1

COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

OHIO STATE’S

G l o b a l S i g n i f i c a n c e . L o c a l I m p a c t .

W INTER 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

The World in OurBackyard

Students SetResearch Sightsin Appalachia

Health Impact Assessment Mulls Over Housing Inspection Practice

Ebola from theFront Lines

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STAY CONNECTED

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E D E A N 1

C O V E R S T O R Y

The World in Our Backyard 2

Students Set Research Sights in Appalachia 5

F E A T U R E S

Smooth Operators 7

Health Impact Assessment Mulls over Housing Inspection Practices 8

Study: Even Without Kids, Couples Eat Frequent Family Meals 9

Air Pollution in Poverty-Stricken Areas Poses Major Health Threat 10

N E W S

Ohio State Student Works to Reduce HPV and Cervical Cancer in Malawi 11

How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation? 12

Ebola From The Front Lines 13

Boren Fellow from Ohio State Spends a Year in Rio 14

With Honors 15

Faculty Tenure and Promotions, Awards 16

2014 Orientation Class Facts 18

Columbus Public Health Farmer’s Market 19

Class Events and News 20

Scholarship Support 22

10 Ways to be an Engaged Alumni 23

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@OSUPublicHealth

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The Ohio State University

College of Public Health

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

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 Aff airs

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

If you support public health in Ohio, please consider a gift to the College.

For more information on givingto the college, contact our development offi ce at 614-293-6815. On the web, go to cph.osu.edu/alumni/giving for a complete list of our endowments.

Support Public Health

1

Messagefrom the Dean

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

Th e Ohio Department of Health has identifi ed infant mortality prevention, tobacco cessation, obesity prevention andthe expansion of coordinated health care as top priorities. We support these priorities, because the burden of diseaseis 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 forall of Ohio. We are working to increase our capacity to develop the programs that will address the important publichealth 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 Th e 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. Th e 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 eff ective 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 eff orts 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, MDDean and ProfessorCollege of Public Health

IFront and Putnam Streets, Downtown Marietta, Ohio

2

Th e World in Our BackyardHow research and service in Appalachia translates into underrepresented and

underserved populations across the globe

With rolling hills, fl owing 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.

by Tessie Pollock

“People in this region suff er 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.

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.

3

“The cancer burden is signifi cant 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 signifi cant portion of the population does not

identify themselves as being Appalachian. They think the

term has signifi cant 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 fi nd in Ohio, and

in Appalachia, it’s even more diffi cult 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 diffi cult for them to fi nd a dentist who will take

Medicaid. Often they’ll have to travel two counties to fi nd a

dentist who will see them. So access issues are tough, even if

you have insurance-- and good insurance-- it can be diffi cult

to fi nd 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 diff erences,” 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.”

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

4

Community Engaged ResearchSo how can you implement eff ective 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 community-

engaged research.

“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 long-

term partnership is formed that is able to focus on emerging health issues,”

said Katz.

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 diffi cult

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.

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 eff ective, then we disseminate the intervention to other

Appalachian communities,” added Katz.

Partnerships ContinueAs 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.”

*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

Overweight*Ohio 34.7%

Rates of prematurebirth per 1000 live births by region***

Metropolitan 91.9

Rural 79.4

Suburban 75.9

Rate of maternal smoking per 1000 live births*** Metropolitan 219

Rural 284

Suburban 245

No physical activityin the last month*Ohio 28.5%

Consumed fruit less than once per day*Ohio 41.6%

Smoking Prevalence*Ohio 23.4%

Smokeless Tobacco Use*Ohio 4.2%

Health Risk and Outcomes in

Appalacchia vs. All Ohio

5

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

Students Set Research Sightson Appalachiaby Colleen Herr

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 fi rst 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 diff erent 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.

© Mike Garofalo

6

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 offi cial views of the NIH or the

Food and Drug Administration.

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

I N T H I S A R T I C L E

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

Mary Ellen Wewers, PhDInterim 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

Mira Katz, PhDProfessor

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

Electra D. Paskett, PhD 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

7

Smooth OperatorsLikelihood of adverse events varies greatly among surgery typesby 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 diff erent 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 specifi c AE incidence rates and

determining AE severity rates and age distributions among

the most common surgical categories will allow offi cials 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 diff erent 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 Laborby 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 eff ect of workplace factors in promoting chronic disease

among older workers.”

