Taylor Thomas

George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:41:04 +0000

George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant Taylor Thomas Fri, 09/13/2024 - 10:41

Afghan victims of combat arrive in the United States as refugees with unique health care needs. Rebecca Sutter, professor in the School of Nursing at ��AV, has been awarded a $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat (SASIC) grant to develop health service delivery infrastructure for Afghan survivors, refugees, and immigrants impacted by combat trauma and violence. The program, titled Healing and Educating Afghans for Resiliency-Virginia (HEAR-VA), will serve Afghan refugees residing in Northern and Central Virginia, where an estimated 95% of Afghans resettled in 2022.

HEAR-VA seeks to screen 500 individuals for eligibility and enroll 305 participants in care services.

Photo provided

“We are implementing a care coordination model where individuals, regardless of which HEAR-VA partner they interact with first, will receive screenings, and be connected with services that address their individualized care needs,” Sutter said. "What’s especially important is this program will be built not just for, but in partnership with actual Afghan survivors of combat and other refugees who are impacted by trauma and violence."

The SASIC grant was awarded from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The mission of ORR is to provide newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan with resources to begin healing combat-related trauma and facilitate sustainable physical, emotional, social, and economic well-being.

This interdisciplinary HEAR-VA initiative will be managed by the Mason and Partners Clinic in partnership with Virginia Department of Social Services Office of New Americans (DSS-ONA), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services Office of Behavioral Health Wellness (DBHDS-OBHW), Health Brigade, Northern Virginia Family Services, and additional community partners. The program went into effect July 2024 and will extend through February 2026.

“This collection of partners is dedicated to creating an innovative program that will be community-based, community-driven, and community-led. We are building local capacity to serve vulnerable populations, not just for the duration of the grant, but long after we as the implementers have departed,” Sutter said.

In addition to her role as a professor in the School of Nursing, Sutter is the director of the Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics. She is a credentialed Family Nurse Practitioner with expertise in community health care access and navigation to improve care and promote collaboration between public health, public safety, and health to ensure that evidence-based treatment is available for at-risk and marginalized individuals, families, communities, and populations.

Discover the nursing program at George Mason

In This Story

Rebecca Sutter, DNP, APRN, BC-FNP

Topics

Refugees

immigrants and refugee communities

Access to Health Services

Community Partners

Mason and Partners Clinic

George Mason students travel to Japan to learn about international approaches to supporting older adults

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:25:23 +0000

George Mason students travel to Japan to learn about international approaches to supporting older adults Taylor Thomas Mon, 08/26/2024 - 09:25

In This Story

Megumi Inoue, PhD

Across the globe, the number of older adults is rapidly increasing and health care systems around the world are adapting to the needs of this population. This summer, a group of ��AV graduate and undergraduate students, led by Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work Megumi Inoue, participated in the study-abroad program in Japan—Rise of the Super-Aged Society.

Students explored policies, programs, and services to meet the unique needs of an aging global population. During the program, students visited governmental and nonprofit agencies working with the older population and interacted with local older adults in community settings.

“Study-abroad programs offer students experiential learning opportunities in different cultures that go beyond traditional classroom education. By immersing themselves in new environments, students gain practical skills in cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and problem-solving while they are studying a specific topic. They also develop a deeper understanding of local issues and perspectives, enriching their academic knowledge and broadening their worldview,” said Inoue.

Samiah Clark, a bachelor of social work student set to graduate in May of 2025, attests to how students gained valuable, firsthand knowledge that can only be accomplished through immersing oneself in the culture.

"The trip enhanced my education and observational skills surrounding the cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan,” Clark said. "Additionally, I learned about their customs of respecting older adults and traditions families partake in when caring for their parents. If I had the chance, I would go again."

The course is designed to introduce and examine strategies implemented in Japan in response to issues and challenges surrounding its rapidly aging population. Students explore the strengths and limitations of strategies that Japan has incorporated expanding their perspectives on interventions for other aging countries, including the United States.

