Ohio State's College of Public Health Magazine

Global Significance. Local Impact.

OHIO STATE’S

WINTER 2015

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

IN THIS ISSUE

The World in Our Backyard Students Set Research Sights in Appalachia Health Impact Assessment

Mulls Over Housing Inspection Practice

Ebola from the Front Lines

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The Ohio State University College of Public Health

TABLE OF CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

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COVER STORY The World in Our Backyard Students Set Research Sights in Appalachia

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F E AT U R E S Smooth Operators Health Impact Assessment Mulls over Housing Inspection Practices Study: Even Without Kids, Couples Eat Frequent Family Meals Air Pollution in Poverty-Stricken Areas Poses Major Health Threat NEWS Ohio State Student Works to Reduce HPV and Cervical Cancer in Malawi How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation?

Ebola From The Front Lines Boren Fellow from Ohio State Spends a Year in Rio With Honors Faculty Tenure and Promotions, Awards 2014 Orientation Class Facts Columbus Public Health Farmer’s Market Class Events and News Scholarship Support 10 Ways to be an Engaged Alumni

STAY CONNECTED

Editorial Staff Tessie Pollock, Director of External Relations Colleen Herr, Communications Coordinator Jerica Stewart, Communications Student Intern Emily Caldwell, University Communications Bri Loesch, University Communications Design K2Studios, LLC, Lisa Klancher

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Photo Credits All photos are credited to University Page 3: Roy Luck/Flickr.com Page 4: Pat Jarrett/Flickr.com Administration William J. Martin II, MD Dean of the College of Public Health Michael Bisesi Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Christopher Weghorst Associate Dean for Research Ann Florentine Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration Qinghua Sun Assistant Dean for Global Public Health Division Chairs Haikady Nagaraja Biostatistics Michael Bisesi (Interim), Environmental Health Sciences Mary Ellen Wewers (Interim), Epidemiology Phyllis Pirie Health Behavior and Health Promotion Thomas Wickizer Health Services Management and Policy

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Message

from the Dean

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Front and Putnam Streets, Downtown Marietta, Ohio

n years past, infectious diseases dominated the burden of disease in the U.S. and globally. Today, the vast majority of deaths and disabilities relate to the burden of chronic disease, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic lung diseases (COPD and asthma), cancer, diabetes and mental illness.

The Ohio Department of Health has identified infant mortality prevention, tobacco cessation, obesity prevention and the expansion of coordinated health care as top priorities. We support these priorities, because the burden of disease is great in Ohio.Our faculty, staff and students seek creative new solutions that promote health and prevent disease and disability for all of Ohio. We are working to increase our capacity to develop the programs that will address the important public health problems in Ohio and around the world.

Our faculty, staff and students seek creative new solutions that promote health and prevent disease and disability for all of Ohio. We are working to increase our capacity to develop the programs that will address the important public health problems in Ohio and around the world.

Surprisingly, Ohio has some of the most challenging public health problems in the nation. For example, we rank 46th of 50 states in infant mortality. We also have high rates of smoking, obesity and cancer.

And yet these major public health problems in Ohio pale in comparison to the burden of disease in low income countries. We need partners at Ohio State and in the community for all of us to improve public health in Ohio and beyond. How does a small college take on such big problems? Our answer is to catalyze all of The Ohio State University to do public health. As the saying goes, “it takes a village” to solve complex problems.

A key step in achieving this goal will be to build interdisciplinary capacity in public health by collaboration through existing and new relationships with other units throughout the University and within the community. The college’s work taking place in southeast Ohio is outstanding. We are working with the community, listening to the residents themselves as they identify the needs and challenges, but are then taking that information and coupling it with science to create effective interventions.

Looking to the future, we hope to serve our local community, the residents of Ohio and people around the world who are most vulnerable to disease and need our help most urgently. We will be there as partners in the community from Ohio to Malawi.

Please join us in these efforts by being a public health advocate in your community; supporting our students and research through scholarships; and by keeping in touch through college events. As a team we can display our Buckeye pride by making a local and global impact on public health.

Sincerely,

William J. Martin II, MD Dean and Professor College of Public Health 1

The World in Our Backyard How research and service in Appalachia translates into underrepresented and underserved populations across the globe

by Tessie Pollock

With rolling hills, flowing rivers and winding roads, Ohio’s Appalachian area provides some of the most scenic settings of the state. But that geography and socioeconomic landscape becomes a challenge when it comes to health and wellness in these 32 Ohio counties.

“People in this region suffer a disproportionate disease burden because of where they live, including less access to healthy foods, lower socioeconomic status, transportation barriers and increased stress,” noted Electra Paskett, a professor of epidemiology at CPH, who serves as the Associate Director for Population Sciences at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Ohio State.

