Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy 2023-24 Annual Report

2023 - 2024 ANNUAL REPORT

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE, RESEARCH AND POLICY

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THE INSTITUTE

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THE STATISTICS & ANALYTICS CORE

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RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CORE

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TABLETOP EXERCISES INFECTION PREVENTION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

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HEALTHY LIFESTARS

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CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION PROGRAM

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CHILDHOOD LEAD ADVISORY WORKGROUP

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COMMUNICATING DATA

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PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY CONFERENCE

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WILDFIRE WEBINAR

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LEARNING COLLABORATIVE

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MIDWEST PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING CENTER

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GREAT PLAINS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

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PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE INTERESTS & NEEDS SURVEY

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SIZZLING SUMMER SERIES

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STUDENT FIELD PLACEMENTS

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REGION 7 WORFORCE DEVELOPMENT FORUM

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TRAINING SOURCE LMS

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POLICY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

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IOWA RURAL VITALITY COALITION EVALUATION

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GLOBAL HEALTH CASE COMPETITION

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IOWA WINN PROGRAM EVALUATION

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COLLABORATORY

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CONTACT INFORMATION

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A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Welcome to the 2023-2024 Inaugural Annual Report of the Institute for Public Health Practice, Research, and Policy (IPHPRP). Formed through the strategic merger of multiple public health entities, the IPHPRP is committed to pioneering innovative evaluation and research, fostering collaborative engagement, building resilient communities, leading in data-driven decisionmaking, and advancing workforce development.

Our commitment to workforce training is evident through offerings provided by the Midwestern Public Health Training Center. This year, we developed new training modules on vital topics such as Disaster Effects on Mental Health and Creating Accessible Content for People with Disabilities. Additionally, we have facilitated numerous learning opportunities, including the Childhood Obesity Prevention Conference, the Child Lead Learning Collaborative, as well as numerous trainings on topics of Communicating Data and preventing infectious disease tabletop drills.

In this comprehensive report, we detail our extensive evaluation efforts, including critical analyses on Medicaid expansion, cancer screening, and lead poisoning prevention. These initiatives underscore our unwavering dedication to improving public health outcomes.

We invite you to explore the accomplishments and ongoing efforts of the IPHPRP in this detailed report.

Your engagement and support are crucial as we continue to drive forward our mission of enhancing public health practice, research, and policy.

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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO The Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy (IPHPRP) was established in 2023 with the merger of the former Institute for Public Health Research and Policy with the Institute for Public Health Practice, the Midwestern Public Health Training Center, the Center for Public Health Statistics and the Policy Research Project formerly with the Public Policy Center. The IPHPRP is an Iowa Board of Regents approved Center within the College of Public Health. IPHPRP includes three cores: (1) Public Health Practice and Workforce Development, (2) Statistics and Analytics, and (3) Research and Evaluation.

The Institute aims to support Iowa’s public health and healthcare sectors and foster grassroots public health research. It also seeks to connect academic and service activities with public health practitioners at all levels and create interdisciplinary communities to inform and shape public health policy.

At IPHPRP, our mission is to enhance the health of Iowan’s and uphold high public health standards through: Innovative Evaluation and Research: Applying cutting-edge public health research to address major health challenges.

Collaborative Engagement: Connecting academic and service activities with public health practitioners at all levels.

Community Building: Creating interdisciplinary communities to inform and shape public health policy.

Data Leadership: Leading in public health data collection, analysis, and dissemination to address broad analytic needs within public health practice, research and policy arenas.

Workforce Development: Leading workforce development in Iowa and the Midwest

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FACULTY AND STAFF

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STUDENTS EMPLOYED

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FACULTY AFFILIATES

LEADERSHIP

EDITH PARKER Director

VICKIE MIENE Executive Director

JACOB OLESON Director Statistics & Analytics Core

SATO ASHIDA Director Public Health Practice & Workforce Development Core

NATOSHIA ASKELSON Director Research and Evaluation Core

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THE STATISTICS & ANALYTICS CORE The Statistics & Analytics Core has been actively collaborating with Iowa HHS on two critical cancer screening programs: Care for Yourself (CFY-BCC) breast and cervical cancer screening program, and Iowa Get Screened (IGS) colorectal cancer screening program.

These initiatives are designed to support low-income, under-insured, and uninsured Iowans.

Our team is responsible for maintaining and updating the relational databases and web-based data entry systems for both programs. We provide bi-weekly data files and monthly reports to Iowa HHS and statewide program coordinators. Additionally, comprehensive data files are submitted biannually to the CDC and linked with our SEER registry.