“Taking students on study-abroad trips is important for their educational and personal development,” said Inoue. "It enriches their academic experience, enhances cultural competence, and prepares them for the globalized world. After the program, students often express how cultural exposure facilitated personal growth, professional development, and self-reflection."

Learn more about the Japan - Rise of the Super-Aged Society Mason-led study abroad.

Topics

study abroad

International Health Policy

Older Adults

healthy aging

Social Work Faculty

experiential learning

Students

College of Public Health is fueling the pipeline for nutrition professionals

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:49:46 +0000

College of Public Health is fueling the pipeline for nutrition professionals Taylor Thomas Mon, 08/05/2024 - 08:49

George Mason's first cohort of graduates had a 100% pass rate on the RD certification exam—and every student was immediately employed as an RD.

Eli Kalman-Rome is the first ��AV graduate to pass the Registered Dietitian (RD) exam and become a credentialed RD in Virginia. Kalman-Rome was part of the first cohort to graduate from the new Master of Science in Nutrition, dietetics concentration program in May.

Kalman-Rome asserts his Mason education was paramount to this achievement. His prior experiences at George Mason left no question of the College’s capacity to facilitate his academic success.

“I did my master's at George Mason previously and trusted the university to provide a solid education with caring and competent faculty,” said Kalman-Rome.

To pass the RD examination, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics requires students to demonstrate competencies in the principles of dietetics, nutrition care for individuals and groups, management of food and nutrition programs, and food service systems. While the typical pass rate for this for this prestigious exam is 70%, George Mason's first cohort of graduates had a 100% pass rate—and every student was immediately employed as an RD. "These impressive statistics are a testament to how effectively the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies' MS, Nutrition Dietetic Concentration program prepares students for the RD exam and for the job market. We are proud of our first cohort of graduates and eager to grow this program to meet today's demand," said Martin Binks, PhD, MBA, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.

“George Mason not only provided the didactic and internship components I needed to be successful at the RD exam, but it has made me competitive as a hiring candidate. The classes laid a solid foundation for my skills and knowledge, and the internship placements for the program were varied, interesting, and provided real-life experience that helped me understand how dietetics is used professionally,” Kalman-Rome said.

In addition to setting him up for academic success, Kalman-Rome praises the College for preparing him to enter the field as a nutrition dietetics professional with an appreciation for nutrition’s role in public health.

“Adequate nutrition is instrumental to public health outcomes because it's impossible to remain healthy without it. Nutrition impacts all stages of life, from fetal development, infant mortality, maternal health, success in the classroom for growing children, the incidences of infection and disease, shortened lifespan from chronic diseases, but it is also a critical aspect of culture. Sharing food is a way of caring for each other and passing down our traditions and beliefs, nutrition is not only about physical health but also part of a holistic wellness of communities,” he said.

Kalman-Rome recently accepted a position as a Clinical Dietician at HCA Healthcare.

Congratulations, Eli!

Topics

Nutrition Students

registered dietitian

MS Nutrition

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Student Success

Students

Learning Laboratory for Community Health prepares graduate students to solve real-world public health challenges

Taylor Thomas — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 15:55:33 +0000

Learning Laboratory for Community Health prepares graduate students to solve real-world public health challenges Taylor Thomas Wed, 06/05/2024 - 11:55

The Learning Laboratory for Community Health at ��AV held the first in-person Learning Lab Challenge at the Inaugural Empowered Communities Conference. For the challenge, graduate research assistants (GRAs) were tasked with developing an intervention that addressed the very real public health issue of opioid use disorder among adolescents and young adults.

Over the semester, GRAs worked in interdisciplinary teams, with community stakeholders providing insights into their research process and conducting interviews with affected youth and families to determine how to best meet the community's health needs.

Ashley Wiest

“We were excited to showcase student milestones achieved, challenges overcome, and collective triumphs that define our community journey toward a healthier, more equitable future,” said Ashley Wiest, a research faculty member in the College of Public Health and the Learning Lab project coordinator.

