The First Archway Public Health Professional Named - College of ...

The First ArchwayPublic HealthProfessional Named

College NewsArchway Public Health Professional Position CreatedPublic HealthThe College of Public Health in conjunction with the Office of Public Serviceand Outreach and Cooperative Extension has established the first ArchwayPublic Health Professional. This position is one of the many components ofthe university’s Archway Partnership, a program designed to deliver a full rangeof University of Georgia resources to counties facing significant issues relatedto rapid growth. This is the first Archway position in public health, and it willserve the citizens of Washington County, GA. Laura V. Bland, MPH ’08, hasbeen named the first Archway Public Health Professional.The Archway project promotes community economic development; adaptsto assist with each region’s unique, expressed needs; and provides leadership bypartnering with other higher education institutions, state agencies and localcommunities. The Archway Public Health Professional’s role is to “conduct aneeds assessment of public health problems in the community, identify resourcesin the community that could be mobilized, facilitate communication betweencommunity resources in the community and, in general, support the land grantmission of our institution,” says senior associate dean Robert Galen, physicianand professor of epidemiology.According to Galen, “the hope is that a careful assessment of the public healthproblems facing a community will motivate the faculty to identify related researchopportunities that will lead to solutions to those problems.”Laura V. Bland, MPH ’08, has been named the college’s first public service professional.2 College of Public Health

New Study Shows the Value ofInvesting in Employee HealthIs it worth it to invest in employee wellness programs?According to a study published in the September Journalof Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an officialpublication of the American College of Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine (ACOEM), it is.Lead author of the new publication, Kristin M. Baker,MPH ‘07, is a Ph.D. student in the department of healthpromotion and behavior.The research shows that an obesity managementprogram can provide a significant drop in employee riskfactors with at least a “modest” return on investment (ROI)in just one year.Moreover, the ROI model introduced in this studyprovides a simpler, less costly tool to help companiesestimate the dollar benefits of investing in employee wellnessprograms especially when compared to the more expensiveformal evaluation studies used to build an economic case forhealth promotion programs.The researchers analyzed a group of 890 overweightor obese employees participating in an obesity managementprogram called Healthyroads. To assess the financial impactof the Healthyroads program, the researchers used a recentlydeveloped ROI model, which estimated the changes in medicalcosts and worker productivity resulting from reductions inhealth risks.The results suggested a total projected savings of nearly$312,000. About 60 percent of the savings are from reducedhealth care spending; the remaining 40 percent resulted fromimprovements in productivity.The model estimated an overall ROI of $1.17 to $1.00—for each dollar spent on the obesity management program,costs decreased by $1.17. The total cost of the Healthyroadsprogram averaged $300 per employee per year.The funds will support their research efforts throughthe coalition’s Distinguished Cancer Clinicians and Scientistsprogram. The coalition selects scientists engaged in the mostpromising areas of cancer research who can strengthen thestate’s research talent, capacity, infrastructure and funding.Since its inception in 2001, the Georgia Cancer Coalitionhas named 117 Distinguished Scholars. Fourteen have beennamed at the University of Georgia.The 14 GCC scholars at UGA are among the more than40 researchers who are members of the UGA Cancer Center,a multi-disciplinary center that was founded in 2004 to usethe talents of the university’s researchers in the fight againstcancer.Robb’s research focuses on physical function andpsychosocial factors that impact older cancer patients. Hergoal is to better understand factors that contribute to treatmentoutcomes in older patients and to eliminate disparities intreatment of the elderly.Vena studies factors that affect the health of populationsand is currently researching occupational and environmentalrisk factors that impact breast, lung and bladder cancers.The Georgia Cancer Coalition is an independent, notfor-profitorganization that unites government agencies,academic institutions, civic groups, corporations and healthcare organizations in a concerted effort to strengthen cancerprevention, research and treatment in Georgia, with theultimate goal of making Georgia one of the nation’s premierstates for cancer care. The mission is to reduce the numberof cancer-related deaths in Georgia. The coalition is the firstof its kind in the nation. For more information, see www.georgiacancer.org.Georgia Cancer Coalition Names UGADistinguished ScholarsThe Georgia Cancer Coalition named two College of PublicHealth faculty members as Distinguished Cancer Scholars for2008-09. John Vena, head of the department of epidemiologyand biostatistics and Claire Robb, assistant professor ofepidemiology each received 5-year grants from the cancercoalition. Over the next five years, Vena will receive $150Kper year and Robb will receive $50K per year.Claire RobbJohn VenaWinter 2009 3

