Abstract
Changing the Conversation: The Health Equity Advancement Lab's Pedagogy for Public Health
Jason D. Daniel-Ulloa, PhD, MPH1, Adriana Maldonado, M.A.2, Paul A. Gilbert, PhD, ScM3, Rebecca Bucklin, MPH2, Rima Afifi, PhD2, Barbara Baquero, PhD, MPH2 and Briana Woods-Jaeger, PhD4
(1)University of Iowa, Prevention Research Center, Iowa City, IA, (2)University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA, (3)University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA, (4)Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
A deep understanding of health inequities, including root causes and potential effective solutions, is necessary for successful implementation of programs to address disparities and to achieve the mission of public health. Current educational curricula in public health often teach the social determinants of health (SDH) as facts to be known rather than as conditions to be challenged and changed. Additionally, it may be difficult to create inclusive learning environments for underrepresented students at predominantly White institutions. The Health Equity Advancement Lab (HEAL) was created in 2012 with the goal of providing faculty and students a space to critically engage with principles, methods, and values of health equity. HEAL sponsors monthly journal clubs and encourages students and trainees to participate in faculty members' research projects grounded in a social justice and health equity framework. HEAL also organizes an annual summit (The Science of Health Equity). Throughout all activities, students and faculty engage in difficult conversations about discrimination, SDH, and health equity. In the 2017-2018 school year 5 faculty, 18 graduate students, 5 trainees/early career professionals, and 25 undergraduate students were active participants in HEAL activities, a large proportion of whom are from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Narrative feedback from students and faculty has shown that HEAL participation provided a comfortable but challenging environment to discuss racism and other forms of discrimination. Students participation in hands-on research projects has produced tangible products (14 conference presentations and 4 manuscripts) that provide evidence of how to challenge and change the status quo. Importantly, for many students, particularly under-represented students, participation reduces isolation and provides exposure to mentors from diverse backgrounds. HEAL provides a model to engage and train the future public health workforce to address health inequities. The revised (2016) CEPH requirements for foundational public health knowledge, and foundational competencies include several specific to health equity advancement. In light of increasing inequities nationally and globally, and the new accreditation requirements, HEAL is a model for replication and adaptation at schools and programs of public health.
Program planning Public health or related education Public health or related research Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health
Abstract
Partnering with Local Agencies to Prepare Youth for Food Justice and Food Access Careers
Rachael Dombrowski, PhD, MPH, Noel Kulik, PhD, CHES, E. Whitney Moore, PhD and Stephanie Osborn, MPH
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
Background:
The Wayne State University (WSU) Community Health Pipeline (CHP) was formed to engage and empower youth leaders in the areas of food systems, health equity, and food access, as well as connect them with local agencies of change within these areas. The CHP supports Detroit youth in post-secondary opportunities and addresses the lack of diversity in the community health profession by formalizing relationships among food justice organizations, leveraging existing resources, and training youth leaders to address community problems through a participatory action framework. Youth participate in the following 5 pillar CHP process: 1) nutrition education within urban high schools; 2) farmer’s market and urban farm experiences; 3) summer work apprenticeships with local food systems agencies; 4) high school and college student CHP youth advisory board (YAB); and 5) career development and college preparation experiences on a university campus. This paper will explicate collaborations with local agencies and youth and agency perspectives of Pillar 3.
Methods:
All CHP youth in Pillars 1-4 (n=882) completed a pre- and post-program survey that assessed interest in college and community health careers; nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors; neighborhood food access; and demographics. Focus groups were conducted with a sample of youth participants (n=16), and surveys and interviews were conducted with agency partners (n=7) to assess perspectives on the summer apprenticeships. Survey results of youth participants (n=53) were assessed using t-tests.
Results:
A total of 53 youth (100% Black/African American; 56% female; 55% juniors/seniors) participated in apprenticeships across five agencies. Youth reported significantly (p < .05) more knowledge and confidence regarding nutrition and accessing local farmer’s markets; confidence to attend college and knowledge of food-related careers also significantly increased (p < .05). As future community health advocates, the youth felt that their apprenticeship enabled them to have a positive impact on their community and reported enhancement of key communications, time management and prosocial skills. Agency reports mirrored those of the youth, and all agreed to be host sites next year.
Conclusion:
The CHP youth apprenticeship outcomes can assist other community-academic partnerships in designing youth experiences that ensure participation from hardest-to-reach populations and promote youth empowerment.