The challenge concluded with GRAs presenting their interventions to a panel of experts, who evaluated and selected the intervention that will be implemented at the Mason and Partners (MAP) clinics. The experts included

Kadhambari Sridhar, Community Preparedness Coordinator at the Fairfax County Health Department;
Jennifer Felts, Population Health Epidemiologist specializing in substance use and mental health; and
Shannyn Snyder, an adjunct faculty in the Department of Global and Community renowned for her expertise in socioeconomic disparities and social justice issues.

Under the guidance of Lisa Gring-Pemble, an associate professor in the Costello College of Business, the winning intervention, titled "Club Culmore: A Place-Based Wellness Model for Adolescents and Young Adults," was designed by three GRAs:

Shams Hadi Al Jassar, biology major and pre-medical student
Olivia Hutton, Master of Health Administration student
Eyesha Shaikh, Master of Social Work student

Shams Hadi Al Jassar

Olivia Hutton

Eyesha Shaikh

Club Culmore presents a comprehensive seven-step approach to wellness. From mental health services to tailored social media campaigns, workforce skill development, and a dedicated medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinic, this innovative proposal promises to address the opioid epidemic through community collaboration and tailored services for at-risk youth.

“It was rewarding to celebrate the transformative impact our Mason students have had on the landscape of community health. Their dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to excellence have enhanced their individual growth and enriched our community,” said Wiest.

The Learning Lab was created with support from a $1 million Health Services Research grant, made possible by Congressman Gerry Connolly of Virginia's 11th District, who shepherded the proposal through Congress. Rebecca Sutter serves as the grant's project director and principle investigator. The mission of the Learning Laboratory is to support multidisciplinary training for public health students and professionals, with special attention to marginalized communities within Northern Virginia.

The Learning Lab’s impact on students and the community

Since its inception, the Learning Laboratory has been highly successful. In the second year of the lab, students reported the lab

increased their knowledge of community stakeholders,
increased confidence in discussing core public health topics, and
significantly improved their critical thinking skills related to community health, networking and research, problem-solving, and professional development.

“The Learning Lab is dedicated to equipping students with the multifaceted skills essential for success in the workforce after graduation. Our teaching models foster proficiency in research, interviewing, data collection, administrative tasks, and community resource utilization alongside technological competencies, thus nurturing a generation of adept community health professionals,” said Wiest.

Read the Lab’s 2023-24 Impact Report.

In This Story

Shannyn Snyder, MAIS

Ashley Wiest, DNP, FNP-BC

Rebecca Sutter, DNP, APRN, BC-FNP

Lisa M. Gring-Pemble

Topics

experiential learning

Impact

Community Health

Mason and Partners Clinic

Public Health Students

Associate Professor Erin D. Maughan receives VDOE Grant to invigorate the future of school nursing

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:53:38 +0000

Associate Professor Erin D. Maughan receives VDOE Grant to invigorate the future of school nursing Taylor Thomas Fri, 02/09/2024 - 12:53

Both regionally and across the country, there is a severe lack of programs dedicated to school nursing administrators (i.e. nurses who lead school nursing and school health programs at the district level). Erin Maughan, an associate professor in College of Public Health’s School of Nursing at ��AV, intends to remedy this with a $364,503 grant from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). With the funding, Maughan will establish the School Nursing Leadership Academy.

Erin D. Maughan

"There are over 130,000 school nurses across the nation, who are central to the foundation of the health and well-being of children,” Maughan said. "The goal of the academy is to develop leaders in school nursing who have the knowledge and skills needed to successfully oversee school health programs at the district level, as well as state and regional school nursing associations."

The academy, which is expected to be fully developed by June 2024, will be designed to train future leaders in school nursing using TeamSTEPPS, an evidence-based curriculum that prioritizes incorporating effective communication and teamwork into the health care system. The program will take place over one-and-a-half years and will incorporate experiential learning, equestrian activity, and expert-led discussions.

In addition, Mason's Center for Health Workforce is guiding the development of sustainable asynchronous modules for the professional development program, which along with virtual webinars, will provide additional information and mentoring opportunities.

The program kicks off with three days of in–person instruction, during which participants will use virtual reality (VR) modules to practice interprofessional skills and conflict management. Mason's College of Public Health is a leader in integrating VR into the curriculum and training of future health care leaders.

