I hope the semester is off to a great start for all of you! We’re focusing this month’s
Scarletter
Musing on urban public health and our upcoming conference
, “
Topics in Urban Public Health: New Findings and Approaches
,” which will take place on October 18, 2018 at the Robeson Student Center in Newark, NJ. The Conference will bring together researchers, community based organizations, policy makers, advocates, students, and community members to foster conversations on some of the most important health issues facing urban areas in New Jersey.
The conversation will examine many of the most salient issues facing urban areas today including whether marijuana legalization is likely to be a public health advance or a setback, violence—both interpersonal and in the community, maternal-child health, the effects of current U.S. immigration policy on child and family health, the role of youth, and innovative interventions. Speakers include
Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver
,
New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner
Shereef Elnahal
,
New York Times reporter
Linda Villarosa
, and
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice President and CEO, Ryan Haygood
, and colleagues who have conducted important research, influenced policy, and improved programs and services across the country. Our speakers will be part of dynamic panel discussions, which will have opportunities for conference participants to interact with one another about these issues. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with all of the panelists and facilitators and can assure you that it will be a thought provoking and meaningful day.
“Topics in Urban Public Health: New Findings and Approaches” is defined by the three pillars of our School - scholarship, education, and community engagement, which inform our commitment to “keeping the public in public health.” This day intends to continue the conversation between researchers, educators, advocates, activists, members of industry, politicians, journalists, and community leaders, because we know that no one group can solve the urban public health challenges communities face in Newark, our state, country, and world.
If you are interested in getting a greater sense of some of the content, please visit our
event page
and checkout the speaker highlights below:
- Linda Villarosa’s cover story in the New York Times magazine on Black women’s maternal health here.
- Coverage of Jeff Fagan’s work on disparate marijuana arrest rates between African American and White neighborhoods here.
- And an overview of Charles Branas’s work on a public health approach to gun violence here.
I look forward to seeing you on the 18th.
Sincerely,
Leslie M. Kantor, PhD, MPH
Professor and Chair
Department of Urban-Global Public Health
Director, Urban Public Health Concentration
Director, Maternal Child Health Certificate
Rutgers School of Public Health
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"Keeping the Public in Public Health"
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Review of Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
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Qiana L. Brown, PhD, MPH, LCSW
, Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health has co-authored an epidemiological, developmental, and clinical overview of cannabis use during pregnancy. Although studies on the short- and long-term consequences of prenatal cannabis exposure are increasing, findings have been inconsistent or difficult to interpret due to methodological issues.
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Michael K. Gusmano, PhD,
Associate Professor and Director of the Health Systems and Policy concentration and
Irina Grafova, PhD
, Assistant Professor, examine financing long-term care in a recent article. They suggest creating a comprehensive, mandatory social insurance program similar to social security to meet the needs of an aging population and to avoid the negative consequences of relying heavily on family caregivers and Medicaid for long-term care.
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Chat/Text Improving How Teens Access Sexual Health Info.
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Leslie Kantor, PhD, Chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health has co-authored a study on Planned Parenthood's
Chat/Text program, which allows teens to chat with health educators in real-time and improves access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. Chat/Text is the largest service of its kind, with users from all 50 states and more than one million conversations held since it started in 2010.
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Intoxication in Sexual Minority Men
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Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH
, Dean, Professor, and Director of the Center for Health Identity
Behavior & Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), along with his current PhD student, Caleb LoSchiavo, and former MPH student, Annie Ristuccia, have published a paper on the use of alcohol to intoxication in racially, ethically, and economically diverse sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in New York City.
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Factors in Global Occupational & Environmental Health Training
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Mitchel Rosen, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Center for Public Health Workforce, has co-authored a study on key factors that make global occupational and environmental health training successful. Factors include: making environmental and occupational safety training/ education a priority in public health and medical curricula and increasing training accessibility.
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How Statistics Saves Lives
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Jason Roy, PhD
, Chair of the Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, along with colleagues, weighs-in on how statistics can save lives by arguing that data connecting specific types of infrastructure failures with mortality patterns from Hurricane Maria and other past storms could be analyzed to identify preventive actions.
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What Does Science Tell Us About Sex Ed?
Leslie Kantor, PhD, Chair of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health weighs in on the science behind successful sex ed. programming.
"At the end of the day, what young people need is the interpersonal skills to negotiate and communicate and to refuse. And to teach that, you’re going to spend an awful lot of time role-playing and not a lot of time labeling body parts."
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Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, Dean and Director of the Center for Health Identity Behavior & Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), examines meth use and harassment in latest op-eds.
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Ongoing Meth Crisis: Dean Halkitis examines a
ddiction in America beyond opioids, focusing on
how crystal meth continues to ravage minority communities in a new oped with the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Sexual Harassment: Dean Halkitis examines sexual harassment of and by the LGBTQ community, focusing on how sexual misconduct has gone unchecked in a new oped with
The Good Men Project.