New FacultyPublic HealthCham Dallas,Ph.D.,professor ofhealth policyand managementanddirector ofthe institutefor healthmanagementand massdestructiondefense (IHMD), joined the Collegeof Public Health to lead the college’soutreach and research efforts in thearea of emergency preparedness.Having more than 25 years of experiencewith issues related to weaponsof mass destruction, including tenyears of field experience at the Chernobylnuclear disaster site, Dallas isinternationally recognized. As an expertin the consequences of WMD,he is frequently invited to speak atthe United Nations, national newsoutlets and in dozens of institutionsworldwide on the medical responseto nuclear war.Dallas has been the recipientof several teaching awards, and haswritten scores of research papers forthe scientific community and educationalarticles for the public on thetoxic components of WMD.Travis Glenn,Ph.D.,joined thecollege asan associateprofessor ofenvironmentalhealth science.Glennreceived hisPh.D. in Zoologyfrom the University of Maryland.His research interests includegenetic mechanisms and developingnew DNA techniques. Before joiningthe college, he worked at the SavannahRiver Ecology Lab. In the pastfive years, Glenn has collaboratedon research funded by the NationalInstitute of Health, National ScienceFoundation, National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration Oceansand Human Health Initiative and theEnvironmental Protection Agency,among many others.Glenn also serves as the facultydirector of the Georgia GenomicsFacilities. These laboratoriesfacilitate genomics research for investigatorsthroughout Georgia andbeyond.Joel M. Lee,Dr. P.H.,joined theCollege ofPublic Healthin August asassociate deanfor academicaffairs andprofessor ofhealth policyand management.Lee has served on a numberof association boards and advisorycommittees including the Board ofDirectors of the Association of UniversityPrograms in Health Administration(AUPHA), the KentuckyHealth Care Strategy Forum, theGoverning Council of the AmericanPublic Health Association, and manydifferent committees of the AmericanCollege of Health Care Executives.He serves as an accreditationsite visitor for both the Council onEducation in Public Health, andthe Council on Accreditation inHealth Services Management. Heis a founding member of the Pfizer/ASPH Academy of DistinguishedPublic Health Teachers, and is activein a variety of Association of Schoolsof Public Health committees. His4 College of Public Health

honors include the University ofKentucky Alumni Association “GreatTeacher” Award, and the GoldenApple Teaching Award given to himby students from the UK Collegeof Public Health. He frequentlypublishes on matters of education inpublic health and health administrationeducation.Lee was formerly a professor ofhealth services management as wellas the first associate dean for academicaffairs and director of doctoralstudies at the University of KentuckyCollege of Public Health.James Oloya,Ph.D., joinedthe collegeas assistantprofessor ofepidemiology.Oloya receivedhis Ph.D. fromthe NorwegianSchool of VeterinarySciencein Oslo, Norway and his M.Sc. fromMakerere University in Uganda.Oloya also completed a two-yearpostdoctoral research fellowship atNorth Dakota State University, specializingin microbial risk assessmentof foods of animal origin.Oloya specializes in epidemiologyand veterinary public health andthe epidemiology of zoonotic infections.His interests include: foodsafety epidemiology, antimicrobialdrug resistance of food borne pathogens,public health, study designs inclinical trials, and the epidemiologyof mycobacterial infections at thewildlife-domestic animal-humaninterface.Oloya teaches courses in infectiousdisease epidemiology, foodsafety epidemiology, and veterinarypublic health.John E. Vena,Ph.D., joinedthe college ashead of thedepartment ofepidemiologyand biostatistics.Vena wasalso namedthe Universityof GeorgiaFoundation Professor.Vena’s honors include beingnamed the Senior International Fellowfrom the Fogarty InternationalCenter of the National Institutes ofHealth, and a Great Lakes Scholarfrom the Association of Occupationaland Environmental Clinics. Heis a Fellow of the American Collegeof Epidemiology, and the AmericanEpidemiologic Society. Vena serveson the Governing Council for theEpidemiology Section of the AmericanPublic Health Association. Hisinterests include occupational health,reproductive and developmentalhealth, community-based researchand cancer epidemiology.Vena comes to the CPH fromthe Arnold School of Public Healthat the University of South Carolina,where he helped build and expanda successful research and academicprogram as chair of the departmentof epidemiology and biostatistics.Jia-ShengWang, M.D.,Ph.D., joinedthe college asprofessor andhead of thedepartment ofenvironmentalhealth science.Prior to joiningthe UGAfaculty, Wang was a professor ofmolecular toxicology in the departmentof environmental toxicologyat Texas Tech University. He hasalso served on the faculty of JohnHopkins University, MassachusettsInstitute of Technology, and SoutheastUniversity.Wang has published extensivelyand specializes in toxicology, carcinogenesis,cancer prevention, foodsafety, and molecular epidemiology.He has been a full member of manyprofessional societies, includingAmerican Association for Cancer Researchand Society of Toxicology. Hecurrently serves as the Vice Presidentof the Food Safety Specialty inthe Society of Toxicology and thePresident-elect of the American Associationof Chinese Toxicologists.ChristopherWhalen,M.D., a worldrenownedexpert ontuberculosis,joined thedepartment ofepidemiologyand biostatisticsas a professorof epidemiologyand is also a member of UGA’sFaculty of Infectious Disease. Priorto coming to the University of Georgia,he served as the division headof epidemiology at Case WesternReserve University Medical School.Whalen is a board certifiedphysician in both internal medicineand infectious disease. He hasbeen published in the New EnglandJournal of Medicine, the Journal ofthe American Medical Associationto Science and The Lancet. His researchinterests include tuberculosis,HIV infection, vaccines to preventinfectious disease and drug-resistantmicroorganisms.Winter 2009 5