“Participating in the VR will allow gaining experience in a safe, nonthreatening environment where we can talk about how they reacted so they will have confidence and experience when they encounter situations in the real world,” said Maughan.

Maughan was originally approached by the VDOE’s state school nurse consultant Tracy White, who wanted to foster more leadership training and was aware of Maughan’s passion to do so as well. Together, they set into motion plans to create the academy.

Maughan is a leading expert on school nursing and the health of school-age children. Her research expertise is in looking at the role of infrastructure and policy on school nurse staffing and services. In addition, she has expertise in leadership, strategic planning, innovation, and mentoring. Her career is dedicated to children’s health, especially vulnerable populations. She is excited to contribute her skills and knowledge for the success of the academy.

“Having been a school nurse leader and researcher for many years, it has been a dream of mine to create such a program,” said Maughan. "I hope this program will build excitement and create a network of confident school nurse leaders who can transform school nursing in their districts, so that frontline school nurses have the guidance and support they need to work to their full scope of practice.

Maughan emphasizes how this program is not only for school nurses but also for the students they will be serving.

At its core, the School Nursing Leadership Academy is about building capacity to help school nurse leaders build their confidence and skills needed to do well in the position,” said Maughan. “We are confident this initiative will position school nurses and their program leaders to work effectively with school administrators, local health departments, health care providers and families to positively impact student health, and thus improve child health in the commonwealth and the rest of the nation.”

In This Story

Erin D. Maughan, PhD

More news from the College of Public Health

George Mason College of Public Health Professor Rebecca Sutter awarded $3 million Services to Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat Program grant
September 13, 2024
Nursing students help underserved communities get their kids back-to-school ready
August 22, 2024
George Mason alumna and her furry coworker fight for Fairfax County kids
August 16, 2024
Online learning expert suggests best practices for promoting academic honesty
August 14, 2024
Songs from adolescence and early adulthood enhance mood and social engagement among people with dementia, according to new study
June 25, 2024

Topics

Nursing Administration

Workforce Development

Research

School Nursing

Tech Talent Investment Program (TTIP)

TTIP

From zoonoses to mental health interventions, MPH student’s interdisciplinary research at Mason leads to CDC Fellowship

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:46:17 +0000

From zoonoses to mental health interventions, MPH student’s interdisciplinary research at Mason leads to CDC Fellowship Mary Cunningham Thu, 08/03/2023 - 14:46

Ryan Shelton, a recent graduate of the ��AV's Master of Public Health (MPH) program, accepted a full-time ORISE Fellow position at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. He is part of the Science Team in the Division of Emergency Operations where he works in the emergency preparedness sector preparing reports, interpreting data, and providing recommendations for CDC emergency response processes.

Ryan Shelton. Photo provided

Shelton credits the academic and research opportunities at Mason's College of Public Health for preparing him for this role.

“Mason's MPH program allowed me to gain experience with interdisciplinary research through the diverse classes offered as well as research assistantships like the one I had with Dr. Roess,” Shelton said.

During his program, Shelton worked as a research assistant under Mason researcher Amira Roess performing multiple studies surrounding zoonoses, diseases that can be passed between humans and animals. His primary assignment focused on infectious disease research about the mother-to-child transmission of specific bacteria in rural Bangladesh.

“The goal of this study was to examine bacteria levels in expecting mothers, their immediate households, and any animals they had contact with to determine how many samples of bacteria were in each mother before birth, and about six months after birth,” Shelton said.

In a separate survey-based study, Shelton also tracked human-deer interactions across Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Southern Maryland to determine risks of disease spread in urban areas.

“The goal of the deer-human interaction survey is to document where the deer are migrating and gain insight on their geographical placement in urban environments,” said Shelton. “This will help determine the risk of zoonotic disease spread between humans and deer in densely populated areas.”

Both studies necessitated Shelton to have an understanding of infectious disease, animal science, and geography, consistent with the public health practice of One-Health.

Under Roess’s tutelage, Shelton designed surveys, performed literature searches, conducted data analysis, and created figures to visualize data---many of which he is already using in his current role with the CDC.