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In Appalachian Ohio, poor health determinants are significantly impacting health outcomes. Increasing rates of smoking, frequent smokeless tobacco use, lower consumption of fruits and vegetables and low physical activity rates translate into higher incidence of premature births, cancer and other chronic diseases.

Ohio’s Appalachian area spans 32 of the state’s 88 counties, covering the region from Ohio’s southwest corner all the way up to its northeast corner, following the Ohio River.

Increase in Appalachia Cancer Incidents Compared to Other Ohio Counties** **Appalachia Community Cancer Network, The Cancer Burden in Appalachia, 2009

“The cancer burden is significant among the residents of this geographic region,” said Mira Katz, a professor of health behavior and health promotion at CPH. “There are many factors that contribute to the increase in cancer rates, including risky health behaviors and fewer people using preventive healthcare services.”

“In addition, a significant portion of the population does not identify themselves as being Appalachian. They think the term has significant negative stereotypes. Many of the Ohio Appalachian residents that we have interviewed refer to themselves as Ohioans,” Katz said.

Drs. Katz and Paskett have worked together using community-engaged research strategies to develop and test interventions to increase cancer screening rates throughout Ohio’s Appalachian region to address the increased cancer mortality rates.

The other missing piece of the puzzle? Access to healthcare.

Amy Ferketich, a professor of epidemiology at CPH, focuses on behavior health interventions for Medicaid populations.

She says there is a clear lack of providers in Appalachia.

“Medicaid providers in general are hard to find in Ohio, and in Appalachia, it’s even more difficult because there are not providers in every county who are willing to take new patients.

There’s not even a hospital in every county,” said Ferketich.

“It’s extremely difficult for them to find a dentist who will take Medicaid. Often they’ll have to travel two counties to find a dentist who will see them. So access issues are tough, even if you have insurance-- and good insurance-- it can be difficult to find a provider.”

Despite the greater burden and lack of resources, Appalachian populations aren’t often selected for national intervention programs.

“When we think about disparity, we generally in this country think about racial and ethnic differences,” said Mary Ellen Wewers whose research specialty is tobacco cessation with special interests in underserved populations. “The Appalachian population is 95 percent white, but there is a lot of economic distress and burden and a lack of structural resources available. Unfortunately, Appalachians are often overlooked in a lot of initiatives.”

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Health Risk and Outcomes in Appalacchia vs. All Ohio Overweight*

Community Engaged Research So how can you implement effective interventions into communities that often times are not aware of the challenges but often feel the impact?

By using a collaborative research approach, referred to as communityengaged research.

Ohio 34.7%

“Engaging community partners in our research strengthens the relevance of the research by making the developed interventions more culturally appropriate. Over time, this collaborative approach builds trust and a longterm partnership is formed that is able to focus on emerging health issues,” said Katz.

Rates of premature birth per 1000 live births by region*** Metropolitan 91.9 Rural 79.4 Suburban 75.9

No physical activity in the last month* Ohio 28.5%

Consumed fruit less than once per day*

Giving Back “The advantage of doing community-engaged research is that there are communities all over the country that want to have a voice in the research that’s being done in their neighborhood. And that can apply to any population. There are things that people care deeply about and want to be involved in when setting the research agenda,” Wewers observed.

“We have heard stories that academic researchers have arrived in a community, completed their research, and never provide study results back to the community members. This type of behavior makes it more difficult to conduct research with certain communities. To avoid this problem, we participate in community forums to provide study results to the community and many of our community members attend an annual research seminar that Electra Paskett organizes and sponsors,” said Katz.

Ohio 41.6%

Rate of maternal smoking per 1000 live births*** Metropolitan 219 Rural 284 Suburban 245

Another issue that community members raise is that they do not want to be in the control arm of a study. To address this concern, in a recent Ohio State study to improve colon cancer screening rates, the control counties were provided with an intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption.

“We try to address the concern of the community, and when we know if an intervention is effective, then we disseminate the intervention to other Appalachian communities,” added Katz.

Partnerships Continue

Smoking Prevalence*

Smokeless Tobacco Use*

Ohio 23.4%

Ohio 4.2%

*2013 Ohio Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Ohio Department of Health **Appalachia Community Cancer Network, The Cancer Burden in Appalachia, 2009 *** Preterm Birth in Appalachian Ohio, An evaluation of the role of smoking during pregnancy for births 2006-2011 4

As the State of Ohio continues its work in Appalachia, trying to address underlying problems like jobs and economic distress, the College of Public Health will continue to work on successful interventions. Plans are in place to turn small pilot programs and interventions into larger, multi-faceted research projects.

One piece of the future is certain, the strong partnerships will only continue to grow in this at-risk population. “We may look at all the terrible health outcomes, but on the other hand, many of the communities are close-knit,” says Amy Ferketich. “People look out for their neighbors, and families are important.”

