program at the School of Public Health provides an opportunity for students and working adults to take one or more courses in public health and biosecurity for graduate credit or for professional development. The 2008 Summer Graduate Program in public health core disciplines and biosecurity and disaster preparedness will be July 14 - August 1....more.
SPH Students Educate Community During Public Health Week 2008. In celebration of National Public Health Week, Saint Louis University School of Public Health students kicked off a campaign to raise awareness of the important role public health plays in protecting health and safeguarding the lives of St. Louis residents. The campaign, which will run April 7-11, will focus on childhood obesity prevention, asthma education and the environment. . . . more
School of Public Health to Partner with Washington University on $50 Million Translational Research Grant
The School of Public Health is part of a new institute created as part of a national effort to translate basic science discoveries into treatments and cures for patients more quickly. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will lead a regional group of institutions under a new $50 million, five-year NIH grant program that will greatly enhance clinical and translational research. The Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) created by the grant is a collaboration among several regional institutions including Washington University; Saint Louis University School of Public Health, Doisy College of Health Sciences and Center for HealthCare Ethics; BJC HealthCare; the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Nursing; Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing; St. Louis College of Pharmacy and others. . . . more
SLU Study Is First to Examine Role of Fathers in Deflecting Problem Behavior. Children whose mothers are depressed are less likely to develop problem behaviors if their fathers are actively engaged in family life, a Saint Louis University researcher finds. Jen Jen Chang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Community Health in Epidemiology at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health and principal investigator, published the results of the 10-year, population-based study in the July issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. . . . more
SPH Professor Recognized As One of Area's "Health Care Heroes." Dr. Timothy McBride, Professor of Health Management and Policy at the School of Public Health, was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal as one of its 2007 Health Care Heroes for his work in public policy. Dr. McBride is also Director of the Division of Health Policy and one of the foremost authorities on the impact of health policy issues on Missourians and on residents of rural areas across the nation. . . . more
SPH Doctoral Students Take Home Top Honors at CDC Conference. Two SPH doctoral students, Katherine Eddens, MPH and Kassandra Alcaraz, MPH, received top honors at the 2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cancer Conference held last month in Atlanta, Ga. They were recognized for poster presentations of their research. The awards were sponsored by CDC and the Association of Schools of Public Health, and each included a $500 prize. Of three first prizes awarded during the four-day meeting, two were won by Alcaraz and Eddens. . . . more
SPH Student Research Presented at ASTHO National Conference. Saint Louis University School of Public Health students presented research at the first-ever student poster session at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) conference on Oct. 3-5 in St. Louis. One student will be recognized for submitting the best poster, which carries a cash prize of $150. This is the first year that ASTHO has created a special event to include students from a school of public health located in the city of its annual conference. . . . more
Smoking, Depression Are Genetically Connected, SLU SPH Researcher Finds. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) School of Public Health Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Qiang John Fu, M.D., Ph.D. has found that a person's risk of developing major depression and nicotine addiction are linked by genes. "Some people with a history of depression may become smokers as a way of self-medicating," said Dr. Fu. "Some people who are smokers might become depressed when they try to give up cigarettes and can't." . . . . more
Institute for Biosecurity Has Successfull Rollout of Inaugural Summer Institute. The Institute for Biosecurity, a research and education center within the SLU School of Public Health, has just successfully completed its first-ever intensive on-site courses within its Masters program in Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness. During the week of July 30, the Institute offered “Global Terrorism in the 21st Century.” That was followed the next week with “Bioterrorism and Emerging Infectious Diseases.” These courses are the first on-site courses offered in the Institute's distance-based Master's degree program, allowing students to complete 6 hours toward their degree requirements in the span of just two weeks. . . . more
SLU SPH Researcher Lends Expertise at Industrial Hygiene Conference. Dr. Anu Dixit, Assitant Professor of Community Health in Environmental and Ocucpational Health, recently organized a roundtable on "Sucessful Mold Remediation: Challenges and Barriers" at the 2007 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition held in Philadelphia, PA. This rountable involved presentations by the leading experts in mold remediation field and it was attended by more than 200 conference attendees. Click here for more information about AIHA and mold remediation.
SLU SPH Alumna Wins Poster Competetion at National Meeting. On August 14, 2007 Kate Eddens (MPH 2007) presented Screen for Life: A collaboration using targeted health messages to increase participation in a state colorectal cancer screening program at the 2007 CDC Cancer Conference: Meeting Future Challenges in Atlanta, GA. Ms. Eddens won the ASPH student poster competition for her section, Building Partnerships.
SPH Researchers Study Impact of New Town Community on Fitness. Researchers at the SLU School of Public Health aim to determine whether neighborhoods designed for walking and biking actually lead residents to adopt a more active lifestyle. The New Town at St. Charles will act as a guinea pig. The study is one of the first studies conducted in the United States to date. The SHIFT project (Study of Health in Families in Transition to New Town) will be conducted over a three-year period, including around 360 New Town residents. . . . more
MPH Alumna Wins Award as New Investigator. Angela Recktenwald (MPH 2004) was selected by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) to receive the 2007 New Investigator Award for her abstract, “ Publication No: 240 - Attributable Cost During Index Hospitalization of Deep Chest Surgical Site Infection Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG),” which has been accepted for presentation at the APIC 2007 Annual Conference in San Jose, California. . . . more
School of Public Health Graduate Wins Award for Publication. Katherine Eddens, MPH 2007, was awarded $1000 by the journal, Cases in Public Health Communication & Marketing, for the best case focused on the well-being of older adults. The case appeared in the inaugural edition of the journal, which is published by the School of Public Health and Health Services at The George Washington University. . . . more
Home Gardening Fosters Good Eating Habits in Children, SLU SPH Researchers Find. U.S. children served homegrown fruits and vegetables are more likely to eat more than those who seldom get farm-fresh produce, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. "It was a simple, clear finding," study author Debra Haire-Joshu, director of Saint Louis University's Obesity Prevention Center, said in a statement. "Whether a food is homegrown makes a difference. Garden produce creates what we call a 'positive food environment." Read the journal abstract here .