Versatile communicable and chronic disease research skills

In addition to his work with zoonotic diseases with Roess, Shelton is completing research to address the mental health crisis afflicting public health workers across the globe with Project HOPE, a global nonprofit whose public health work includes improving access to mental health services for all populations.

Shelton recognizes the need to reduce the stigma associated with mental health so health care workers feel they can seek help.

“Prioritizing and normalizing mental health is highly important so the workers can share their concerns and be open to receiving treatment,” he said.

Shelton’s interdisciplinary work with Project HOPE integrates the fields of mental health, public health, sociology, and emergency preparedness and response. He is currently working on a resiliency training program to teach frontline health care workers coping mechanisms for high-stress situations.

“It is an unfortunate reality that health care workers do not often receive the mental health support they need in trying times,” Shelton said. “With Project HOPE, I am working on analyzing and improving a mental health and resilience training program that is implemented to address the mental health crisis for nurses, doctors, and other emergency responders around the world.”

Like his work with Roess, the data analysis and public health program evaluation skills he developed while in Mason’s MPH program have proven to be invaluable.

Mason students pursuing the MPH are instructed in the core public health competencies while also being exposed to the various fields where public health intersects with. Those concentrating in global health, like Shelton, are trained to promote public health worldwide, as well as prevent infections and chronic illnesses.

“I took many classes that exposed me to a variety of sub-fields within the public health sphere,” said Shelton. "Within the MPH global health concentration, courses covered a variety of topics including infectious diseases, human migration patterns, and even biostatistics, but most importantly, how these different areas come together in public health."

Learn more about our Masters in Public Health Program

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Topics

College of Public Health

internships

New bivalent vaccine is a consequential next step to preemptively address colder month COVID peaks

Taylor Thomas — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:10:35 +0000

New bivalent vaccine is a consequential next step to preemptively address colder month COVID peaks Taylor Thomas Fri, 11/04/2022 - 09:10

In This Story

Amira Roess, PhD, MPH

Professor of public health Dr. Amira Roess shares why it is imperative we all get the latest COVID vaccine

The decreasing temperatures usher in our third fall and winter with the addition of COVID to cold and flu season. Despite feelings of normalcy returning, health professionals are still wary and continue to stress the crucial nature of preventative measures to protect against the illnesses that rise during this time of year. In addition, the country has seen a spike in RSV cases and the region is reporting a strain on the local pediatric hospitals, with several reporting they are nearing capacity.

Amira Roess, epidemiologist and professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, recently shared all the need to knows regarding the bivalent vaccine. Currently, only about seven percent of individuals ages five years and older are vaccinated with the updated booster, and she was quoted in Teen Vogue and AFAR Magazine to provide her expertise and comment about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination.

As Dr. Roess remains a foremost expert on infectious diseases, she provides further detail about the importance of remaining updated on vaccinations and is available for further comment.

How is the bivalent booster different from other COVID vaccines?

The new bivalent booster is expected to be even better at reducing the chance of infection and, if you do get infected, reducing the duration and severity of COVID-19. Bivalent refers to the booster having an mRNA component from the original strain of COVID in addition to the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5. These are two of the variants currently circulating as well as one of the older variants. The new booster is anticipated to provide greater protection against variants that are closely related to those that the booster is formulated from and protect against future strains.

Why should those who are eligible get the new booster?

COVID-19 vaccines have consistently shown that they reduce the chance of severe infection and death. We now have a vaccine that is tailored to target the newer variants. Stay up to date on your vaccines. Vaccinated individuals have a much lower chance of severe illness. Once you are eligible to get the new booster then get it. Getting the booster will give your body a chance to develop antibodies and increase your protection against infection and severe disease.

The FDA has also recently approved the booster vaccine for people five years and older. Those who are eligible are recommended to receive one bivalent mRNA booster dose after completion of any FDA-approved or FDA-authorized monovalent primary series or previously received monovalent booster dose(s).

For this year, our models cannot adequately predict when the peaks of COVID will be or how bad they will be, but the last two and a half years have shown us that we should expect peaks.