Students Set Research Sights on Appalachia

by Colleen Herr

Learn about Weghorst’s recent research at: http://go.osu.edu/berriesandcancer

© Mike Garofalo

For 12 weeks this summer, 13 students gained real-world public health research experience in Appalachia through an internship program with the Center for Population Health and Health Disparities (CPHHD) and the Center for Excellence in Regulatory Tobacco Science (CERTS).

“Some of these students plan on going into public health or medicine, but for others it was a great introduction to public health research and gave them some clarity about their future goals,” said Amy Ferketich, co-director of the internship program and professor in the Division of Epidemiology.

CERTS interns spent the first six weeks visiting Appalachia counties and conducting store audits related to tobacco advertising. They were looking for a relationship between tobacco advertising and tobacco sales.

“I’m interested in the association among social network characteristics, social support, perceived stress and smoking behaviors among Appalachian women,” said Josh Shields, a CPHHD intern currently studying mathematics at Vassar College.

One CPHHD intern spent time on a variety of different projects, one being a trip to Appalachia with Dr. Randi Foraker, assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology, to collect information about heart health in that region. Another intern worked on developing a website to present data regarding health disparities. Each intern was also paired up with a faculty mentor for an independent research project.

“This was an awesome experience! It was very well structured and helpful to be paired with a faculty mentor,” said Elana Curry an undergraduate public health student at Ohio State. Curry’s project was based around the use of e-cigarettes among adults in a smoking cessation trial in Appalachian Ohio. Her faculty mentor was Mary Ellen Wewers, professor and interim chair for the Division of Epidemiology.

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Students visited 115 tobacco retail stores in Appalachia collecting information on advertising and point-of-sale displays.

Throughout the experience, students were given other unique opportunities such as attending an Appalachian Cancer Community Network meeting and sitting in on a tobacco regulation lecture given by Micah Berman, assistant professor in the Division of Health Services Management & Policy.

Upon completion of the internship, each student was required to present a poster, give an oral presentation and submit a paper on their individual research topic.

The application process was open to students nationwide with 60 CPHHD applications and 18 CERTS applications being submitted. Those chosen came from The Ohio State University, Washington University, Vassar College and Kenyon College. Pelotonia funds supported research done by the Kenyon students through an agreement between Kenyon

College and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

The CPHHD internship program is directed by Electra Paskett, Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research in the College of Medicine and Public Health and co-directed

by Amy Ferketich. The CERTS internship program is directed

by Paskett, Ferketich and Micah Berman from the College of Public Health.

Research reported in this article was supported by NIH and FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP). The content and research is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or the Food and Drug Administration.

IN THIS ARTICLE

Amy Ferketich, PhD Professor Division of Epidemiology College of Public Health Center of Excellence in Regulatory Tobacco Science Co-director Population Sciences Comprehensive Cancer Center

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Mira Katz, PhD

Mary Ellen Wewers, PhD

Electra D. Paskett, PhD

Professor Division of Health Behavior & Health Promotion College of Public Health Professor Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine Chair Graduate Studies Committee College of Public Health

Interim Chair and Professor Division of Epidemiology College of Public Health Professor Health Behavior & Health Promotion College of Public Health Center of Excellence in Regulatory Tobacco Science

Professor Division of Epidemiology College of Public Health Professor and and Director Marion N. Rowley Cancer Research Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine Associate Director Population Sciences Comprehensive Cancer Center

Smooth Operators Likelihood of adverse events varies greatly among surgery types

by Colleen Herr

Will things go smoothly during and after your surgery? It depends on the type of procedure, not just the surgeon.

A study out of The Ohio State University College of Public Health recently found that the likelihood of adverse events (AEs) varies widely across different types of surgery. The study used patient electronic records to determine the rates of adverse events.

“Surgeons are particularly interested in knowing about why some kinds of surgery are associated with high rates of adverse events,” said Dr. Fazal Zeeshan, a recent PhD graduate of The Ohio State College of Public Health.

Detecting variations in AEs among surgical categories will be useful to surgeons and hospital quality assurance personnel. Documentation of specific AE incidence rates and determining AE severity rates and age distributions among the most common surgical categories will allow officials to better identify patient safety needs and develop targeted improvements.

“Our study found that there are surprisingly wide variations in adverse events rates depending on the type of surgery and the underlying severity of the patient’s condition,” said Professor Allard Dembe, Dr. Zeeshan’s advisor.

The study used electronic health records (EHRs) collected from 2006-2009 from three different surgery categories at three Midwestern hospitals that are all part of a large integrated healthcare system. Data obtained from the EHRs included the type and number of reported AEs for a patient during a surgical hospitalization. The most common type of adverse event involved care management, followed by medication events and events related to invasive procedures.