Environmental Health ScienceUGA Collaborates with Peruto Reduce Air PollutionBy Jordan SarverJordan Sarver is pursuinghis master’s degreein journalism and masscommunication with aconcentration in healthand medical journalismat Grady College. Hereceived his bachelor’sdegree in biology fromMorehouse College.In Peru, a University of Georgiastudy that aims to reduce Peruvian citizens’exposure to indoor air pollution hasjust concluded.EHS professor, Luke Naeher hasspent the last few years studying air pollutionin Peru. His latest study measuredthe effectiveness of new stove installationson Peru’s air quality.The study, based on Peru’s stove interventionproject, began in June and finishedup in recent weeks.The National Stove Program aimsto reduce exposure to air pollution causedfrom wood and biomass smoke by providingtens of thousands of stoves to homes inPeru. This project was partially supportedby the office of the vice-president for publicservice and outreach at UGA.Many developing countries like Perustill rely on wood to heat their homesand cook their meals. Unfortunately, thesmoke produced by burning wood andother fuels can have a severe impact onthe respiratory health of the residents.Naeher’s study tested how well thestoves improved the air quality of thehome. This was achieved by measuringthe amount of pollutants in the air as wellas in the blood and urine of residents’before and after installation of the newstoves.“There is little to no strong data onhow effective these stoves are at doingtheir intended purpose,” said Naeher.To help with the study, three of Naeher’sgraduate students traveled with himto Peru.Kevin Horton, who is pursuing a doctoraldegree in public health with an emphasisin environmental health, was one ofthe graduate students involved in the study.Horton spent time collecting andanalyzing the urine samples. The urinesamples were sent to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention for analysis.Horton is then responsible for analyzingthe data received from the CDC.The samples are measured for volatileorganic compounds and poly-cyclicaromatic hydrocarbons. These compoundsare the result of burning wood and otherfuels. The community studied, Santiagode Chuco, is located 10,000 feet in altitude.The subjects studied were primarilywomen.Horton explained that the study focusedon women because they are exposedto indoor pollution more than their malecounterparts. This difference is due to thewoman’s role in Peru as the homemaker.The condition of the homes withthe old stoves was hard for the graduatestudents. “In a matter of 45 minutes toan hour, I was already feeling the effects,”said Adam Eppler, a graduate student, referringto the itchy eyes and coughing hesuffered from smoke exposure.The old stoves did not have chimneys.Most of the smoke produced bycooking or heating the homes was notable to escape.Because heating the homes was necessarythroughout the night and cookingtook place throughout the day, the stovesburned close to 24 hours a day.The graduate students noted thatmost of the houses were full of smokeprior to the implementation of the newstoves.The new stoves, which incorporateda chimney and a stovetop, called a “plancha”by the natives, allowed for the smoketo escape the home thereby reducing theamount of exposure to pollution.Various approaches were used tomeasure air quality. Real-time air samplingequipment was able to measure andreport air quality within the day. Eachhome was tested for a 24-hour period andthe sample was drawn from the kitchen.The women wore vests to measuretheir exposure to air pollution. The vestswere outfitted with air sampling equipmentand were worn throughout the day.“It was pretty awkward for them touse the equipment,” said Eppler.At night they were asked to keep thevests near their bed at sleeping level tomeasure their exposure overnight. Resultscurrently available show a marked differencein the quality of air with the implementationof the new stove.Horton noted that the experienceopened his eyes.“It gives you an appreciation for howwe live here,” he said.6 College of Public Health

Epidemiology and BiostatisticsA Passion for PreventionBy Marshall VogtMarshall Vogt isa second yearMaster of PublicHealth studentand presidentof the GraduateStudent Association.“Epidemiology is the key to alldecisions we make in medicine,” saysProfessor John Vena, PhD. The departmentalchair of epidemiology andbiostatistics, briefly considered attendingmedical school after graduating MagnaCum Laude with a Bachelors in Biologyfrom Saint Bonaventure Universityin New York in 1975. But, Vena decidedto enter the field of public health instead.“A decision,” he says, “made so muchsense.”On his journey towards earning aPh.D. in epidemiology, Vena says that hedeveloped a real passion for populationhealth. He realized that “instead of treatingpeople, we need to think in terms ofprevention.” So, he attended graduateschool at the State University of NewYork at Buffalo for natural sciences witha focus in epidemiology.His passion for prevention and the“need to address critical public health issues,”is still what drives Vena to this day.Since finishing his education, Vena hasbuilt a successful career in the field of epidemiology.Prior to joining the departmentof epidemiology and biostatistics atthe UGA College of Public Health, hewas on the faculty of the University ofSouth Carolina Arnold School of PublicHealth. At USC he was professor andchair of the department of epidemiologyand biostatistics and an associated facultymember of the School of Environment.In addition to that, he spent over 25years as a tenured professor at the Universityof Buffalo. There he held jointpositions as director of the Environmentand Society Institute and the ResearchProgram in Environmental and OccupationalHealth.Vena’s research interests focus primarilyon occupational and environmentalhealth, as well as cancer. His accomplishmentsas a researcher includenumerous grants and his list of publicationsand invited presentations is pageslong.One of his favorite research projects,which started in 1991 and is still runningtoday, is a study of recreational sportsmenwho may have been exposed to pollutantsduring their time around the GreatLakes.In addition to studying environmentalexposures, Vena is also an avid fan ofthe outdoors. He enjoys hiking, fishing,gardening, and any home improvementproject he can get his hands on.“The vision, the plans, and how theyare implemented,” attracted Vena to theCollege of Public Health. He says heis “impressed with the resources at theUniversity of Georgia that complementthe College of Public Health, such as: theCollege of Veterinary Medicine, the departmentof kinesiology, and the stronggenetics and environmental health programs.”Vena says he looks forward to teaching,researching, and making the departmentof epidemiology and biostatistics“one of the leading departments…in thecountry.He and his wife Sylvia also look forwardto joining the Athens and UGAcommunities. They have three children:a son who has graduated and now worksin law, a daughter who is an art educator,and another daughter who is aboutto graduate from the University of SouthCarolina with a degree in Sociology.Vena comes to UGA from one of itsbiggest football rivals, the University ofSouth Carolina, but laughs at the ideathat switching teams will be a problem.I’m excited to become part of the UGAfamily…Go Dawgs,” says Vena!8 College of Public Health