If we wish to avoid severe rises in cases, it is imperative for more people to receive the newest dose.

Should we still mask even if we are vaccinated with the booster?

It is a good idea to wear a mask when you are in crowded indoor settings with people you don't know, especially if you are vulnerable to severe infection. During periods of high transmission in your community consider wearing a mask when you're in crowded areas. And if you are symptomatic wear a mask and limit your interaction with others while you are infected, especially members of your community who are immune compromised or elderly. Wear the best quality mask that you have access to. The more effective masks are the N-95 or K-95 (or equivalents).

Is COVID still considered worse than the flu?

Overall, more than four times as many individuals are infected with the COVID-19 virus than with the flu virus. Flu did not disrupt life, businesses, health care, school, and other aspects of life the way COVID-19 does. The sheer number of individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and have to isolate is many times more than that due to flu. I think these are reasons why it's hard to say that the pandemic is over. It's still infecting and killing more people than other infectious diseases in this country.

The disparities in health care access are also still very troubling and will continue to lead to higher rates of severe illness and death among minoritized and low-income populations. Effective treatments will continue to be out of reach for poor individuals and those who are ignored by the medical system furthering the difference in severe illness and mortality rates.

Is the pandemic over?

For segments of our population the pandemic is over. For healthy young adults and healthy children, the pandemic has been over for quite some time. They have the lowest COVID-19 disease severity and death rates compared to other groups.

For others, the pandemic is still disrupting day-to-day life. Older individuals and people with underlying conditions remain the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and to them the pandemic will never be over. For those who live with vulnerable individuals the pandemic is still very real. We are continuing to see about 400 COVID-19 deaths per day. We are continuing to have at least 50,000 cases a day, and we know we are severely undercounting cases.

The end of the pandemic would mean that we would evenly distribute therapeutics and high-quality health care to infected individuals no matter what their race or ethnicity or income level. The end of the pandemic would mean that we would have a functioning public health infrastructure that has resources uniformly distributed across the country, across the world, regardless of the income status of the population it serves. That had never been our past. It's certainly not our present, but I do hope it becomes our future.

Dr. Amira Roess specializes in infectious diseases, especially reducing the transmission of diseases that spread between animals and humans, including coronaviruses like MERS-CoV and SAR-CoV-2, the latter of which causes COVID-19. She has expertise in emerging zoonotic infectious diseases and interventions to reduce the transmission and impact of infectious diseases.

She is a professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at ��AV's College of Public Health Department of Global and Community Health. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Roess served as the Science Director for the Pew Commission on Industrial Food Animal Production at Johns Hopkins and was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer at the CDC. She has served as a consultant for the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, and Westat Inc.

For more information, contact Michelle Thompson at 703-993-3485 or mthomp7@gmu.edu.

About Mason

��AV, Virginia’s largest public research university, enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at http://www.gmu.edu.

About College of Public Health at ��AV

The College of Public Health at ��AV is the first and only College of Public Health in Virginia combining public health transdisciplinary research, education, and practice in the Commonwealth as a national exemplar. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in our nationally recognized programs, including six undergraduate degrees, eight master’s degrees, five doctoral degrees, and six professional certificate programs. The College is comprised of the School of Nursing and the Departments of Global and Community Health, Health Administration and Policy, Nutrition and Food Studies, and Social Work.

Topics

Romanian researchers shared their environmental epidemiology research with doctoral students

Taylor Thomas — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:45:39 +0000

Romanian researchers shared their environmental epidemiology research with doctoral students Taylor Thomas Tue, 10/25/2022 - 10:45

In This Story

Michael S. Bloom, PhD, MS, FACE

Associate Professor of Global and Community Health Michael Bloom’s work with international scholars is a testament to Mason’s position as global research university

Michael Bloom, associate professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, recently hosted research colleagues from Romania who shared their research on environmental epidemiology with PhD students. Eugen Gurzău, MD, PhD, and Iulia Neamtiu, MD, PhD, are physician/researcher faculty at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hațieganu” in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. They presented on various topics including air quality, arsenic exposure, and risk management for exposures to environmental cancer-causing agents.