Aging Workforce Pays the Price for Physical Labor

by Colleen Herr The Ohio State University College of Public Health recently released a study which showed there is a strong association between physical work demands such as kneeling, crouching, bending and moving large objects and developing arthritis. The study used data collected from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to measure the long term occupational exposure and the risk of developing arthritis and other chronic diseases later in life.

“With an aging national and international workforce, more attention is being paid to chronic disease,” said Tom Wickizer, professor and chair of the Division of Health Services Management and Policy. “This study will promote a better understanding of the effect of workplace factors in promoting chronic disease among older workers.”

Prior to using O*Net, it was difficult to determine a correlation between these two factors because there was limited data available. O*NET uses 32 years of quantifiable data to estimate the correlation between physically demanding jobs and arthritis.

As a result of these findings, healthy workers may be more likely to select jobs that are less physically demanding and workers in poor health may be more likely to leave demanding jobs. In the future, it is likely that O*NET will be used in studies similar to this where it is necessary to study long-term data.

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Health Impact Assessment Mulls Over Housing Inspection Practices

by Jerica Stewart

When it comes to affordable housing inspections, less may be more efficient but could also mean more health risks for residents.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency proposed cutting back the number of affordable housing inspections. The original belief was that residents would benefit from the lack of government officials bombarding their houses through a slew of separate appointments and that the agencies are able to maintain a more cost-efficient schedule. However, new research out of Ohio State’s College of Public Health (CPH) revealed that despite less interruptions, tenants are at a higher risk of health problems due to the risk of inaccurately performed inspections.

“Housing has a direct impact on the health of tenants,” said Liz Klein, assistant professor in the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion at CPH. “Our health impact assessment (HIA) findings underscore the need for a standardized physical inspection tool that can streamline efficiencies across federal agencies, and aid in the identification of those housing quality issues that impact the health of the vulnerable populations living in affordable housing.”

According to research, residents who live in poorly maintained housing may be more prone to asthma, chronic disease, obesity, depression and anxiety. These health problems are accelerated in communities with affordable housing.

The HIA report found that decreasing the numerous inspections could reduce the opportunity to identify health threats.

However, it also identified that strengthening and standardizing inspections protocols would have a bigger positive impact on residents’ health.

“Housing has a direct impact on the health of tenants”

Klein’s suggestions in the HIA report are trifold. The first component is to implement a consistent standard across all agencies involved in the inspection process. This includes the use of a physical inspection tool. The second component is to establish ongoing training that will shape the reports to hold more accurate information and educate the inspectors on housing- related health issues. Lastly, Klein proposes the development and implementation of a risk-based inspection agenda that eliminates unnecessary inspections while promoting efforts that detract from unsafe housing practices.

With one of the largest portfolios of affordable rental housing units in the nation, Ohio was an optimal location to assess the proposal’s impact.

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Even Without Kids, Couples Eat Frequent Family Meals Study represents first comprehensive look at adult-only family meal patterns

by Emily Caldwell

About half of families ate meals together six or seven days per week

Couples and other adult family members living without minors in the house are just as likely as adults living with young children or adolescents to eat family meals at home on most days of the week, new research suggests.

The study is the first large-scale look at family-meal eating patterns in American adults. While a substantial amount of research has focused on health benefits for children who regularly eat family meals, such eating patterns have not been widely studied in adult-only households.

“There are a lot of families that don’t have children. And we’ve forgotten about them in this context of thinking about sharing food and time together and what that means,” said Rachel Tumin, a doctoral student in epidemiology at The Ohio State College of Public Health (CPH) and lead author of the study.

Researchers analyzed data on more than 14,000 Ohio adults, comparing family-meal patterns among adults who lived with minor children to households with at least two adult family members and no children under age 19 living

with them. In both types of households, about half of the families ate meals together six or seven days per week.

Tumin conducted the research with senior author Sarah Anderson, associate professor of epidemiology at CPH. “Most people value family meals and engage in this behavior. The prevalence of never eating family meals or eating together only once a week is low,” Anderson said. “We thought the distribution would be different, and we hypothesized that adults with children would be much more likely to eat together as a family. The data showed otherwise. If further research finds associations between higher frequency of family meals and improved health outcomes for adults, that will have implications for public health messages.”

The finding is a first step toward exploring whether adults who eat frequent family meals also experience health benefits. Previous research has suggested that children and adolescents who eat frequent family meals have healthier diets and are less likely to report eating disorders, substance use and depressive symptoms.

The study is published in the journal, Public Health Nutrition.