School of Public Health Programs Among the Best in U.S. News Rankings. The master's degree in Health Administration at the SLU School of Public Health has been climbing in reputation in recent years, and is ranked No. 12 this year in the U.S. News and World Report rankings in its "Best Graduate Schools 2008" issue. "We are delighted at the high rating for the master in health administration program," said Connie Evashwick, Sc.D., dean of the School of Public Health. "The faculty have worked extremely hard to merit this high rating, and it is well deserved." In the same issue, SLU's School of Public Health is ranked No. 21 overall, also an improvement from its previous ranking. . . . more
SPH Researchers Receive $5,832,379 in Grants and Contracts. School of Public Health researchers have had remarkable success in being awarded a number of grants and contracts in recent months. The research ranges from chronic disease prevention to control of environmental exposures and public health workforce training. . . . more
SPH Students' Research Wins Acclaim at SLU GSA Research Symposium. Eleven graduate students from the School of Public Health were chosen to participate in the 13th Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium held on Friday, March 30, at SLU's Busch Student Center. Three of these students' presentations were selected as prize winners. Rebecca Bryan and Mary Homan were chosen for Second Place honors and Daniel Morris was awarded a Third Place prize. See the names of all student participants and the names of the prize winning research papers here.
SPH Associate Professor Appointed to Editorial Board of Leading Journal. Kanak Gautam, PhD, Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy, has been appointed to the Editorial Board of Health Care Management Review, a leading, peer-reviewed journal that addresses important issues in health services management and practice and provides the latest developments in the health care field. Dr. Gautam's appointment to the prestigious Editorial Board is for three years and is renewable.
SPH Health Policy Student Wins Fellowship. Tanchica Terry, a student in the MPH in Health Policy program at Saint Louis University School of Public Health, has been selected as one of the two 2007-2008 David A. Winston Health Policy Fellows. The Fellowship, sponsored by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), is designed to give the Fellows a yearlong, post-graduate opportunity to learn about health policy development in Washington, D.C. . . . more
Program to Promote Good Nutrition and Fitness for Young Mothers. With funding from the National Cancer Institute, the Parents As Teachers (PAT) National Center and Saint Louis University School of Public Health have rolled out a pilot program in Jefferson City, MO to help postpartum adolescents develop healthy nutrition and fitness habits. Called Moms 4 Healthy Balance, the program provides information and support to promote healthy choices. Researchers will track the results of the program over the next five years. If successful, it could be implemented nation-wide. . . more
MPH Student Receives APHA Award. MPH student, Corrie Joshu, was selected as the first place award recipient of the Student Poster Award Contest of the Environmental Section of the APHA. The title of the poster is "Examination of the built environment and obesity across levels of urbanization in the United States". Corrie and others examined the influence of personal and neighborhood barriers, as well as county sprawl, on obesity. They also looked at how personal and neighborhood barriers impact obesity differently across different levels of urbanization. Click here for the link to the full abstract. . . . more
SPH Professor Weighs In on Urban Sprawl and Obesity. Ross Brownson, PhD, was recently quoted in an issue of Science News that explored the relationship between growing urban outlines and obesity and whether the evidence could suggest a smarter way to build urban areas in the future. . . . more
Announcing The Commitment. The newsletter for the Department of Health Management and Policy - click here to view online.
SPH Alumnus Chosen for Board. MPH Alumnus and SPH employee, Christopher Smith, was selected to be a member of the Board of Directors of the Black Caucus of Health Workers of the American Public Health Association. He will serve a two-year, member-at-large position on the board.
Tobacco Prevention News. Two members of the SPH Community, Pat Lindsey (Tobacco Free Missouri) and Doug Luke, Ph.D. (Center for Tobacco Policy Research) were quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the sale of single cigarettes.
Factors for a "Healthy Community" Identified. Is your town a healthy town? Researchers at Saint Louis University say they've identified certain characteristics that encourage both physical activity and aesthetic satisfaction in a community environment. On of the lead researchers, Laura Brennan Ramirez, an adjunct assistant professor of community health at Saint Louis University School of Public health, said in a news release, "We haven't really designed our communities well for older adults, particularly once they get to the point that they can't drive." .... more
Heather McCollum, first year MHA/JD student, was part of the winning team at the 15th annual Health Law Mood Court Competition. She and her partner a current 3rd year law student, successfully competed against 31 other teams from 21 schools with impressive records of oral advocacy such as South Texas, University of Houston, Michigan State, Hamline University and others. Heather and Brent won 1st place overall as well as 1st place for best brief (so 1st place in writing and oral advocacy). . . . more
Briana Jegier, a doctoral student in health management and policy, won a one-year health services research dissertation grant (R36) from the Agency Health Research Quality (AHRQ). These highly-competitive national awards are given out to only a few health services doctoral candidates nationally each year (fewer than 10) and will fund the time, travel, and research expenses for the candidate's work on their dissertation for an amount up to $35,000. Using primary data collected at several hospitals across the U.S., Briana will study the costs and cost-effectiveness of breast-feeding for mothers especially those with infants with very low birth weights.