Educating Veterinarians for Public HealthBy Pearman Parker & Christy FricksThe 1970s heralded a new era forinfectious diseases. Several diseases haveemerged since then, and 75 percent ofnewly discovered infectious diseases inhumans came from animals. This includesEbola, West Nile virus, Lyme disease andSARS. Additionally, 80% of bio-threatagents are transmissible from animals tohumans.Despite the growing concern overnewly emerging or re-emerging diseasethreats with an animal origin, there is acritical shortage of veterinarians, particularlythose serving in public health practice.In order to strengthen the publichealth workforce and alleviate the shortageof trained public health veterinariansin Georgia and elsewhere, the Collegeof Public Health and the College of VeterinaryMedicine created the DVM/MPHdual degree which provides students basicscience training and the clinical aspects ofanimal diseases through the core DVM degreeprogram and specialized public healthtraining through the MPH program.“The number of veterinarians workingin public health had been steadily increasingand the vet school saw the opportunityto become a leader in the field,”says Steve Valeika, assistant professor inthe department of epidemiology and biostatistics.Georgia is one of few universitiesin the nation that offer a DVM/MPHdual degree.Valeika explained that veterinariansadded a lot to public health. He says thatone of the core parts of DVM training isto consider the health of populations, eventhough it may be cases of herds of animals,.“This kind of broad thinking, comparativeapproach gives vets a naturallyflexible way of approaching public healthproblems that few other professions areable to do,” says Valeika.After graduation, students are qualifiedto address the issues surrounding epidemiology,environmental health, globalhealth, infectious disease investigationand control and homeland security.“The DVM/MPH (degree) opensthe door to public health work for animals,for humans and especially for theinterface between animal health and humanhealth,” Valeika says.Winter 2009 9

Health Policy and ManagementHealthy Baby, Healthy MarriageBy Pearman ParkerChanging diapers, warming bottles,mixing formula, and trying to find timefor a nap here and there in the hopes ofgaining an ounce of rejuvenation are allpart of the lifestyle for new mothers. Now,imagine the additional responsibilities thathaving a sick baby would add to this list.While the new mother of a sick child maybe busy thinking about her child’s health,she may not realize how the illness of thechild may affect her marriage.In the working paper, “HealthyBaby, Healthy Marriage? The Effect ofChildren’s Health on Divorce,” Angela R.Fertig, assistant professor in the departmentof health policy and management,is analyzing data to examine if there is arelationship between a child’s poor healthand marriage. If having a child with poorhealth causes a marriage to break up, Fertigargues that it can also cause the family’seconomic status to fall.To investigate this theory, Fertigchose to look at birth weight as a determinantof divorce for her analysis. She didthis in order to avoid issues of reverse causality.For example, she wanted to eliminateparents fighting as a possible reasonfor a child’s ill health. She said that themajority of people have children earlyin their marriage. “So the best way isto chose a health indicator measuredas early as possible.” Additionally, becauselow-birth weight is often a harbingerof health problems, it has alarge impact on the family’s lives.In her paper, Fertig said, longhospital visits, along with complicatedmedical proceduresand the added fear of losing a child, areall factors that make the delivery of a lowbirthweight baby traumatic for families.Plus, low birth weight is associated withchildhood health problems such as cerebralpalsy, high blood pressure, deafness,blindness and other ailments.Fertig analyzed data from the 1988National Health Interview Survey, theNational Longitudinal Survey of AdolescentHealth and the 1970 British BirthCohort Study. She found divorce rates tobe higher among parents with low birthweight babies than parents of normalweight children.“So many peopleblame income forpeople’s poorhealth, and wedesign policiesand interventionsthatare less effective because of that belief,”Fertig said. “One small way in which wecan reduce health disparities among childrenby income is to target interventionsat helping parents of low birth weightchildren stay together.”But, regardless of the divorce rate,Fertig’s paper is evidence that health affectsincome, and offers insight whichmay lead to development of more effectiveinterventions in the future.10 College of Public Health