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Air Pollution in Poverty-Stricken Areas Poses Major Health Threats

by Jerica Stewart More than 30 percent of the world’s population is at risk from air pollution – pollution coming from inside their own homes according to the new Household Air Pollution Commission report published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

Dr. William Martin, dean of The Ohio State University College of Public Health, and Professor Stephen Gordon from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK, led the Commission.

“There are many gaps in our knowledge of how to effectively measure and prevent household air pollution, but this problem cannot be solved until the global community recognizes the scale of this problem and commits to coordinated and concerted action,” said Dr. Martin.

What they did find is that an estimated 600-800 million families across the globe have a higher chance of contracting illnesses such as respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, COPD, asthma and lung cancer. In 2010 alone, there was an estimated 3.5-4 million people who died as a result of household air pollution.

Many inhabitants from low-income countries use plant based or coal fuel to sustain everyday functions like cooking, heating their homes and providing light. These simple but harmful practices are often done over an open fire or traditional stoves in homes that are not equipped with proper ventilation.

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“In communities where solid fuel cooking methods are currently the norm, cleaner fuel and cooking methods need to be at least as affordable, efficient and long-lasting as the traditional style methods they replace,” said Professor Gordon. “They also need to be fit for the different cultures and regions in which they’re used.”

The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public-private partnership led by the United Nations Foundation, announced in November that a global community of clean cooking advocates and supporters has collectively committed $413 million over three years to further mobilize the clean cooking sector and advance the widespread adoption of clean cooking solutions. The announcement was made on the second day of the Cookstoves Future Summit, where more than 70 representatives from government, the private sector, investors, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations made commitments during the Alliance’s inaugural pledging event.

The Cookstoves Future Summit was co-hosted by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as government officials from four of the largest commitmentmakers: United Kingdom, Norway, Ghana and the United States.

For the full article and animated infographic, visit: go.osu.edu/LancetIndoorAir.

Ohio State Student Works to Reduce HPV and Cervical Cancer in Malawi

by Bri Loesch

“The long-term goal of this project is to develop an intervention to reduce the prevalence of HPV and the disease burden of cervical cancer in a rural community near Lilongwe, Malawi,” Esber said. “We will determine the burden of HPV infection in the community and assess which women living in this community would most benefit from an HPV screening or vaccine program. My project will also look at the acceptability and willingness of women to utilize different methods of HPV screening and prevention.”

Esber said the TL1 research training program, which provides institutional support to students seeking a practical research introduction to clinical and translational research, will complement the training she has already received, and will provide the resources, expertise and support to ensure she will be prepared to address the health care challenges faced in the U.S. and internationally.

PREVENTION

For the next two years Allahna Esber, a doctoral student in epidemiology at Ohio State, will be studying human papillomavirus and HPV-related health conditions in a cohort of rural Malawian women. Esber was awarded the National Institute of Health Center for Advancing Translational Sciences TL1 mentored research traineeship. The award includes full tuition, fees and graduate stipend for two years.

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How did you spend your summer vacation?

Last summer 61 graduate students completed practicums - field practice experience required of all graduate students. From Columbus to Cambodia to Saudi Arabia, students used their knowledge to practice public health in the real world.

Rachel Brackett, MPH ‘16 helped the King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia evaluate their readiness to handle middle eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) cases in the ER.

Leah Moody, MPH ’15 worked with the Kossoye Project in Gondar Ethiopia which aims to provide sustainable nutrition though family vegetable gardens.

Anton Johnson, MHA ’15 spent time at Mercy Medical Center in Cambodia on a mission trip. He supported administrative staff and put his public health skills to practice.

Jenny Lobb, MPH ‘15 helped students at Columbus Public Health’s Camp Public Health learn about nutrition including choosing healthy drinks͙

Shweta Bhatt, MPH ‘15 did her practicum at Delaware General Health District where she helped identify and prioritize the root causes of poor dietary habits and physical inactivity.

Courtney Maierhofer, MPH ’15 teamed up with Asociación de Investigación, Desarrollo, y Educación Integral (IDEA), an organization dedicated to HIV prevention and care, to improve the HIV/AIDS Care Continuum throughout Southern Guatemala.

Milan Patel, MPH ’15 developed a program for students in grades 6-12 in Goraj, India, teaching the cardiovascular impact of tobacco use.

Karima Samadi, MPH ’15 worked in Belgaum, India at the NIH Global Network for Women and Children’s Health Research Unit on their study “Women First: Preconception Maternal Nutrition.”

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To learn more about College of Public Health practicum opportunities, visit cph.osu.edu/students/ graduate/mph-practicum.

