I have officially graduated and now it is time to say goodbye to this blog. I have had such a wonderful 2 1/2 years at the College of Public Health and it's bittersweet to be moving on.
But this farewell doesn't have to be permanent. While I might be leaving this blog, I am not leaving the blogosphere completely. I invite you to come follow me on my new blog, Accessible Public Health, to find out what I'm up to.
Lisa Wehr's Public Health Blog
Lisa is originally from Sigourney, Iowa. She attended Iowa State University and received her bachelor’s degree in Music in 2010. She is currently a first year Master’s of Public Health (MPH) student in community and behavioral health (CBH). Lisa works on the medicine-psychiatry unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). Through this blog Lisa hopes to let people learn about the CBH department.
This student blog is unedited and does not necessarily reflect the views of the College of Public Health or the University of Iowa.
16 January 2013
10 October 2012
World Mental Health Day
Those of you who know me know that mental health is a topic that I am passionate about, which is why I wanted to write a bit about it today.
What many people don't know is how my experience with mental health began and why it is so dear to my heart. My mother has struggled with severe depression for many years and was hospitalized numerous times throughout my childhood. That sparked my desire to work in mental health. Later, (my sophomore year in college) I got my first job working in psychiatry. I haven't left psych since then. I truly do love it. I love psych patients and I love the people who choose to work with them.
Oftentimes, I feel like mental health gets pushed to the back burner in public health, behind things like obesity. Actually, mental health gets pushed to the back through the entire health care system. But it shouldn't be. Mental illness is one of the leading causes of disability in the world (NAMI).
I think some of this is due to our focus on prevention. How do you prevent a biological/genetic illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? The answer lies in changing our focus on prevention of the disease to prevention of the debilitation consequences of the disease. The questions then become:
I'll leave you with some reading and videos on a variety of topics around mental health. Read/watch what looks interesting.
What many people don't know is how my experience with mental health began and why it is so dear to my heart. My mother has struggled with severe depression for many years and was hospitalized numerous times throughout my childhood. That sparked my desire to work in mental health. Later, (my sophomore year in college) I got my first job working in psychiatry. I haven't left psych since then. I truly do love it. I love psych patients and I love the people who choose to work with them.
Oftentimes, I feel like mental health gets pushed to the back burner in public health, behind things like obesity. Actually, mental health gets pushed to the back through the entire health care system. But it shouldn't be. Mental illness is one of the leading causes of disability in the world (NAMI).
I think some of this is due to our focus on prevention. How do you prevent a biological/genetic illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? The answer lies in changing our focus on prevention of the disease to prevention of the debilitation consequences of the disease. The questions then become:
- How can we prevent those diagnosed with schizophrenia from spending their lives in mental institutions?
- How can we prevent the large number of comorbid physical/chronic diseases that come with mental illness?
- Increase access to mental health services, particularly in developing countries and rural areas
- Increase the number and quality of community-based services to allow people with mental illness to be successful community members and not confined to an institution
- Decrease the stigma associated with mental illness so more people are willing to receive treatment
- Create programs to help people with mental illness live healthier lives to avoid chronic diseases
I'll leave you with some reading and videos on a variety of topics around mental health. Read/watch what looks interesting.
- WHO: Depression is a common illness and people suffering from depression need support and treatment
- Huffington Post: Discrimination, Serious Mental Illness, and Health Care Professionals
- What is Public Health Career Guide: Mental Health Researcher
- PsychCentral: Therapists Spill: My Mental Health Hero
- PsychCentral: When the Caregiver is a Child
- Ted Talk: Vikram Patel: Mental health for all by involving all
- Ted Talk: Elyn Saks: A tale of mental illness--from the inside
08 October 2012
More fun things to look at
My practicum videos!
They are all very similar in style and content. The only difference is the actual exercises done in each one.
I'll probably write more about the actual creation of them later, but I think I've probably used enough of your time with the watching already. Assuming you did watch them......because you did, right?
They are all very similar in style and content. The only difference is the actual exercises done in each one.
I'll probably write more about the actual creation of them later, but I think I've probably used enough of your time with the watching already. Assuming you did watch them......because you did, right?
28 September 2012
Practicum Products
The two main products that I'm developing as part of my practicum are videos and handouts. The videos are done (as of less than an hour ago!) but I'm waiting for some feedback before I deem them finalized and ready to show off.