We work closely with statewide program coordinators to resolve data issues, ensure data accuracy and completeness, and offer guidance on the submission process for screening and diagnostic data. In collaboration with Iowa HHS, we have developed risk identification probabilities to better understand the risks associated with providing tabular public health data.

These probabilities help illustrate scenarios where small sample sizes in a county can be reported without compromising individual privacy.

Our team also works with undergraduate admissions to provide acceptance prediction probabilities for all undergraduate applicants and and we created all Working At Iowa reports for the university. We have also developed maps that display ZIP-Code level cancer rates across Iowa: https://shri.public-health.uiowa.edu/cancer-data/interactive-iowa-data-tools/iowa-cancermaps/.

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RESEARCH AND EVALUATION CORE The IPHPRP Research and Evaluation Core develops and implements evaluations to answer questions regarding relevance and effectiveness. Evaluating programs and policies has been our focus for nearly 35 years, ranging in scale from single health centers to state-wide Medicaid. We combine various methods for a comprehensive understanding of a program or policy change – whether it works, how it works, who it works for, and what are the challenges. We can provide both rapid response evaluations and more in-depth complex analyses. We have expertise in data collections and analyses such as focus groups, surveys, environmental scans, administrative data, claims data, interviews, and web scraping. The REC specializes in bringing together data from all aspects of a program or policy including stakeholders, internal and external systems, implementation, and short- and long-term outcomes.

Evaluation of Iowa’s Medicaid Expansion Our research and evaluation team serves as the independent evaluator for Iowa’s 1115 demonstration waiver: Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP), Iowa’s version of the Medicaid Expansion allowed under the Affordable Care Act. IHAWP provides Medicaid coverage to noncategorically eligible adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The demonstration originally began on January 1, 2014, and is in the second 5-year extension.

There are currently seven key areas of investigation within the evaluation: Healthy Behaviors Incentive program Dental Wellness Plan Waiver of retroactive eligibility Cost sharing Cost and sustainability Waiver of non-emergency medical transportation Member experiences

Other Projects Evaluation of the Iowa Medicaid Health Home Program Evaluation of Federally funded Iowa Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC) Utilization of Medical and Dental Services for Children and Adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Evaluation of Iowa’s Integrated Health Homes for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Evaluation of the State Innovation Model Evaluation of PREP, Iowa’s Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program Evaluation of School Meals in Iowa Rural Families Speak about Health, Iowa Latinx Family Health Project and COVID project (2014-now, with ISU) Equity Implemented Partnerships with Iowa City Community School District Dental Care Anywhere

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TABLETOP EXERCISES Tabletop exercises (TTXs) are a low-risk, effective approach to assessing emergency preparedness and response and helping staff members across organizations and communities understand their roles in such events. A TTX allows participants to critically think about and discuss potential scenarios that may impact normal operations.

The University of Iowa College of Public Health, Carver College of Medicine, and the State Hygienic Laboratory, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) developed two TTXs for Iowa hospitals and long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

The discussion-based exercises allowed participants to evaluate current and potential response plans in the event an emerging multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) is identified in their facility.

The organisms of focus were Candida auris (C. auris) & Carbapenem-resistant acineobacterbaumanii (CRAB).

470 registrants, 336 attendees

INFECTION PREVENTION & CONTROL CERTIFICATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM About:

Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, this scholarship program provides financial assistance to employees of long-term care facilities and hospitals, helping them cover the costs of certification preparation materials and exams.

The program is available for: Long-term care facility employees seeking to receive Long-Term Care Certification in Infection Prevention (LTC-CIP) Hospital employees seeking to receive Certification in Infection Control (CIC)

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INDIVIDUALS HAVE APPLIED TO RECEIVE FUNDS

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INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED

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HEALTHY LIFESTARS ABOUT Healthy LifeStars is a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The IPHPRP partners with HLS to implement the program throughout the State of Iowa. The program inspires personal responsibility to eat nutritious foods in the appropriate amounts, stay physically active every day, and set personal goals to achieve good health. Our Iowa program is proudly funded by the Stead family Foundation.

PROGRAMMING Over this reporting period, Iowa HLS served 4,575 kids in 18 sites around the State of Iowa.

One of our partners, No Boundaries, from Okoboji, Iowa, was recognized as a finalist for the Healthiest State Award in the Youth Power category!