Ebola...

by Tessie Pollock

from the Front Lines

A Conversation with Sean Casey, Ebola Response Director for International Medical Corps in Liberia The College of Public Health hosted an interactive lecture in early November to raise awareness of the current situations and challenges facing those who are ďŹ rst responders to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Sean Casey, who serves as the Liberia Ebola Emergency Response Team director for International Medical Corps based in Monrovia, led the conversation via Skype. Lecture participants included: Lea Dooley, Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Alison Norris, CPH; Dean William Martin, CPH; Wondwossen Gebreyes, Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine; Marcel Yotebieng, CPH; and Edward Alpha, CPH student born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Watch the full event, including the Skype conversation with Sean Casey, and the panel discussion that followed, by logging onto go.osu.edu/seancasey.

Voices from the Community presented by The Ohio State College of Public Health Join us for a lecture series that explores the multiple dimensions of public health through the eyes of Researchers Students Faculty who are taking creative approaches to improve the health of the public.

All lectures are free and open to the public.

For more information visit go.osu.edu/phvoices

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Boren Fellow from Ohio State Spends a Year in Rio

by Colleen Herr

Thanks to a David L. Boren Fellowship, Melody Maxwell, a College of Public Health student specializing in Veterinary Public Health, will be taking a closer look at the transition of disease between humans and animals in Rio de Janeiro.

Funded by the National Security Education Program, Boren Fellowships support research and study opportunities in parts of the world that are critical to U.S. interests.

“Because I have an interest in a future career in federal government, specifically internationally, applying for a fellowship focused on national security and with a language learning-component was a no-brainer,” said Maxwell who has completed internships with the USDA, CDC and FDA. Maxwell will spend one year in Rio de Janeiro interning with the Zoonoses Unit of the Pan-American Health Organization of the Pan-American Center for Foot and Mouth Disease where she will spend her time on a zoonoses prioritization project. She also hopes to learn more about the numerous active disease control programs in the Americas.

Maxwell is a current MPH student specializing in Veterinary Public Health. She received her DVM from the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014.

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Wickizer

Berman

Hilligoss

Lemeshow

with HONORS

Recognizing the most-referenced Congratulations to Stanley Lemeshow, PhD. His book, “Applied Logistic Regression,” has the most citations and the highest annual rate of citations ever written in the field. The article, “Trends in Citations to Books on Epidemiological and Statistical Methods in the Biomedical Literature” did an analysis of previously existing research in the field. It found that over the last 25 years, researchers returned to “Applied Logistic Regression” more than 30,000 times to support their arguments. In comparison, the second most cited piece of work was referenced roughly half as many times. Lemeshow, College of Public Health professor of biostatistics and former Public Health dean, and his colleague, David Hosmer Jr., previous professor of biostatistics at Massachusetts University, are authors to the book. Rod Studivant has joined Hosmer and Lemeshow as an author of the third edition published last spring.

Electronic chart topper After spending two years in hospitals learning more about the flow of information, and more importantly the flow of patients, assistant professor Brian Hilligoss is again receiving recognition for his article, “Chart biopsy: an emerging medical practice enabled by electronic health records and its impacts on emergency department-inpatient admission handoffs.” The article was originally published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association but is named again in the International Medical Informatics Association’s Yearbook of Medical Informatics which presents an overview of the most excellent original state-of-the-art research in the area of health and biomedical informatics of the past year.

Laying down the {public health} law Micah Berman, assistant professor of the Moritz College of Law and the College of Public Health, has been elected to serve a three year term as councilor for the Law Section of the American Public Health Association. Berman’s role with the organization will involve providing leadership and contributing to the law section’s activity agenda at the annual meeting and throughout the year.

Social insurance & economic security Thomas Wickizer has been nominated to the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI). Members of NASI have opportunities to contribute expertise and experience toward promoting understanding of social insurance issues and programs among key audiences such as policymakers, journalists, students and fellow researchers and practitioners. Thomas Wickizer, PhD, MPH is the Stephen F. Loebs Distinguished Professor of Health Services Management and Policy and Chair of the Division of Health Services Management and Policy at CPH. 15

Amy Ferketich Professor, Epidemiology

Faculty Tenure and Promotions As CPH moved into the fall semester, several faculty also moved into promoted positions.

The college offers congratulations to three full professors, two associate professors with tenure, and one adjunct professor.

Efthimios Parasidis Associate Professor, College of Law/Health Services Management and Policy

Champions of Public Health Congratulations to the 2014 Champions of Public Health Award recipients. These individuals and organizations personify the mission of the College of Public Health to advance knowledge and improve lives in Ohio.