I found it difficult to read. There is a lot of text with very little white space or visual structure. Additionally, the two-page format (printed front and back) meant that I was constantly flipping the paper over. The workout ideas were on one side, but the pictures of the exercises were on the other. Also, there were only women models and one of the health educators actually had a student ask if these handouts were only for women because of that!
The handouts on the other hand have been done for a while and even given out at our health expo this earlier this month.
This is what I started with (click to enlarge):
I found it difficult to read. There is a lot of text with very little white space or visual structure. Additionally, the two-page format (printed front and back) meant that I was constantly flipping the paper over. The workout ideas were on one side, but the pictures of the exercises were on the other. Also, there were only women models and one of the health educators actually had a student ask if these handouts were only for women because of that!
I decided to break up the information. It was too much information for one handout. My two main requirements were that they had to be one page only and they had to be grouped in a way that people would use them. Thus I ended up with handouts depicting workouts using a particular piece of equipment (e.g. stability ball, resistance band) and a handout with muscle groups (so far only a core workout, I'm currently deciding if I want to do more like arms or legs). I also went on a hunt for male fitness models (harder than it sounds). Honestly, the handouts themselves will say more than I ever could, so have a look.
(click to enlarge)
23 September 2012
Transition
Although I am officially still an MPH student, this semester is turning out to be more of a transition into "real" work.
As I think I mentioned in my previous post, I had to take some time off this summer for personal reasons and because of that was not able to finish my practicum in time to graduate at the end of July. Because I have everything done except my practicum, this semester is a little different than most. I am not taking any classes. There were some I was interested in, but I decided that because I was busy with applications to med schools, working, and still dealing with some personal stuff, that I would take the semester off from coursework.
Without classes, then, what am I doing? I am continuing with Health Iowa at Student Health Services (where I did my practicum). I'm finishing up the last bit of video work for my practicum. I have been taking a little longer than I would have for a couple reasons: one, I won't present until December; two, the only place I have a computer capable of video editing is at home so I can't do it while I'm at work.
The practicum work is no longer my main job at Health Iowa, though. My official title is as a "student interventionist" with the BASICS program. BASICS is short for Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students. It is an intervention designed to decrease the negative consequences from drinking. BASICS takes a harm-reduction approach (as opposed to an abstinence approach) to alcohol. If you want to learn more about BASICS, it is included in SAMHSA's NREPP (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices). I'll update more about the program we use BASICS for as I work through the semester.
In addition to working 20 hours/week at Health Iowa, I am continuing with my 20 hours/week on the med/psych unit at UIHC.
And last but not least, I'm finalizing travel plans for APHA in San Francisco at the end of October!
I'll leave you with a few pictures...
Enjoying the dog park on another beautiful day
Some good times with friends over the summer
And my sleepy co-pilot
As I think I mentioned in my previous post, I had to take some time off this summer for personal reasons and because of that was not able to finish my practicum in time to graduate at the end of July. Because I have everything done except my practicum, this semester is a little different than most. I am not taking any classes. There were some I was interested in, but I decided that because I was busy with applications to med schools, working, and still dealing with some personal stuff, that I would take the semester off from coursework.
Without classes, then, what am I doing? I am continuing with Health Iowa at Student Health Services (where I did my practicum). I'm finishing up the last bit of video work for my practicum. I have been taking a little longer than I would have for a couple reasons: one, I won't present until December; two, the only place I have a computer capable of video editing is at home so I can't do it while I'm at work.
The practicum work is no longer my main job at Health Iowa, though. My official title is as a "student interventionist" with the BASICS program. BASICS is short for Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students. It is an intervention designed to decrease the negative consequences from drinking. BASICS takes a harm-reduction approach (as opposed to an abstinence approach) to alcohol. If you want to learn more about BASICS, it is included in SAMHSA's NREPP (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices). I'll update more about the program we use BASICS for as I work through the semester.
In addition to working 20 hours/week at Health Iowa, I am continuing with my 20 hours/week on the med/psych unit at UIHC.
And last but not least, I'm finalizing travel plans for APHA in San Francisco at the end of October!
I'll leave you with a few pictures...