Child MaltreatmentVictims Lose TwoYears of Quality of LifeBy Sam FahmySam Fahmy is the science writerat the University of GeorgiaOffice of Public Affairs/NewsService. He’s written aboutresearch topics as diverse as aging,ecology, bioenergy and genetherapy. He holds an undergraduatedegree in biology from UGAand a master’s degree in scienceand technology journalismfrom Texas A&M University.Child maltreatment is associatedwith reductions in quality of life even decadeslater, according to a new Universityof Georgia study that finds that – onaverage – victims lose at least two years ofquality of life.UGA College of Public Health associateprofessor Phaedra Corso and hercolleagues at the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention analyzed surveysof more than 6,000 people to assessthe deficits in quality of life that victimssuffer. Their results appear in the Juneissue of the American Journal of PublicHealth.“We found, with rigorous statisticalmethods, that there are significant differencesin health-related quality of lifebetween people who were maltreatedas children and those who were not,”Corso said, “and that holds across all agegroups.”Childhood maltreatment – whichincludes physical, sexual and emotionalabuse and neglect – has been linked to anincreased risk for ailments ranging fromheart disease, obesity and diabetes to depressionand anxiety. Corso said thereare two reasons why. First, childhoodmaltreatment increases the likelihoodof unhealthy behaviors such as smoking,substance abuse and sexual promiscuity.And recent studies suggest that repeatedexposure to the stress caused by maltreatmentalters brain circuits and hormonalsystems, which puts victims at greaterrisk of chronic health problems.The researchers found that 46 percentof respondents reported some formof maltreatment during childhood. Ofthose, 26 percent reported physicalabuse; 21 percent reported sexual abuse;10 percent reported emotional abuse; 14percent reported emotional neglect; andnine percent reported physical neglect.Corso said few studies have examinedthe long-term impact of childhoodmaltreatment on quality of life, and, untilnow, none had been designed so that themeasures can be used in comparative economicimpact analyses. These analysesare important, Corso said, because theyallow public health officials to comparethe costs and benefits of two unrelatedpublic health interventions.To assess reductions in quality of life,the team matched responses to a surveythat assessed physical functioning, pain,cognitive functioning and social supportwith data from surveys that explicitlyasked people how many years of life theywould trade to be free of a given healthcondition. The result is a score that rangesfrom 0 to 1, with 0 being equivalent todeath and 1 being perfect health. The averagescore for people who weren’t maltreatedwas .78, while the score for thosewere was .75 – a difference of .03 peryear. Throughout a lifetime, this figuretranslates to a loss of two years of qualityadjustedlife expectancy.“Every year gets diminished in somerespect,” Corso said, “because the personwho was maltreated has a lower quality oflife than the person who wasn’t.”“The long-term consequences ofchild maltreatment are very real andconcerning. All children should havesafe, stable, and nurturing environmentsin which to grow and develop,” said Dr.Ileana Arias, director of CDC’s NationalCenter for Injury Prevention and Control.“For children and adults to live totheir full potential, we must support programsthat stop child maltreatment beforeit ever begins and work to help thosewho have already experienced it.”The researchers also found significantdifferences among age groups, withthe gap between the non-maltreated andmaltreated group growing smaller – butnever disappearing – in older age groups.The exception, Corso noted, was in the70 and above group, where the differencebetween the non-maltreated andmaltreated group is actually larger thanin the previous two age groups (60 to 69and 50 to 59). The exact reasons for thisdifference are unclear, but Corso saidolder people might have more time toreflect on past maltreatment.She cautions that the two-year reductionin quality of life undoubtedlyunderestimates the true impact of childhoodmaltreatment. Children experiencesevere reductions in quality of lifeas maltreatment is occurring, and surveysof adults don’t account for those reductions.Still, she said her team’s study highlightsthe long-term damage associatedwith child maltreatment and, by helpingto quantify its costs, helps make the casefor funding prevention efforts.“A lot of the time people don’tconsider violence as a public health issue,”Corso said, “but there’s a body ofevidence that exists now that shows longtermhealth impacts of childhood maltreatment.”Winter 2009 11

Health Promotion and BehaviorInvesting In Our Students:The David Hayes Undergraduate Award FundBy Tanisha GrimesPicture your favorite teacher, thepassion they brought to the classroomand how they impacted your life. Thatsame type of teacher still exists, here, inthe College of Public Health.For 20 years, David Hayes has beena part of the University of Georgia asa faculty member in the department ofhealth promotion and behavior (HPB).Recently, as part of a vision formulatedby Dean Phillip Williams andsupported by the HPB faculty, a newundergraduate fund was developed inhis name.The David Hayes UndergraduateFund offers resources generally reservedfor graduate students—to undergraduates.The fund will be used for a broadrange of purposes, geared toward preparingundergraduates for future professionaland academic careers.“By developing, maintaining andnurturing our undergraduate program,this fund allows us to stay at the forefront,”says Carol Cotton, an HPB facultymember.Ultimately the goal of the fund is topositively impact students, in the sameway that Hayes has impacted others.Hayes motivates students, past andpresent, encouraging them to take ownershipof their learning.“He really inspired me to want tocontinue my education. He has such apassion for teaching and is focused onstudent-centered learning,” says AshleyAtherton, a former student of Hayes.Kendra Hibler, another formerstudent echoed this sentiment, stating,“he used to say always own what youare saying, never say it’s a dumb question,or ask if it’s ok to ask this; just ask itand own what you think.” Laura-LeighCrowe signed up for Hayes’ class at theurging of her mother, who had studiedwith him10 years ago. “He had a hugeimpact on my mom and he has had justthe same impact on myself…you cantell he truly cares that you get the mostout of your education,” says Crowe.Through the use of real-world applications,Hayes encourages criticalthinking, going beyond lectures wherestudents are expected to dully memorizeand regurgitate information.Hayes is very humbled and honoredabout the fund’s name and hopes thatthe fund will give deserving students theopportunity to invest in their future. “Ihave always viewed my role as helpingstudents reflect on the opportunitiesthey are presented, and I ask myself,how can I help them get the most fromthose opportunities. I try to do the bestthat I can, to feel that my classroom isa place for them to explore ideas, raisequestions, issues and express opinionsthat they have.” says Hayes.“I encourage anybody who ever hada great teacher or has been touched bywhat they experienced in the classroomto contribute to this fund; this is thefund for them,” says Dr. Cotton.Carol Cotton, a faculty member in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior,and her family have donated $10,000 to the David Hayes Fund. Pictured from L. to R.:Mark Wilson, head of the department of health promotion and behavior, Kendra Hibler,BSHP ’07, Carol P. Cotton, BSED ’77, MED ’78, PHD ’99, David M. Hayes, Dean Phillip L.Williams, and Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Tom Landrum.To make a gift to theHayes Fund contactKate Lindsey O’Reilly,706-542-2590; krl@uga.edu.12 College of Public Health