Pictured from left to right: Martin Tremmel, Tim Ingram, Julie Miller, Jaci Holland, Laura Rooney, Martin Keller, Geraldine Keller, Bill Martin, Bill Considine

Tim Ingram, health commissioner, Hamilton County Public Health

Community Leader Award

Franklin Banks, William R. Gemma Distinguished Alumnus Memorial Award

Public Health Practitioner Award

Laura Rooney, MPH ‘05, adolescent health program manager, Ohio Department of Health

Jaci Holland, community health worker, women’s health nurse, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute

William Considine, MHA ‘71, CEO and president, Akron Children’s Hospital

Public Health Organization Award Ohio Unified Command Response to the Measles (local health departments of Knox, Ashland, Holmes, Coshocton, Richland and Wayne Counties)

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Dean’s Award

Dean’s Award Dr. Martin Keller and Dr. Geraldine Keller, emeritus faculty, College of Public Health

Michael Pennell Associate Professor, Biostatistics

Sandra J. Tanenbaum Professor, Health Services Management and Policy

Janet Porter Adjunct Professor, Health Services Management and Policy

Mira Katz Professor, Health Behavior and Health Promotion

Ohio State Receives US Department of Health and Human Services Award for Tobacco-Free Policy The Ohio State University received national accolades for its tobaccofree policy as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) presented its Silver Award in the HHS Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative (TFCCI Challenge).

Capt. Jim Lando, regional health administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented the award to Ohio State’s tobacco-free implementation committee and executive sponsors, highlighting Ohio State’s comprehensive policy.

US Health and Human Services presents TFCCI Challenge Award to Ohio State. From left to right: Larry Lewellen, VP of Care Coordination and Health Promotion; Dr. William Martin, College of Public Health dean; Javaune Adams-Gaston, Student Life vice president; Capt. Jim Lando, HHS; Bernadette Melnyk, College of Nursing dean; Connie Boehm, Student Wellness director

“Cigarette smoking alone is responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS, alcohol, motor vehicle crashes, homicide, suicide, illegal drugs and fires combined,” Capt. Jim Lando, said. “Almost all smokers begin tobacco use by age 26, making college and university campuses a critical target for tobacco use prevention and cessation efforts.”

As of January 1, 2014, the use of all types of tobacco products is prohibited in all university buildings and on all university-owned properties, including parking lots, garages and all outside areas. (Read the full policy at tobaccofree.osu.edu.)

“It remains the number one preventable cause of death in the United States, and you could say the world, because 6.3 million people die every year from tobacco product worldwide,” said College of Public Health dean, Dr. William Martin.

In order to qualify for the TFCCI award and carry the title of tobacco-free, colleges must adhere to a number of criteria including but not limited to, not having tobacco-related advertising or sponsorship permitted on campus property and the prevention of sale of any tobacco product or paraphernalia produced by the university for distribution on campus.

The TFCCI Challenge’s ultimate goal is to have all colleges and universities be 100 percent smoke- or tobacco-free by 2017.

17

Health Sciences

7

2014 Orientation Class Facts

undergraduates 100

Health Sciences Colleges

80

Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Public Health, Veterinary Medicine

60

68

86

40

Graduates

1,827 Undergraduates

2,654 Professional

5,814 TOTAL

36,989: Ohio 43,088: Midwest

graduates

64,571: U.S. 120

7 major discoveries Dentistry

Medicine

Nursing

2012: Part of a research team that developed an “oral bandage” to treat oral lesions.

1958: Bertha Bouroncle, MD, Charles Doan, MD, and Bruce Wiseman, MD, discover hairy cell leukemia.

2014: Behavioral skills program integrated into high school health courses improved healthy lifestyle behaviors, mental health and academic performance as well as prevented overweight and obesity in adolescents.

2013: Researchers identified an elusive anti-cancer property of vitamin E that inhibits activation of an enzyme that is essential for cancer cell survival.

Veterinary Medicine

million

60 40

35 10

20

1982: Part of a team that discovered Aspirin’s link to Reye’s Syndrome.

There are now warning labels on all medications containing aspirin.

5

by specialization

Patients served each year by all HSCs

1.26

80

Public Health

2000: Dr. Yasuko Rikihisa’s tick-borne disease diagnostic tool becomes the standard of care for annual parasite screening of animals globally.

People

93

Students from Ohio

2006: CLEERE Study showed the more time a child with good vision spent outdoors, the lower the chances that he or she would end up myopic.