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Student
Blog: Mental Illness & Urban Health
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Imagine traveling down the interstate, visiting your local corner store or walking downtown in your city. You see a bizarre and disheveled individual mumbling to self and lacking self-nourishment. Your first thought becomes that this person is unkempt and crazy – so you keep your distance and give them a disgusted look of pity. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1-in-5 adults experience mental illness in a given year and 1-in-25 adults experience a mental illness that interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Throughout my experience working in the field of mental illness, approximately a quarter of the population have suffered trauma, abuse, loss of job or attempted to end their life – contributing to homelessness, poverty and co-morbidities of health conditions.
Currently, I am a student in the MPH program with a focus on urban health and classes such as health disparities educated me on how certain populations are affected by the very environment they reside in. In the mental health world, individuals suffer from severe and persistent disorders such as Schizophrenia, Polysubstance Use, Mood Disorder and Bipolar I Disorder to name a few. In this blog, I plan to address barriers to healthcare, co-morbidities, mistreatment in the healthcare field and stigma.
Whether you are diagnosed with schizophrenia or depression, a stigma is placed on you by society and you earn a label of “crazy” or “lunatic”. In urban health, individuals experience a variety of health issues due to environmental factors without proper follow-up, insurance issues and sometimes are prescribed up to 10 medications. It is not that this population of individuals do not want to follow-up, but most are unable to care for themselves; therefore making it very difficult to maintain compliance with treatment prescribed by a provider. The next issue becomes insurance and authorization for treatment. Our great nation has adopted a social-based healthcare system, similar to Canada and Europe, whereas individuals pay through their taxes while the government manages healthcare and individuals are not expected to be billed for hospital to medical services. Unfortunately, this adopted, flawed model exists to co-exist and patients are left with high priced bills unable to be paid. Aside from high-priced bills, most of the population is unable to work and rely on Social Security Income/Disability to manage their rent, food and other subsidies.
On the contrary, mental illness has another side – a positive face. Be it your local supermarket’s cashier or CEO of a Forbes 500 company, these individuals can contribute to society in a meaningful manner and live a so-called ‘normal’ life. So how do we better help those in our communities suffering from mental illness? One way is to treat these individuals like human beings with respect and dignity. Secondly, we can provide compassion-care and take a person-centered approach when treating these individuals in our hospitals, clinics and urgent care facilities. Please visit
www.nami.org
to learn more about mental illness, how you can help those in your community and what resources are available to you, a family member or stranger you see along the way. Together, one-by-one, we can join the fight against stigma and promote healthy living recovery for those suffering from mental illness.
Author: Nneka Jane Nwaogwugwu
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World Mental Health Day
is on October 10, 2018. The day raises
awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizes efforts in support of mental health.
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October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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Study of Breast Cancer Subtype among New Jersey Women Shows Disparities by Age, Race, and Hispanic-Origin
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When it comes to breast cancer subtype in the Garden State, researchers from Rutgers School of Public Health and the New Jersey State Cancer Registry find that non-Hispanic black women and women between the ages of 20 to 39 have higher rates of triple-negative disease than females aged 50 to 64 and those of other races and ethnicities.
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Rutgers Faculty Receives NJPHA's Highest Honor:
William Halperin, MD, DrPH, MPH
, Professor of epidemiology, has been awarded the 2018 New Jersey Public Health Association (NJPHA) Dennis J. Sullivan Award for his outstanding advocacy, leadership, service, and research to the health of New Jersey residents through his pedagogical, research, and service activities.
Learn More.
MD/PhD Student Receives NIH Fellowship:
Adrienne Viola, MPH
, an MD/PhD student with the Rutgers School of Public Health and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has received a National Institute of Health Fellowship. The fellowship, awarded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, will support Ms. Viola’s research, “The Feasibility of a Medical Student Mentoring Program to Improve Transition of Care Among Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease.”
Learn More
Rutgers Doctoral Candidate Receives NJPHA Award for Research:
Kristen Karuse, PhD Candidate, has been awarded the New Jersey
Public Health Association (NJPHA) Dr. Ronald Altman Award for her outstanding research with and for the LGBTQ community.
Doctoral Student Receives AAPA-PAEA Grant:
Ryan White, a doctoral student in Health Systems and Policy, has been awarded a research fellowship from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) – Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA). The fellowship will support his dissertation and provide a grant covering 20 percent of his base salary up to $25,000.
Learn More
PHocs Receives Honorable Mention from Delta Omega:
PHocus Summer Experience for High School Students (Public Health: Outbreaks, Communities, and Urban Studies) has received an Honorable Mention for the 2018 Delta Omega Award for Innovative Public Health Curriculum.
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Meet
Sarah Kelly
, MPH’09
! Sarah received her
BA in Women’s and Gender Studies from Rutgers 2004
and her
MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health/Health Systems and Policy 2009
.
Currently,
Sarah is the Graduate Practicum Director for the
Rutgers School of Public Health New Brunswick
location. In this role, she supervises approximately 100 students who are completing their graduate practicum projects. She takes great professional pride in knowing that she is helping the next generation of public health students become public health practitioners and advocates. Sarah helps students find appropriate placements, maintains relationships with placement sites, edits student deliverables, and interacts with faculty advisers to address questions or concerns.