Bloom is a strong advocate for the value that international engagements add to public health.

“It is beneficial for PhD students to learn about the environmental epidemiology research taking place in other parts of the world, to meet investigators with a different perspective on environmental and epidemiologic research,” said Bloom.

Michael Bloom and PhD students with Romanian visitors

Gurzău and Neamtiu primarily discussed their work with the Schools Indoor Pollution and Health Observation Network in Europe (SINPHONIE) and the European Coordination Action on Human Biomonitoring (COPHES). The partnerships between these researchers and Bloom bring forth information that have the potential to guide policy regulations aimed toward the improvement of air and water quality.

After meeting at a conference in Romania in 2008, Bloom has worked alongside Gurzău and Neamtiu on research involving the effect of groundwater arsenic contamination on pregnancy and birth outcomes. They have received funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Fulbright Scholar Program. Bloom, Gurzău, and Neamtiu’s most recent research on birth outcomes in relation to arsenic and genetic susceptibility is being supported by an extramural research grant from the Romanian government.

Topics

Public Health

Environmental Health and Safety

Global Health

Epidemiology

CHHS Research

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

Air Pollution

In sickness and health: the influence of paid leave on employee commitment

Taylor Thomas — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:23:45 +0000

In sickness and health: the influence of paid leave on employee commitment Taylor Thomas Tue, 10/18/2022 - 14:23

In This Story

Priyanka Anand, PhD

George Mason Associate Professor of Health Administration and Policy discusses the importance of job-protected paid leave.

Priyanka Anand, PhD

According to surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2018, only 56 percent of Americans have access job-protected leave afforded by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), leaving 44% of Americans ineligible for this coverage because they haven’t been employed long enough or their workplace is too small.

The FMLA grants employees the ability to take an unpaid leave of absence to care for loved ones in the event of an unforeseen illness or disability. Because many Americans cannot afford to hire professional care providers when a family member falls ill or has a disability, they are often left with the responsibility of providing the care themselves, which is referred to as informal care. For this reason, many people are forced to reduce hours working a paying job to attend to their informal care duties, causing severe loss in income and risking losing their job entirely.

Associate Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy at ��AV Dr. Priyanka Anand’s research centers on social safety net programs with a particular focus on disability policy and paid leave. Her most recent research, titled “The role of paid family leave in labor supply responses to a spouse’s disability or health shock,” was featured in the 2022 Economic Report of the President.

Anand’s research provides insight into the influence of paid leave on labor supply decisions and labor force participation. She shares her knowledge of how health shocks affect families and disrupt employment and is available for further comment.

What is difference between FMLA, parental leave, and paid family or caregiving leave?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was established in 1993 to guarantee 12 weeks of job-protected leave for individuals who are away from work due to medical conditions. FMLA is most known for maternity leave, but also covers long and short-term health conditions and caring for a sick or disabled family member. Job-protected leave, like FMLA, means their job will be available when they return from leave; however, employers are not required to compensate employees while on leave.

Parental leave can be paid or unpaid depending on an individual’s place of employment. Parental leave is given on a company-by-company basis and is not guaranteed in the United States. Paid family or caregiving leave, on the other hand, allows employees to take compensated leave to care for a family member experiencing a health condition.

What factors should someone consider when deciding whether to take time off to care for a family member?

When faced with the prospect of caring for a family member, individuals should closely consider their options and understand the potential outcomes of each. My research provides a framework of three pathways people generally take after a family member’s health shock. The first is to continue working and either provide informal care in addition to working or rely on formal care, which can be costly. The second is to take a short period of leave (either paid or unpaid) and eventually return to work. The third pathway is leaving the workforce entirely to provide full-time informal care.

Individuals oftentimes have to choose between the lesser of evils when faced with what to do about a loved one’s care, all of which result in some form of financial consequence both in the household and on the broader economy. The availability of paid leave can play an important role in this decision as well.

What would the addition of state or federal paid leave policies mean for American workers?