A Student’s Reflection:Finding Inspirationthrough ResearchBy Tanisha GrimesTanisha Grimesis currently adoctoral candidatewhose dissertationis focused on theexperiences of HIVpositive AfricanAmerican femalesin the rural south.When Dr. Hou first asked me if I was interested in doingan HIV/AIDS needs assessment, I immediately said “sure,”without thinking about it. For over 10 years, I have been involvedin the HIV/AIDS field, so joining the team was a naturalthing for me to do. However, when I said “sure” I had noidea of the journey that I was about to embark upon—or, howit would impact my life.My role on the project was to co-conduct a focus group,along with several individual interviews. I asked clients abouttheir different needs and about the stigma that they have facedsince being diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. I also asked forsuggestions from them that might help improve communitywillingness to participate in HIV preventive services.The clients were amazing. They have been through suchadversity, and still stood strong, a vision of strength and resiliency.Among them, are those who first confronted their positivediagnosis through a fog of drug use, depression, isolation,despair, and even attempted suicides. Yet somehow, they havemanaged to rise above it all and continue to live a life of hope.It was hard not to connect with them. As I listened totheir stories, I could feel their pain and triumphs. In fact, duringa focus group, I got up to wrap my arms around a weepingclient and console them. They felt so burdened with this virus;they were made to feel like they were nothing in this world.Their tears flooded as they began to share, for the first time,the pain and anguish they endured. I wanted to comfort them,touch them, and show them I wasn’t afraid to have contactwith them. I wanted to show them that I believed they werehuman and deserved to exist in the world, no matter what diseaseran through their blood.Providing dignity and respect to people living with HIV/AIDS was one of the most important parts of being involvedin this needs assessment.This research is so important because it helps to give a voiceto those who are shunned, ostracized and marginalized. It bringsto the forefront their needs and what is important to them. It’sabout providing a forum for their voices to be heard and givingthe best care for them as they live as positive individuals.The study also highlights both the gains we have made inproviding quality care to infected individuals and the deficitsthat still exist in providing care.As a public health practitioner and AIDS advocate, beinginvolved in this project motivated me to continue helpingimprove the lives of others. This HIV/AIDS Needs Assessmentcontributes to the quality of life for individuals livingwith this virus and also provides useful information to prolongtheir lifespan.It has been an honor and a privilege to be able to interactwith such strong and profound individuals, while tryingto help make a difference in their lives. Most importantly, Ishowed them that there are people who are not afraid to treatthem with love, dignity and respect.Winter 2009 13