Pharmacy

100

MPH

Optometry

111

MS

Where our alumni live…

PhD

38 Faculty memberships in national academies and honorary associations

MHA

83

Research track

Students from Ohio

1,333

Tenure track

23 Scholars students

931

Clinical track

Honors students

1,580

19 14

20

Specializing in PH-Environmental

Students

Specializing in PH-Sociology

Faculty

Animals

33 thousand

Biostatistics Biomedical Informatics Clinical Translational Science Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology

1 5 10 6 19 25

Health Behavior Health Promotion

41

Health Services Management & Policy Sources:

18

Faculty numbers: Institutional Research and Planning for head count; Office of Academic Affairs and college communications for national academies | Student numbers: Autumn 2013 15-day enrollment, Enrollment Services Analysis and Reporting | Alumni numbers: The Ohio State University Foundation | Major discoveries: College communications | Patient numbers: College communications

© 2014 The Ohio State University

Program for Experienced Professionals (PEP) Veterinary Public Health

20 16

COLUMBUS PUBLIC HEALTH FARMER’S MARKET

5,827 market participants

3,834 WIC Program vouchers

$5,522 for Ohio SNAP food stamp clients

The College of Public Health once again co-sponsored the Columbus Public Health Farmer’s Market in 2014. This three-day event served 5,827 market participants with 3,834 WIC Program vouchers. Additionally, we were able to process $5,522 for Ohio SNAP food stamp clients. That’s amazing fresh produce buying power for low-income clients and an immediate return for the participating local farmers!

By putting fresh fruits and vegetables in the hands of thousands of families, the farmer’s market underlined the key public health messages about good nutrition, healthier diets and improved food access.

19

Student PICNIC On Sept. 16 faculty, staff and students took a break from their busy days and spent their lunch hour getting to know one another.

This annual event served as a great opportunity for faculty and students to become aquainted outside of the classroom and for students to meet their new classmates.

We’re excited to have hosted the 2014 picnic right here at Cunz Hall.

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Homecoming Tailgate Class notes Libby Kosnik-Infinger, MPH ’03 finished her residency in pediatric neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina and returned to Ohio to complete a one-year fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Albert Wright, Jr., MHA ’00 was announced as the president and CEO of West Virginia University Hospitals in August 2014.

He most recently served as the vice president for operations at UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Dr. Mary DiOrio, ’00 who received a master’s degree in preventive medicine, was appointed in November 2014 as the medical director at the Ohio Department of Health. Dr. DiOrio most recently led Ohio’s Ebola response team after a nurse who had visited family in Akron tested positive for the virus.

Ashley Hartman, MPH ‘11 joined Recovery Resources in Cleveland, OH in June 2014 as a Health Education Specialist.

Alan Mendeloff, MHA ‘82 received his Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) designation from Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and was named a Fellow in the HFMA. Lynn Parrott, MHA ‘85 retired from Ernst & Young in June 2014.

21

HOMECOMING TAILGATE More than 70 CPH alumni and friends reunited on Saturday, Oct. 18 before the Ohio State vs. Rutgers homecoming football game. Fun was had by all with delicious food, a photo booth, raffle prizes and a Buckeye victory!

22

23

SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT

ACADEMICS...

100%

Increase in students benefitting from donor funded scholarships with 12 students awarded in 2009 and 24 students awarded in 2014

Increase over the past year in student scholarship dollars awarded

$27,000

161%

Amount of debt an average CPH student graduates with

Donor Funded Scholarships $160,000.00 $140,000.00 $120,000.00 $100,000.00 $80,000.00 $60,000.00 $40,000.00 $20,000.00

FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15

TRAVEL AWARDS...

The College of Public Health first started granting professional development and travel awards in 2012 with the support of a generous donor who wanted to see our students become aware of public health issues globally.

Since then, 24 students have been awarded more than $26,000 to support professional development and travel opportunities.

cph.osu.edu/alumni/giving/students-first 24

25

College of Public Health The Ohio State University 250 Cunz Hall 1841 Neil Ave. Columbus, OH 43210

The Buckeyes of yesterday, supporting the Buckeyes of today!

The Hospital and Health Administration Class of 1974 marked their 40th reunion by supporting future Buckeyes and creating the Class of 1974 Distinguished Student Endowed Scholarship. A recent survey showed that graduate students at Ohio State’s College of Public Health graduate with an average indebtedness of $27,000. But with the support of our generous alumni, we are committed to making education attainable and affordable for our students.

Ohio Scholarship Challenge The Provost’s Office recently announced that newly endowed scholarship funds created at $100,000 or more by June 30, 2016 will be matched 1:1 on the payout of the endowment in perpetuity – 50% from the Provost and 50% from the College of Public Health. This means not only will your gift to the endowment principal be matched, but the payout from your gift will also be matched.

Hospital and Health Administration Class of 1974

If you are interested in making a gift contact EdR 7a^bc Mc Íš Íš ΄ OdPYRhRb̓P_VÍ™^bdÍ™RQd ΄ UWeRc^Í™^bdÍ™RQd >RMa] \^aR MO^dc fVMc cVR 4^ZZRUR ^S BdOZWP :RMZcV Wb Q^W]U c^ _dc bcdQR]cb ĹŹabc Mc P_VÍ™^bdÍ™RQdΧMZd\]WΧUWeW]UΧbcdQR]cb͚ŏabc