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TOTAL KIDS IN IOWA SERVED 2018 - 2024

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING STUDENTS Ellie Behrens HLS Administrative Assistant Created social media content, coordinated volunteer schedules, and is the liaison with Student Advisory Council Kaitlyn Goodman Wrote, animated, edited, and filmed activity sections for 5 HLS videos Anna Sullivan Wrote, animated, edited, and filmed activity sections for 6 HLS videos Lidia Hrvojevic Developed a new lesson plan including child worksheets and parent guide titled, "Mindful Eating" which is now included in our I Can do It! pillar Arizona State University Students Developed 3 challenge worksheets for kids

“Health education starting at a young age is incredibly important. With these lessons, our goal is spreading awareness and overall illness prevention for the future generations.” ~HLS Coach

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CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION PROGRAM FOCUS GROUPS The IPHPRP was hired by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) to address child lead poisoning in Woodbury, Scott, and Lee counties. The team conducted and analyzed focus group data to tackle the dual issues of low blood lead testing rates and high rates of elevated blood lead levels in children who were tested under 6 years of age.

In all three counties, focus groups were conducted with two audiences: housing sector representatives and parents/guardians of children under 6 years of age.

By engaging with specific communities impacted by the risks associated with elevated blood lead levels and low testing rates, data was analyzed to form a community framework which is now being developed into a call to action. Recommendations yielded from this process will be implemented through Iowa’s Child Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

CHILDHOOD LEAD ADVISORY WORKGROUP (CLAW) Iowa HHS and the IPHPRP formed a statewide workgroup in 2019 to enhance outreach, education, and program changes to combat childhood lead poisoning. The CLAW develops comprehensive prevention strategies and includes two subgroups: Housing Policy, which raises awareness about lead-based paint and housing issues, and Blood Lead Testing & Training, which aims to increase blood lead testing in children under six years of age through improved guidelines, policy, outreach, and education. The group convenes quarterly to address lead-related issues in Iowa and aims to boost blood lead testing across the state.

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COMMUNICATING DATA This training series is designed to help public health professionals and friends of public health build their skills, knowledge, and confidence when interpreting and communicating data.

Tackling Data

Advances the participant’s knowledge of quantitative data, provides skill building to assist in visualizing and communicating data, and provides supplemental resources.

Advances the participant’s ability to identify and communicate the main message from their data and develop the best visualizations to create a story with impact.

Visualize This

Advances the participant’s understanding of, and ability to

Disaggregate apply, health improvement frameworks to public health practice, especially interpretation, use, and communication of It data for actionable change in the community.

IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH PREVENTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY CONFERENCE This annual event includes a virtual all-day conference, featuring experts from across the country presenting their cutting edge research in childhood nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of long-term adverse health effects caused by obesity.

Target Audience: physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, health promoters, public health professionals, pharmacists, diabetes educators, registered dietitians, social workers, school personnel, and more!

1 IN 3 ATTENDEES RECIEVED CEUS IN 2024 Instagram

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IOWA HLS SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS 0

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4,469

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JANUARY 14TH, 2025

PEOPLE RECEIVE EMAILS ABOUT OUR CONFERENCE

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WILDFIRE WEBINAR Public Health Response to Wildfire Smoke in Iowa: What’s in Store for 2024 IPHPRP in partnership with experts listed below, provided a virtual webinar on the topic of wildfire smoke - this webinar delved into topics such as atmospheric phenomena, meteorology, pulmonary toxicology & environmental epidemiology, health effects, and public health preparedness and response.

Webinar Panelists: Dr. Charles O. Stanier: Professor, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Researcher, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research; Research Engineer, IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering.

Dr. Peter S. Thorne: University of Iowa Distinguished Chair and Professor, College of Public Health, Department of Occupational & Environmental Health; co-director, Environmental Health Sciences Research Center, and Chairman of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board.

Dr. Wanda Reiter Kintz: Air Quality Branch Supervisor, Linn County, Iowa; EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee member.

LEAD LEARNING COLLABORATIVE About the Learning Collaborative on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention The Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy in collaboration with Iowa Health and Human Services, Child Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, facilitated a learning collaborative to bring together all the sectors that work in childhood lead poisoning prevention. The purpose of this annual learning collaborative is to highlight programs and services that have been successful in implementing strategies for preventing childhood lead poisoning and bringing together all partners that are working toward eliminating lead poisoning in Iowa. National experts shared their experiences, provided ideas for overcoming challenges, discussed available funding options, and highlighted the importance of blood lead testing. Presenters included individuals from multiple sectors such as public health, clinical and medical practices, child health services, and housing professionals.