Institute of GerontologyImproving End of Life CareBy Christy FricksFor most of us, the last thing we want to do is think aboutthe end of our lives. But, Anne Glass, assistant director ofthe institute of gerontology, wants to see this changed. Shebelieves that this last stage of human life deserves more attention.Indeed, avoidance of the topic is part of what contributesto pain and confusion during this particularly fragile part oflife. In addition to that, because there is so much focus onpreserving life, we often, inadvertently, ignore end-of-life careissues such as pain management, family support and honoringchoices.Such was the consensus at “Improving Palliative andEnd-of-Life Care for Frail Older Adults,” the first of suchconferences sponsored by the Georgia Geriatric EducationCenter (GGEC). The conference, held May 16-17, 2008 inAthens, drew over 50 healthcare professionals from throughoutGeorgia. It featured speakers with hands-on experience inpalliative care programs and end-of-life care.“I wanted to help healthcare providers see why and howthey could start such programs at their hospitals, why andhow to improve end-of-life care in nursing homes, and help toraise awareness and understanding of hospice services acrossthe continuum,” said Glass.She pointed out that end-of-life care is a particularly opportunearea for improvement, and palliative care programsare a relatively new approach in the medical field. .The weekend included a broad range of topics including:Starting a Palliative Care Consult Service in Small Rural Hospitals,Improving the Final Days and Hours in the NursingHome, Expanding Hospice Across the Continuum, ArtificialHydration and Nutrition in Dying Patients, and Pain Managementin Terminally Ill Geriatric Patients.But, it was the message presented at the opening sessionof the conference that united the attendees. “Death is hardbut it doesn’t have to be horrible,” stated the voiceover duringexcerpts of a video from “Reclaiming the End of Life,” a NewHampshire based group.Diane Brookins agrees. As coordinator of a long-termcare ombudsman program in Gainesville, Georgia, she wasexcited to meet others interested in learning about ways toimprove care at this final stage of living. “We know that mostgeneral practitioners and most family members don’t have agood understanding of end-of-life,” said Brookins.Almost 75% of all deaths occur among those who are aged65 and above, and care for frail elders who are dying is particularlychallenging for health care professionals,” said Glass.“As documented in a state-by-state ‘report card’ (funded bythe Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), end-of-life care inthe United States is often mediocre.”This holds true in Georgia as well. “Unfortunately, thestate of the art of end-of-life care in Georgia needs a significantamount of improvement,” said Leonard Poon, directorof both GGEC and the institute of gerontology.The GGEC believes that education is the key to improvingthe quality of life for elders entering their final years.It is one of many educational projects planned by GGEC,the first Geriatric Education Center developed in Georgia.A relatively new entity, funding to help launch the GGECcame from a $1.26 million grant awarded in 2007 by the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services to the Institute ofGerontology at the UGA. Partners in the GGEC are MercerUniversity School of Medicine, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute,and Armstrong Atlantic State University.Information presented at the conference will be madeavailable and distributed through the GGEC. Glass is workingon publishing the conference proceedings. “Palliative carewill be one of the courses offered through our Georgia GeriatricEducation Center at the institute of gerontology, and itwill involve workshops and online training modules and certificateofferings,” said Poon.14 College of Public Health

Lifelong LearningBy Lindsey EpperlyLindsey Epperlyis a second yearEnglish major andaspiring writer.After graduation,she hopes topursue her dreamsas a magazinejournalist.Great scholars go above and beyond their original intentions,constantly challenging themselves. No matter howmuch knowledge or wisdom such a person acquires, theynever stop learning. One can find such an individual behindthe desk at the institute of gerontology, in the soft-spoken,dedicated Leonard W. Poon.Poon’s desire to learn and research stretches far beyondthat of many scholars. His yearning to educate and informothers of the world around them exceeds the expectations ofyour average professor. This is why, Phi Kappa Phi, a Universityof Georgia honor society, chose to honor him with the2008 esteemed Love of Learning Award.Although his office is decorated with many other awards,he takes time to point out his most recent addition. “I’m honoredby the award. I see it as an acknowledgement of the workwe have done over the last 20 years in the area of improvingquality of life,” said Poon, whose studies have also gained himinternational recognition – he recently received an honorarydoctorate degree from Lund University of Sweden.It is Poon’s greatest desire to enhance life for othersthrough his research of centenarians-those over the age of100. He aims to unlock the secrets of these “expert survivors.”According to Poon, the study of centenarians can be achallenge because the mortality rate is 50 percent per year.“It takes time to study them,” he said, “but you never knowhow long they’ll have.”To maximize his research, Poon frequently takes advantageof travel opportunities to examine aspects of Gerontologyacross the country and across the world, oftentimes collaboratingwith other scholars.Sponsored by the U.S.-Israel Bi-National Science Foundation,he led a group of senior and junior professors to Israellast January to study alongside a similar group of Israeliprofessors and graduate students Together they examined theroles of adversity among holocaust survivors and war-relatedpost trauma patients. The goal was to increase understandingof how adversity impacts well-being. In Poon’s opinion,the greatest purpose is that each group “can really learn fromeach other.”Poon also conducts research into the quality of centenarianlife. On another journey in May to the Universityof Kentucky, he led a team of researchers and clinicians ina clinical consensus conference. As part of his work for theCentenarian Study, they sought to “determine the correlativerelationship between neuropathological and neuropsychologicalfindings among those with Alzheimer’s disease andthose untouched by the condition,” said Poon.“The benefit is not just to live long,” he said, “but tomaintain a good quality of life, as well.”Winter 2009 15