Prior to using O*Net, it was diffi cult to determine a correlation

between these two factors because there was limited data

available. O*NET uses 32 years of quantifi able data to estimate

the correlation between physically demanding jobs and arthritis.

As a result of these fi ndings, 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.

8

When it comes to aff ordable housing inspections, less may be more effi cient but could also mean more health risks for residents.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency proposed cutting back the

number of aff ordable housing inspections. The original belief

was that residents would benefi t from the lack of government

offi cials bombarding their houses through a slew of separate

appointments and that the agencies are able to maintain a

more cost-effi cient 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) fi ndings underscore the need for a standardized physical

inspection tool that can streamline effi ciencies across federal

agencies, and aid in the identifi cation of those housing quality

issues that impact the health of the vulnerable populations

living in aff ordable 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 aff ordable housing.

The HIA report found that decreasing the numerous inspections

could reduce the opportunity to identify health threats.

However, it also identifi ed that strengthening and standardizing

inspections protocols would have a bigger positive impact on

residents’ health.

Klein’s suggestions in the HIA report are trifold. The fi rst

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 eff orts that detract from unsafe housing practices.

With one of the largest portfolios of aff ordable rental housing

units in the nation, Ohio was an optimal location to assess the

proposal’s impact.

Health Impact Assessment Mulls Over Housing Inspection Practicesby Jerica Stewart

“Housing has a direct

impact on the health

of tenants”

9

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 fi rst large-scale look at family-meal eating

patterns in American adults. While a substantial amount of

research has focused on health benefi ts 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 diff erent, 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 fi nds associations between

higher frequency of family meals and improved health outcomes

for adults, that will have implications for public health messages.”

The fi nding is a fi rst step toward exploring whether adults who eat

frequent family meals also experience health benefi ts. 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.

Even Without Kids, Couples Eat Frequent Family MealsStudy represents fi rst comprehensive look at adult-only family meal patterns

by Emily Caldwell

About half of

families ate

meals together

six or seven

days per week

10

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 eff ectively

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 fi nd 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 fi re or traditional stoves

in homes that are not equipped with proper ventilation.

“In communities where solid fuel cooking methods are

currently the norm, cleaner fuel and cooking methods need

to be at least as aff ordable, effi cient and long-lasting as

the traditional style methods they replace,” said Professor

Gordon. “They also need to be fi t for the diff erent 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 offi cials from four of the largest commitment-

makers: United Kingdom, Norway, Ghana and the United

States.

For the full article and animated infographic,

visit: go.osu.edu/LancetIndoorAir.

Air Pollution in Poverty-Stricken Areas Poses Major Health Th reatsby Jerica Stewart

11

by Bri Loesch

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.

“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 benefi t 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.

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

PR

EV

EN

TIO

N

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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.

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.”

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

To learn more about College

of Public Health practicum

opportunities, visit

cph.osu.edu/students/

graduate/mph-practicum.

How did you spend your summer vacation?

13

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 fi 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 Communitypresented 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

ResearchersStudentsFaculty

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

Ebola...

A Conversation with Sean Casey, Ebola Response Director for International Medical Corps in Liberia

from the Front Linesby Tessie Pollock

14

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, specifi cally 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.

Boren Fellow from Ohio State Spends a Year in Rioby Colleen Herr

15

Recognizing the most-referencedCongratulations to Stanley Lemeshow, PhD. His book, “Applied Logistic Regression,” has the most citations and the highest annual

rate of citations ever written in the fi eld. 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 fi eld. 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 topperAfter spending two years in hospitals learning more about the fl ow of information, and more importantly the fl ow 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 handoff s.” 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} lawMicah 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 securityThomas 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.

with HONORS

Hil

lig

oss

Be

rma

n

Lem

esh

ow

Wic

kiz

er

16

Community Leader AwardTim Ingram, health commissioner, Hamilton County Public

Health

Public Health Practitioner AwardJaci 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

Public Health Organization AwardOhio Unifi ed Command Response to the Measles (local

health departments of Knox, Ashland, Holmes, Coshocton,

Richland and Wayne Counties)

Franklin Banks, William R. Gemma Distinguished Alumnus

Memorial AwardLaura Rooney, MPH ‘05, adolescent health program

manager, Ohio Department of Health

Dean’s AwardWilliam Considine, MHA ‘71, CEO and president, Akron

Children’s Hospital

Dean’s AwardDr. Martin Keller and Dr. Geraldine Keller, emeritus faculty,

College of Public Health

Efthimios Parasidis

Associate Professor, College

of Law/Health Services

Management and Policy

Amy Ferketich

Professor,

EpidemiologyFaculty Tenure and PromotionsAs CPH moved into the fall semester, several

faculty also moved into promoted positions.