In states that have paid leave policies, the length of paid leave ranges from six to 12 weeks, but most states do not have any paid leave policies at all. In April 2021, President Biden proposed the American Families Plan which would have federally ensured all workers in the U.S. are guaranteed 12 weeks of paid family leave. Unfortunately, it did not pass through Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act.

The availability of paid leave and job protection is designed to offset the financial burden of the health shock. Paid family leave allows workers to maintain a steady income while finding a permanent solution for their long-term caregiving needs, rather than choosing between losing earnings or paying for formal care. The ultimate goal of paid family leave is to alleviate the emotional and financial burdens that come hand-in-hand with a family member experiencing an illness or disability, allowing the individual to maintain their participation in the labor force and improve their overall well-being.

In addition to the cost-saving benefits, paid family leave policies have the potential to alleviate gender workforce disparities given that the burden of caregiving often falls onto women.

Priyanka Anand is an associate professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy at ��AV. She is a renowned researcher whose work includes estimating the effect of the ACA Medicaid expansions on federal disability insurance applications, examining the relationship between rising health insurance costs and employee compensation, and analyzing the time use of people with disabilities. Anand’s novel findings on paid family leave, which are in the 2022 Economic Report of the President and published in the Journal of Health Economics, identify implications for the future of federal paid leave policies.

For more information, contact Michelle Thompson at 703-993-3485 or mthomp7@gmu.edu.

About Mason

About the College of Health and Human Services

The College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and to shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings, including 6 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 6 certificate programs. The college is transitioning to a college of public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu.

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CPH Blog: Top 5 reasons to get a Master of Public Health

Mary Cunningham — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 15:21:15 +0000

CPH Blog: Top 5 reasons to get a Master of Public Health Mary Cunningham Fri, 10/14/2022 - 11:21

GCH News

If you are looking to implement your own health promotion programs, design research projects, and open doors to new professional possibilities, earning a Master of Public Health degree could be the answer. Master of Public Health (MPH) students are instructed in the foundational competencies and practices of public health, determinants of health, cultural competence, and health assessments for diverse populations. Upon graduation, students are prepared to be public health practitioners and leaders. ��AV offers a CEPH-accredited MPH.

This is an exciting time for public health and jobs are expanding faster than ever before, with an expected growth rate of 11% by 2026. With an MPH, graduates go on to become public health educators, epidemiologists, health policy analysts, clinical research coordinators, and more.

There are a vast number of reasons why obtaining an MPH is a great personal and career choice, but here are the top five benefits:

You will make a difference for others. Are you passionate about helping people? A career in public health is a surefire way to serve communities in need. In an MPH program, you will learn the contexts of health outside the hospital setting. In addition to being able to address the burdens of populations, there is a great sense of accomplishment in earning an MPH.
There are diverse career options at your disposal. Whether you want to explore research, epidemiology, or social justice, one thing is for sure — you will never be bored. You can specialize, transition between fields, explore different settings, and travel nationally or abroad. Earning an MPH expands your qualifications and opens higher-level leadership positions in public health.
Job security. Public health is a growing field and professionals are needed to meet that demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth for community health-related work between 2021 and 2031 is 12%, much higher than average. MPH graduates are prepared to enter the market in the private sector or governmental organizations on the city, state, or federal level.
You can solve big problems. Public health is all about improving health on a larger scale. Students in MPH programs learn what it means to investigate beyond the illness and address what affects health on social, behavioral, and environmental scales. MPH graduates are trained to undertake these challenges and develop solutions.
Location, location, location! Public health is everywhere. Graduates of MPH programs have unlimited options in terms of places to practice population health, including one of the nation’s epicenters of public health, Washington, D.C. What better place to be than Mason? With the university’s proximity to the nation’s capital, there are numerous opportunities for internships and employment.

There are many things to keep in mind when considering pursuing an MPH. There are time and financial commitments, but the rewards yielded will undoubtedly be worth it. For those who work full-time, Mason offers flexible class time and online options.

Learn more about Mason’s Master of Public Health.

Thumbnail photo by Ian Schneider via unsplash

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