290 individuals registered for the 2024 Learning Collaborative. Of these, 210 participants attended the event, with an average of 175 attendees per session.

171 individuals received continuing education credits.

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MIDWEST PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING CENTER (MPHTC) The Midwestern Public Health Training Center (MPHTC) is one of ten Public Health Training Centers that collectively represent the nation's most comprehensive resource for public health workforce development. MPHTC’s Regional Coordinating Center is housed in the Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy (IPHPRP) at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. MPHTC is composed of academic and practice partners in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Highlighted training topics include health improvement, emergency preparedness, communication, leadership development, and more.

Our Approach to Meet Workforce Needs: Continually assess the training and technical assistance needs of the public health workforce Develop and deliver competency-based trainings to meet identified needs Implement student-faculty collaborative projects and field placements in traditional and nontraditional public health settings with an emphasis on rural and medically underserved populations Implement evaluation systems to ensure continuous quality improvement and impact

For more information about MPHTC, visit https://mphtc.org/ For more information about the Public Health Training Center Network (PHTCN), visit https://phtcn.org/

GREAT PLAINS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (GPLI) The Great Plains Leadership Institute (GPLI), which is co-sponsored by MPHTC, is a year-long competency-based training program designed for emerging, mid-level, and senior leaders from the Great Plains Region who play essential roles in keeping communities healthy.

The cohort that began in Fall 2023 includes 27 individuals from state and local health departments, universities, and hospital systems/clinics in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

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PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE INTERESTS AND NEEDS SURVEY (PH WINS) 2024 In May 2024, the de Beaumont Foundation, in partnership with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the PHTCN, began recruiting local health departments and their staff to deploy the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). This project supports the governmental public health workforce by measuring strengths and gaps to inform future investments in funding, training, recruitment, and retention. Findings from the 2024 survey will be released in summer 2025.

Within Region 7 (MPHTC): 203 out of 334 local health departments responded to our request, for a response rate of 60.8%.

Out of those 203 responses, 152 indicated their agreement to participate (74.9%).

Of those who responded, 135 (66.5%) are currently participating; out of all 334 local health departments, this is a 40.4% participation rate.

SIZZLING SUMMER SERIES The University of Nebraska Medical Center Office of Public Health Practice, in partnership with the Midwestern Public Health Training Center (MPHTC), sponsored the 2024 Sizzling Summer Series! This year's Sizzling Summer Series was a continuation of last year's theme: data visualization.

The 2024 Sizzling Summer Series included the following sessions: Visualizing Data: Crafting Compelling Stories to Share Data The Art of Persuasion: Using Data to Enhance Credibility, Logic, and Emotional Appeal Advancing Health Equity through Data Visualization

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STUDENT FIELD PLACEMENTS The MPHTC Field Placement Program continues to provide the opportunity throughout the year for at least 23 students in our 4-state region to develop the practical skills needed in the public health workforce.

During the past year, student projects in Iowa included assessing CHA/CHIP processes, creating a mentorship program, enhancing health messaging, assessing data from a fetal movement monitoring app, working with community businesses to address vaping, and increasing vaccine education.

Throughout the other three states in the region, projects covered topics such as making prenatal education more accessible and effective, policy analysis and legislative advocacy to strengthen public health, suicide prevention training, mental health and the suicide crisis among veterans, and assessing tick-borne disease, just to name a few. The range of projects is vast, and all have positively impacted local health departments, public health organizations, and the communities they serve. Below are some of the visuals from a project at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa.

Student Project: Developing a Mentorship Program to Support Public Health Workforce Development Organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Quote from Student: “This internship has been an invaluable experience, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to the development of a program that aligns with my passion for workforce development and health administration. It has provided me with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges, collaborate with professionals dedicated to organizational improvement, and enhance my skills in program design and implementation. Beyond the technical and professional growth, this internship reinforced my commitment to fostering supportive and innovative workplace cultures, further solidifying my aspirations to pursue a leadership role in health administration.”

Student Project: Effects of Fetal Movement on Stillbirth and Parental Reassurance Among Count the Kicks App Users Organization: Healthy Birth Day, Inc Quote from Student: “Working with Healthy Birth Day has been an incredibly informative and fulfilling experience. Throughout this journey, I analyzed trends in stillbirth, appraised relevant literature, and examined survey results. Seeing the final survey analysis completed and understanding its implications was particularly satisfying. Professionally, I gained valuable insights into data analysis and research methodologies. I delved into data that sometimes presented unexpected results and worked hard to find reasonable explanations for these discrepancies.