The college off ers congratulations to three

full professors, two associate professors with

tenure, and one adjunct professor.

Champions of Public Health

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

Geraldine Keller, Bill Martin, Bill Considine

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.

17

The Ohio State University received

national accolades for its tobacco-

free 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.

“Cigarette smoking alone is responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS, alcohol, motor vehicle crashes, homicide, suicide, illegal drugs

and fi res 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 eff orts.”

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.

Ohio State Receives US Department of Health and Human Services Award for Tobacco-Free Policy

Mira Katz

Professor, Health Behavior

and Health Promotion

Janet Porter

Adjunct Professor, Health

Services Management and

Policy

Michael Pennell

Associate Professor,

Biostatistics

Sandra J. Tanenbaum

Professor, Health Services

Management and 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

18

Health Sciences

© 2014 The Ohio State University

7 Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Optometry,

Pharmacy, Public Health, Veterinary Medicine

major discoveries

Patients served each year by all HSCs

Faculty

Where our alumni live…

Students

1.26 33thousandmillion

People Animals

43,088: Midwest

36,989: Ohio

64,571: U.S.

1,333

1,827

2,654 5,814 TOTAL

Dentistry2012: Part of a

research team

that developed

an “oral bandage”

to treat oral lesions.

Medicine1958: Bertha Bouroncle,

MD, Charles Doan, MD,

and Bruce

Wiseman, MD,

discover hairy

cell leukemia.

Nursing2014: 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.Optometry2006: 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.

Public Health1982: Part of a team that

discovered Aspirin’s link

to Reye’s Syndrome.

There are now warning

labels on all medications

containing aspirin.Veterinary Medicine2000: Dr. Yasuko Rikihisa’s tick-borne disease diagnostic

tool becomes the standard of care for annual parasite

screening of animals globally.

Health Sciences Colleges

Graduates

931Tenure track

83Research track

Faculty memberships in national academies

and honorary associations

38

1,580Clinical track

Undergraduates

Professional

7

Pharmacy2013: Researchers

identified an elusive

anti-cancer property of

vitamin E that inhibits

activation of an

enzyme that is

essential for

cancer cell survival.

Sources:

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

Biostatistics

Biomedical Informatics

Clinical Translational Science

Environmental Health SciencesEpidemiology

Health Behavior Health Promotion

Health Services Management & Policy

Program for Experienced Professionals (PEP)Veterinary Public Health

1

5

619

25

2016

41

10

by specialization

2014 Orientation Class Facts

undergraduates

graduates

20

40

60

80

100

120

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5

111M

PH

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Ph

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MS

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PH

-So

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19

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.

5,827 market participants

3,834WIC Programvouchers

$5,522 for Ohio SNAPfood stamp clients

COLUMBUS PUBLIC HEALTH FARMER’S MARKET

20

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.

StudentPICNIC

21

Homecoming TailgateClass notesLibby Kosnik-Infi nger, MPH ’03 fi nished 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 Certifi ed 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.

22

More than 70 CPH alumni and friends reunited on Saturday, Oct. 18 before the 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 Ohio State vs. Rutgers homecoming football game. Fun was had by all with

delicious food, a photo booth, raffl e prizes and a Buckeye victory! delicious food, a photo booth, raffl e prizes and a Buckeye victory!

HO

MEC

OM

ING

TAIL

GAT

E

23

24

TRAVEL AWARDS...Th e College of Public Health fi rst 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.

Increase in students benefi tting 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

Amount of debt an average CPH student graduates with$27,000

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

cph.osu.edu/alumni/giving/students-fi rst

100%

161%

SCHOLARSHIP

SUPPORT

ACADEMICS...

25

Hospital and Health Administration

Class of 1974

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.

The Buckeyes of yesterday, supporting the Buckeyes of today!

College of Public HealthThe Ohio State University250 Cunz Hall1841 Neil Ave.Columbus, OH 43210

If you are interested in making a gift contact

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.