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs Administration, management, leadership Public health or related education
Abstract
Penn Community Scholars: Accessing the Impact of Building Capacity Through an Innovative, Community-Based Training Program
Nicole Thomas, MBA1, Lucy Tuton, PhD1, Heather A. Klusaritz, PhD, MSW1, Graceaan Palmarella, MPH1, Amani Abdallah, MPH1, Catherine Sayikanmi1, Marcella Slick, LSW2, Vashti Bledsoe2 and Sara Solomon, MPH RD3
(1)University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, (2)Lutheran Settlement House, Philadelphia, PA, (3)Penn Injury Science Center, Philadelphia, PA
APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
Introduction: The Penn Community Scholars Program (CSP), an initiative of the Center for Public Health Initiatives (CPHI) and the University of Pennsylvania Office of the Provost, was developed to build community capacity to perform and sustain research in Philadelphia. The Penn CSP selects a cohort of 15-20 participants from 10-12 organizations to participate in a 10-session training program. Participants are selected via a competitive application process that weighs community need, focus of proposed research and/or program evaluation, and agency support for participation. The goals of the CSP are to: 1) Build the capacity of community organizations to perform community-based participatory research with academics, using an equitable distribution of resources and power; and 2) Expand mutually beneficial community-academic partnerships to improve health outcomes. Through participation, Scholars are trained in navigating the research process, forming CBPR partnerships, formulating a theory of change, and presenting a professional pitch. Faculty from the Penn Medicine’s Center for Health Care Innovation, and the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Dental contribute leading expertise on pitch development and successful community-academic partnerships. The CSP culminates in a symposium, “The Intersection of Community, Academia and Grantmaking”, in which Scholars pitch their innovative ideas to a panel of funders and academics.
Methods: This project employed a mixed-methods approach to evaluate change in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and intentions to conduct research and apply skills. Participant and organizational baseline data is collected via a tool that assesses the capacity and readiness to conduct CBPR. Pre and post-survey data was analyzed to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and intentions pertaining to the program goals. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews were used to deepen understanding of barriers and facilitators to participation in community-academic partnerships.
Results: Facilitators, barriers, and short-term outcomes associated with the primary goals of the Community Scholars Program were identified. Program participants reported high levels of satisfaction, and an increase in knowledge, self efficacy, and skills related to conducting CBPR, presenting a professional pitch and partnering with academics. Additional short-term outcomes will assess trust, attitudes, and impact of sustainable community-academic partnerships.
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs Program planning Public health or related education Public health or related research
Abstract
Workforce readiness through the pipeline: A community-led partnership to address social determinants of health
Erin Manalo-Pedro, MPH1, Jody Cajudo2, Tu-Uyen Nguyen, PhD, MPH3, Alisi Tulua, MS2, Dawn Person, EdD, MEd3, Nancy Carrada Zuniga3, Sora Park Tanjasiri, DrPH3, Erin Quiambao2 and Rabia Khan4
(1)UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, (2)Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance, Garden Grove, CA, (3)California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, (4)Fullerton College, Fullerton, CA
APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
Significance: Despite popular belief, the residents of Anaheim, California, experience lower social determinants of health (SDOH), including poorer educational and economic outcomes, leading to significant disparities in health. Relatedly, the majority of residents are also people of color, including Latinos, Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders. Through an evolving partnership driven by social justice, local community and academic organizations work together to address the structural barriers that lead to these inequities. Purpose: Built on a robust academic/community partnership that began in 2007, the North Orange County Allied and other Health Careers Opportunity Program (NOCA HCOP) is a three-year federally funded health workforce program that addresses short-term and long-term SDOH like education, work, income, and social context. Methods: The initiative evolved from providing afterschool academic support at one high school to offering curricular and extracurricular, year-round, holistic services at two schools. As NOCA HCOP, the program added a health careers focus and offers culturally relevant academic, wellness, and career support in a partnered pathway to graduate school. Strong partnerships between a community-based organization, high school district, community colleges, universities and others facilitated the expansion. A mixed-methods approach, including focus groups and post-test surveys, with high school graduates evaluated preliminary outcomes. Results: Over the 2015-2018 academic years, NOCA HCOP has served 164 high school students. As of summer 2017, 65 had graduated. Driven by an assets-based, health equity perspective, the NOCA HCOP model addresses SDOH including education, work, income, and social context. Short-term outcomes include tutoring, college readiness advising, graduation, and matriculation; career exploration, summer internships; stipends, funding workshops; identity development, support system of peers and mentors, and learning community health disparities. Long-term outcomes include pathways to higher education; local, diversified workforce for in-demand careers; higher salaries for pipeline graduates in lucrative health careers; and development of community leaders. Conclusion: Results indicate community/academic partnerships can address SDOH factors leading to workforce readiness. More support is needed for community-led, local workforce programs that address educational and economic disparities over time.
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice Diversity and culture Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs Public health or related education