This process honed my analytical skills and taught me to approach problems with a critical and open mind.”

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REGION 7 PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FORUM Additional trainings created or in development through the Workforce Development Core of IPHPRP and MPHTC include Easterseals Iowa’s Digital Access for Everyone, a 2-hour introductory course about making content more accessible An 8-module online course called Providing Quality Healthcare for People with Disabilities A 10-module online Health Equity and Disability Training Series The 2-module online Youth Mental Health Training for Community Health Workers training series The 11-module online Public Health for Community Health Workers series.

TRAINING SOURCE LMS MPHTC-RCC uses the Training-Source Learning Management System (an in-house LMS) to deliver its online programming and resources. Established in 2002, the LMS houses 173 courses that anyone, from anywhere, can access on demand. The LMS features synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid learning, custom branded portals, permanent student transcripts, as well as robust quizzing and evaluation.

Recently updated courses in the LMS: Effect of Disasters on Mental Health: Awareness Level Effect of Disasters on Mental Health for Children and Adolescents.

Effect of Disasters on Mental Health: Technical Level HAZMAT Awareness for First Responders Infectious Disease Epidemiology (formerly Basic Epidemiology) HAZMAT for Healthcare Providers: Awareness Level HAZMAT for Healthcare Providers: Operations Level Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Pandemic: A Critical Thinking Scenario Responding to a Crisis: Managing Emotions and Stress Scenario

To access the LMS, visit https://training-source.org/.

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POLICY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The College of Public Health’s Policy Fellow Program, offered through the IPHPRP, creates opportunities for primary faculty and research staff appointed in the College of Public Health, to enhance skills for translating public health research into practice and policy. Public Health faculty and research staff who desire additional opportunities to inform practice/policy change and who want to enhance their research portfolio through policy, are encouraged to apply for this year-long program.

23-24 Policy Fellow Nichole Nidey Dr. Nichole Nidey’s long-term research goal is to improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum persons with substance use disorders. Her policy fellowship seeks to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of pregnant Iowans with methamphetamine use, and those that care for them, to inform the development of a patient-centered policy brief and key recommendations aimed at improving their access to healthcare and outcomes.

Dr. Nidey’s policy fellow includes convening a multidisciplinary stakeholder group virtually and in person during the project year. Stakeholders include individuals with lived experience of methamphetamine use during pregnancy, healthcare providers who care for pregnant Iowans with methamphetamine use, state and local agencies, community organizations, policy makers, and researchers. Additionally, her team is conducting an environmental scan to gain in-depth knowledge of the experience of methamphetamine use during pregnancy and caring for this population in the state of Iowa. A policy brief has been co-written with stakeholders to disseminate the findings from the environmental scan along with key recommendations, with the goal of motivating additional work in the state to support this population.

For more information on her work please visit: https://iphprp.org/opportunities/faculty/policyfellows/policy-fellow-nichole-nidey/

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IOWA RURAL VITALITY COALITION EVALUATION Iowa's rural communities are vital to the state's economy but they face unique challenges such as declining and aging populations, inadequate housing, a shortage of workers, and higher rates of chronic health conditions. These issues hinder their ability to thrive. Thriving communities have a healthy population that actively participate in the workforce and engage in civic life by contributing to the public good and being informed, active members of the community.

The Iowa Rural Vitality Coalition (IRVC) is a partnership comprised of state-wide leaders and organizations listed below with interest, expertise, and resources directed at improving the health and vitality of rural residents and their communities. The Coalition has designed and is deploying a comprehensive, innovative strategic planning approach, grounded in the Comprehensive Rural Wealth Framework (CRWF), to improve rural vitality.

The CRWF defines wealth as more than just financial means and takes a comprehensive approach to identify the assets and gaps in a community. The pilot is working with two Iowa communities, the City of Manchester and Van Buren County, who will help the Coalition refine the model and process and evaluate the effectiveness of the work.

The pilot communities undergo an assessment focused on the wealth capitals. With the Coalition, communities explore the interconnectedness of the wealth capitals, develop and implement plans that build on assets, and identify solutions specific to their needs to create ripple effects that improve the overall health and well-being of their residents.