A beautiful fall day this week, crossing the Iowa River
06 August 2012
What I've Been Watching
I will write a more in-depth post on my school/practicum in a few days. For now, I want to share these wonderful items with you all:
First, I love seeing health data presented in a beautiful and understandable (to lay-people) way. Particularly when that health data is personalized. Through Twitter I stumbled across this TEDMED video of Thomas Goetz speaking about the importance of presentation in health as well as some redesigns of how to present test results to patients.
Goetz/Wired Magazine's redesigns can be found here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/11/ff_bloodwork/all/
This video led me to the work of some researchers at Dartmouth who came up with a different way to present health and drug statistics. You can check that out here: http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/spring08/html/disc_drugs_we.php
It looks like a nutrition facts label...with drug statistics:
So many people doing such neat things. Now practice needs to start catching up to research
First, I love seeing health data presented in a beautiful and understandable (to lay-people) way. Particularly when that health data is personalized. Through Twitter I stumbled across this TEDMED video of Thomas Goetz speaking about the importance of presentation in health as well as some redesigns of how to present test results to patients.
Goetz/Wired Magazine's redesigns can be found here: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/11/ff_bloodwork/all/
This video led me to the work of some researchers at Dartmouth who came up with a different way to present health and drug statistics. You can check that out here: http://dartmed.dartmouth.edu/spring08/html/disc_drugs_we.php
It looks like a nutrition facts label...with drug statistics:
18 May 2012
Practicum
This week I started my practicum at Health Iowa at the University of Iowa Student Health Service. My main project is created a series of videos for health behaviors in college students. Since I found other people's proposals extremely helpful in finding a practicum and writing my own proposal I am posting it here. I plan to keep updating through the summer on my progress.
Project Title: Encouraging healthy behaviors in college students through technology
Organization: Health Iowa
Student Health Service/University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
Preceptor: Tanya Villhauer
Associate Director for Education
Issue: The 2011 National College Health Assessment Survey found that just over half (55.2%) of University of Iowa undergraduate students meet the physical activity recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Additionally, only 3.6% of undergraduate students eat the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. 1
Objectives:
· Create a series of videos aimed at healthy behaviors in a college setting (i.e. exercises that can be done in a dorm room).
§ Review data on University of Iowa students’ health behaviors and choose topics to create videos on
§ Determine how each topic will be addressed (e.g. physical activity may be addressed by exercises that can be done in a dorm room)
§ Write a script for videos
§ Record and edit videos
§ Publish videos on Health Iowa’s YouTube channel
· Explore social media and other outlets that college students use to promote and disseminate the videos created.
§ Complete a literature review on how college students social media use and what other student college health services or health education organizations are using for social media
§ Choose a develop a social media presence to promote the videos
· Assist in Summer Orientation by staffing the Information Fair and talking with parents/incoming students about Student Health/Health Iowa services. Participate in other health promotion activities occurring at Health Iowa.
Public Health Competencies
Social and Behavioral Sciences
College students have a unique set of social and environmental challenges, often due to living situations and student culture. This project is based on health behavior education and the social and environmental factors particular to the college student population.
Health Policy and Management
In creating and promoting these videos I will be using marketing principles to determine how to best reach my audience and which elements of the behavior are pertinent to include in the videos. Additionally, in working with other people at Health Iowa I will be learning about the principles of program planning, development, budgeting, management, and evaluation.
Communication and Informatics
Communication and informatics will be important in creating videos, both for the communication included in them and while creating them and the technology used to create and disseminate them. Also, through working with various professionals at Health Iowa I will need good communication skills.
Leadership
Leadership will be used throughout many aspects of this project. It will be most prominent in working at the Information Fairs for incoming students and working with the other interns at Health Iowa and allow opportunities to engage in public health leadership goals.
Professionalism
Professionalism will be shown through all aspects of this project including while working with other health promotion professionals, interns, and college students.
Program Planning
Program planning skills will be needed to determine which behavioral and social factors to target in the videos. They will also be used to plan and create the videos and how they will be promoted to college students.
IRB Approval
No IRB approval is needed as no human subject research is involved.
Time Frame
This project will take place from May-July 2012
References
Health Iowa. 2011. The National College Health Assessment Survey: Spring 2011. Retrieved from http://www.studenthealth.uiowa.edu/wellness/health-iowa-data
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
