Welcome to the latest edition of the School of Public Health's magazine, Interaction. This edition highlights the work of faculty, students and alumni to help address trauma, as well as a focus on students' recent trip to The Gambia in Africa.
The articles also spotlight the school's recent efforts to create an innovative mobile autism clinic, and the announcement of certificate programs in global health and LGBT health. This edition also features the work of several alumni in the public health field and the latest research and happenings at the school.
We hope you enjoy the Interaction.
FEATURE ARTICLES
Healing for Victims of Violence
Urban violence is one of today's most pressing public health concerns. Faculty and staff at the DUSPH, like Dr. Ted Corbin, are using a trauma-informed approach and a Sanctuary Model to help victims of violence heal physically and emotionally. It's a novel approach to curbing the cycle of urban violence and healing hurt people.
Purtle '10 Integrates Violence Prevention Efforts
Jonathan Purtle, MPH '10, is a doctoral candidate at the DUPSH and works alongside Dr. Ted Corbin and Dr. John Rich on their programs to help address trauma and curb violence.
Finding Sanctuary to Heal from Trauma
Dr. Sandra Bloom has devoted her professional life to addressing the impact of traumatic experience on individuals, families, organizations, and culture.
NNHVIP Conference at Drexel Looks at the Impact of Trauma on Victims
At the fourth annual National Network of Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs conference hosted by Drexel, the tone was passionate and the focus firmly on addressing trauma and it's impact on victims' recovery and progress.
Opening Doors Students Help a Community Heal
As part of the Opening Doors Health Disparities Research Training program, students Ricca Prasad and Samantha Rivera, MPH '12, spent the summer working with Dr. Maria Polansky on a project helping Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.
Helping an Oasis in the City
Opening Doors trainee Katie Capelli, MPH '12, mapped local churches and congregations as part of a team at DUSPH that was conducting a community assessment for the Scattergood Foundation.
Animated Characters Keep It Real in Teen Violence Prevention Videos
Briana and Damon are digitally animated characters with a Facebook page aimed at reducing urban youth violence. The characters are the product of years of community-based participatory research from the Philadelphia Collaborative Violence Prevention Center (PCVPC).
Students Power Innovative Mental Health Design Challenge
Only about one-third of those individuals diagnosed with a mental illness will receive treatment. To help address this, Alyson Ferguson MPH '12 and Kate Carroll MPH '12, helped power a design challenge by the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services and The Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation.
Talking HIV PrEP and Public Health
In July 2012, the FDA approved the medication Truvada for use as prevention among sexually active adults at risk for HIV infection. Several DUSPH faculty have been active commentators and sometime critics of the new drug. Get a snapshot of the reaction from the faculty at the DUSPH.
Students and Faculty Travel to The Gambia to Address Health Disparities
Five MPH students traveled to The Gambia this summer to help address health disparities. They were joined after several weeks by Dr. Shannon Marquez, director of the DUSPH's Global Public Health Initiatives, who went to the University of The Gambia to formalize partnerships with Drexel University.
STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Blending MPH and MBA Degrees to Help Those with Migraines
Amrita Bhowmick, MPH '10, is not taking a traditional approach to educating the public about migraine disorder. As VP of Community Development at Health-Union LLC, Bhowmick recently used both her business and public health background to launch Migraine.com.
Students Spend Summer Bridging the Gaps
This summer, ten DUSPH students took part in the Bridging the Gaps Community Health Internship Program. The program is a seven-week, paid summer internship for students completeing their first year of a graduate-level health-discipline program.
Student Blogs about Experience at AIDS 2012
DUSPH doctoral candidate Zupenda Davis participated in the 2012 International AIDS Conference in D.C. this summer. She blogged daily from the conference and presented at a breakfast session on "Antiretroviral Prophylaxis: Attitudes and Implementation."
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Student Co-Authors Study on HIV Prevention in Barbershops
Zupenda Davis co-authored this study that finds evidence that barbershops could be an ideal location to engage inner-city young heterosexual African-American men for implementation of HIV prevention programs.
Children with Special Health Care Needs More Likely to be Obese and Sedentary
A majority of children and youth with special health care needs surveyed were found to be obese and not meeting recommended levels of 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Health consequences of obesity in childhood include high blood pressure and joint and musculoskeletal problems.
Ongoing Prescription Drug Abuse in Young Adults
Young adults who start their drug abuse with prescription drugs, and later transition into using heroin or injecting drugs, continue significant use of prescription drugs.
Obesity Plus Low Vitamin D Equals Greater Diabetes Risk
The combination of obesity and vitamin D deficiency may put people at an even greater risk of insulin resistance than either factor alone.
SCHOOL NEWS
Dean Gold to Step Down at End of Academic Year
DUSPH Professor and Founding Faculty Member, Dr. Nathalie Bartle, Retires
Beyond Hunger Conference: Real People, Real Solutions
Drexel Students Design Innovative Mobile Autism Clinic
DUSPH Launches Certificates in Global and LGBT Health