The University of Iowa Institute for Public Health Practice, Research and Policy is conducting a mixed-methods formative and summative evaluation. The evaluation will determine if the coalition improved the health and vitality in the rural communities, if the CRWF is effective, and if the the approach can be replicated in future communities.

Coalition Partners

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GLOBAL HEALTH CASE COMPETITION The IPHPRP Global Health Case Competition takes place annually during the spring semester, with the aim of training the next generation of leaders through a unique competition experience built upon a real‐world challenge. Teams are made up of 3 to 5 students from across the University, applying their specific knowledge to tackle complex global issues. Successful teams leverage the unique skills and knowledge of each team member and discipline represented.

The case topic is released to the teams several weeks prior to the competition. Teams develop innovative yet feasible solutions. During the weeks prior to the competition, each team is assigned a mentor, who provides the team with an opportunity to discuss their proposed recommendation and offer broad guidance. The case topic of the year was: Sustainable Communities and Nutrition Concerns in Homa Bay, Kenya.

Competition day is filled with excitement as student teams present their recommendations to a panel of expert judges.

Teams have 15 minutes to present, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A, during which teams must 41 justify their recommendations to the Students Participated judges. Winning teams receive cash prizes. in the 2024 Spring Case Competition

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IOWA WIIN PROGRAM EVALUATION The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) grant was awarded to support public schools and child care centers in voluntary testing of drinking water for lead. This grant program is designed to reduce lead exposure for children, who are most vulnerable, at schools and child care programs. Grant funding is used to supplement and enhance existing resources.

The IPHPRP was contracted by the Iowa Department of Education, to complete an external program evaluation for the Iowa WINN project to identify patterns within the process timeline, identify message effectiveness and dissemination pathways for child lead prevention education materials, and provide recommendations to increase program success by synthesizing focus group content, survey results, and process data.

Process Findings: The WIIN program has a completion rate of about 30%, with higher rates for entities having a maintenance or environmental contact person. Simplifying task explanations, program overviews, and water sample collection instructions could improve completion rates, especially for entities with administrators, teachers, and health-related professionals as contacts.

Lead Education Material Findings: The lead education materials received positive feedback from children, parents, site staff, and professionals. Dissemination pathways include take-home flyers and entertainment in healthcare settings, with recommendations to revise the flyer for use in locations without technology access.

Potential partners for dissemination include youth-serving organizations, healthcare settings, and public locations targeting children.

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COLLABORATORY A collaboratory is a creative group process designed to solve complex problems which brings the opportunity for new organizational networks to form.

A collaboratory methodology expands the scope, scale, and impact of public health research. A successful collaboratory leads to a sustainable research initiative such as a large research, service, or center grant proposal that bolsters and builds upon areas of research closely linked to the CPH’s three areas of excellence: rural health, comparative effectiveness research, and community engagement.

Emily Roberts, assistant professor of biostatistics at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, has been selected by the IPHPRP to establish a new collaboratory dedicated to advancing causal inference research.

Roberts’s multidisciplinary team will focus on causal inference, which relates to the process of determining cause-and-effect relationships, usually from observational or complex data. Causal inference is important for evidence-based decision-making in fields such as medicine, public health, and policy. However, challenges remain in understanding cause-effect relationships behind these decisions, and in improving methods used to do so.

The Causal Inference Collaborative Group at the University of Iowa aims to promote methodological advancements, serve as a central resource for researchers, provide training, and assist in the preparation of grants that evaluate causal effects, especially those addressing public health challenges.

“Our goal is to build upon existing strengths of the college through a community of collaboration, and advance important causal inference research,” says Roberts. “By joining researchers with diverse expertise, we hope to foster causal reasoning across fields and ultimately improve the quality of methodology and insights that can be gathered from data. We are very excited to bring together this interdisciplinary group and hope any interested individuals will join us in our events (workshops, meetings, and working groups) throughout the year.”

In addition to Roberts, the collaboratory team leaders include: Ryan Cho, Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Jonathan Platt, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Kai Wang, Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, and Nathan Wikle, Department of Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The team also includes University of Iowa researchers and experts from the Clinical Trials Statistical and Data Management Center, Health Effectiveness Research Center, Department of Health Management and Policy, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, and Department of Community and Behavioral Health.

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CONTACT US

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE, RESEARCH AND POLICY Email:

cph-iphprp@uiowa.edu Website:

https://iphprp.org/ Address:

145 N. Riverside Drive, Suite N571 Iowa City, IA 52242

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