After graduating from the Rutgers School of Public Health, Sarah worked for the Occupational Health and Safety Program for New Jersey high school students. The program is designed to ensure that teachers in vocational programs know how to keep their students, many of whom have special needs, safe at off-campus job sites. One of her roles was supervising student interns. Sarah realized that she was energized by mentoring and providing guidance to students in a setting where their work had a meaningful impact. She found it incredibly rewarding to support their work and watching them grow professionally. “When I became the Rutgers School of Public Health Graduate Practicum Director, I was excited to have my entire job focus on supporting and working with graduate students,” comments Sarah.
On her time as a student at the Rutgers School of Public Health, Sarah reflects, “
I worked full time and went to class at night. I was very focused on getting my degree and finding a job in public health.
The School was very different from when I attended -
there are so many more opportunities for students to be engaged with the
S
chool, the faculty and staff
!”
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October 4, 2018
5:00AM-6:00PM
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Careers: U.S. Health & Human Services - Office of Eval. & Inspections
Learn about careers, internships and the work that the U.S. Health & Human Services - Office of Eval. & Inspections does. Info session (with pizza) will be held in Piscataway (room 3A/B) and in Newark (744) from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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October 18
8:00AM - 4:30PM
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Topics in Urban Public Health: New Findings & Approaches
Join the Rutgers School of Public Health as it brings
together researchers, community based organizations, policy makers, advocates, students, and community members to foster conversations on some of the most important health issues facing urban areas in NJ.
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Global Course Opportunities (Newark)
Interested in taking a course with the School of Public Health in Greece, Italy, or Africa this summer? Come meet with the coordinating staff about these opportunities and the developments for more global programs in the future.
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October 24
5:00PM - 6:00PM
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Global Course Opportunities
(New Brunswick)
Interested in taking a course with the School of Public Health in Greece, Italy, or Africa this summer? Come meet with the coordinating staff about these opportunities and the developments for more global programs in the future.
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Perry's Power Hour
(Newark)
Join Dean Perry N. Halkitis for “Perry’s Power Hour” in Newark to chat about your experiences at the School and learn about new and exciting events and initiatives!
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October 26
8:00AM - 4:30PM
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Public Health & Our Ports: The Road to Clean Air
Join the Rutgers School of Public Health and Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease as they examine the $80 billion NY/NJ port industry and its impact on health.
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November 5
12:00PM - 2:00PM
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Resistance: The Film
Antibiotics have profoundly impacted everything from healthcare to agriculture to war. Now, these miracle drugs are failing. How did this happen? Join us for Resistance: The Film and a moderated discussion.
Details
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November 15, 2018
5:00PM - 6:00PM
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Perry's Power Hour
(New Brunswick)
Join Dean Perry N. Halkitis for “Perry’s Power Hour” in Newark to chat about your experiences at the School and learn about new and exciting events and initiatives!
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APHA Annual Meeting: Catch Us in San Diego
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The Rutgers School of Public Health will be at the annual APHA Meeting & Expo in San Diego, CA, from November 10 - 14, 2018.
Join us for our annual APHA Reception on
Sunday, November 11, 2018.
We look forward to seeing our faculty, students, alumni, valued partners, and friends in San Diego, CA.
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Annual APHA Reception: San Diego, CA
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LOCATION
Hilton San Diego Bay Front (One Park Blvd. Sapphire Room 400A, San Diego, CA)
DATE AND TIME
11/11/18
6:30pm -
11/11/18
8:30pm
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Meet the Student Government Association
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Deandrah Cameron
President
MPH – Health Systems & Policy
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Kimberly Pierre
Vice President
MPH – Urban Public Health
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Chelsea Gray
Secretary
MPH – Urban Public Health
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Rosemary Jolly
Treasurer
MPH – Global Public Health
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Whitney Garay
Newark Liaison
Dual Degree with SGS, MPH – Epidemiology
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Abha Chaudhary
New Brunswick Liaison
Articulated Program, MPH – Social & Behavioral Health Sciences
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Getting Social @RutgersSPH
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Follow and interact with the Rutgers School of Public Health (@RutgersSPH) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Tag us in your posts and show us how you're "keeping the public in public health," for a chance to be featured on our social media accounts and in t
he
Scarletter
.
Follow and interact with Dean Perry N. Halkitis (@DrPNHalkitis) on Twitter and Instagram.
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Have an idea for an editorial?
Do you want to tell your story?
Did you just win an award?
Have a cool job in public health?
Did you just publish?
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Donating to the Rutgers School of Public Health supports scholarships for students to be engaged in discovery-based learning through research and practice activities working with populations who experiencing health disparities here in New Jersey, in our country, and globally. By giving, you are helping us further our mission – we thank you. To donate, follow the URL and type “School of Public Health” in the search box.
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Rutgers School of Public Health
Rutgers School of Public Health
683 Hoes Lane West
Piscataway, NJ 08854
732-235-9700
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