Institute for Health Management and Mass Destruction DefenseEvaluatingEmergencyManagementTechniquesBy Michael TannenbaumMichael Tannebaum is areporter with the SummervilleJournal Scene in Summerville,SC. He received his MAdegree from the Grady Collegeof Journalism and MassCommunication in May, 2008.Only three weeks before a tornado ripped through downtownAtlanta—with 130 mile per hour winds that injured dozensand ravaged much of the city—18 University of Georgiastudents conducted a simulation to evaluate how 12 differentNortheast Georgia hospitals would operate if this precise disasteroccurred.The tornado drill simulated how the hospitals would handletornados touching down in several different locations. Italso replicated how the casualties would be routed to differenthospitals in the area. “No one hospital could handle all thecausalities,” says Cham Dallas, professor and director of theIHMD. “Athens Regional and St. Mary’s may have 300 bedsbut they might only have 30 or 40 that are open at a given timeand when you have 300 or 400 people show up, what are yougoing to do?”The students from the institute for health managementand mass destruction defense, recently became certified hospitalevaluators. They used a set of criteria to assess how thehospitals performed.The scenarios that the hospitals role-played, were sentthrough a web-based program called Live Process, which thehospitals use to communicate with one another. For example,if a hospital falls short of a critical resource, the hospital usesthe program to contact the regional coordinating hospital todetermine how to obtain the resource.Most of the students who participated in the exercise wereevaluators; however, one student, Chris Hurst, played the roleof Lead Controller, which required him to run the exercise. “Imonitored the flow of the exercise to make sure that it wasn’t gettingout of hand, where the [scenarios] aren’t coming so fast thatthe hospital can’t handle its responsibilities or that it isn’t movingso slow that the players find it too easy,” Hurst says.Adam Gobin, one of the UGA students who was an evaluatorat Habersham County Medical Center, says the simulationwas invaluable for both the hospitals and the students. “Itlets students see how rigid the accreditation process is for thedisaster management part of the hospital,” Gobin says. “Thehospitals really have to be on their game and it forces the hospitalsto learn their policies and see if they meet national accreditationstandards as set forth by the Joint Commission.”Hurst echoes Gobin’s sentiment about the importance ofthe simulation. “Exercise preparedness is an iterative process,”Hurst says. “You only get better by practicing, writing a report,seeing what was good and bad, then doing it all over again.”After the exercise, the students completed reports, whichgraded the hospitals’ performance, highlighting strengths andweaknesses. The hospitals treat these reports very seriously.“The hospitals may make a large decision on their staffing,their equipment, or even the physical structure of the hospitalbased on a single report, particularly if it augments somethingthey were already suspecting,” Dallas says.Although not a perfect science, simulations are effectiveand accurate tools for modeling disasters, which allow the hospitalsto better prepare in the event that a disaster, such as atornado, does strike – a reality that was magnified by the recentstorm that decimated parts of Atlanta. “A tornado occurringin Atlanta shortly after the simulation was eerie,” Gobinsays. “But it shows why the simulation was so important.”16 College of Public Health

Students Trainingfor DisasterBy Christy FricksNo one knows how they will handlethemselves in an emergency—until ithappens. That’s why students in disastermanagement classes at the Collegeof Public Health are required to experiencea simulated emergency event, toprepare themselves for the unexpected.It is Thursday afternoon, and twodozencollege students are gatheredoutside on the back lawn of the AthensClarke County fire training facility.From a distance they appear to besimply hanging out: standing in groupsor sitting alone quietly. Then you noticethat some of them have open wounds ontheir faces, arms and legs. A few of themare groaning softly as if in pain, othersare limping and yet another is wanderingaround looking confused.These are students from the Collegeof Public Health’s basic disaster trainingfor health care professionals class andit’s sister component in the College ofPharmacy. While the students attendseparate classes, they often participate intraining exercises together. The studentsare divided into two groups: victims andresponders.Teachers Edward Rollor and CatherineWhite have prepared a mock scenario,which is kept secret from the respondersand only announced to thosewho will play the role of victims, in thelast 15 minutes before they begin.On the responder side, studentsare assigned positions such as security,administrators, or emergency medicalcare professionals. Meanwhile, victimsalso receive defined parts to play suchas: hysterical patient, wounded motherwith child, or the overly helpful volunteer.Rollor and White have scriptedtwo students to be the ‘biological terrorists’spreading an unknown infectiousagent. As in real life, the goal ofthe responders is to use random cluesto discern the situation, in order tocraft an effective, efficient plan fordealing with the situation., Bart Lino, a 1st year Masters ofPublic Health graduate student, will playa vital role in today’s simulated event.Lino has been assigned to administerthe Strategic National Stockpile.Lino understands the importance of hisrole, “I have to make sure we have drugsin the proper quantity and effectivelydispense them,” he says. But like manyof the students, Lino would prefer the‘fun’ of playing a victim.A whistle sounds the beginning ofthe event as “terrorist” CPH studentStephen Thomas approaches a policebarrier. A first-year student, Thomas’left hand is covered in yellow slime;in his right, he hides a grenade. As hestumbles forward, he slips in and out ofcharacter: alternately laughing with otherclassmates and yelling, “help me” toattract the attention of the “police.”As the mock police approach Thomas,and see both the fake grenade and hisoozing hand--the chaos begins. Whatwill follow is a series of stilted responses,as the students attempt to properly dealwith the event. They are responsiblefor all parts of the emergency situation:quarantining victims, providing medicalcare, dealing with government officials,hazardous waste teams, and even themock press team that has been recruitedfor the event.“They are always so surprised; itmoves like a glacier,” says Dallas, referringto the painfully slow action happeningamong the 50 or so students involvedin the event.Dallas, who is assisting with organizingthe event, says the students in theHPAM 7350 class learn through drills,functional exercises like the one beingheld today and even full scale scenariosat local hospitals.While instructors Dallas, Rollorand White set-up the exercise and overseethe event, they do not interfere orguide the students as it is happening.“You learn a lot from bad responses,”says Dallas.The scenario, as much as possible,happens in real time, which means itcould take anywhere from 1 –3 hoursfor it to reach a point of ‘resolution’where all responders are fully engagedand some semblance of order has beenestablished.Afterwards, there will be a “hotwash” of the event says Dallas. “We gettogether and say this is what you didright and this is what you did wrong.”Mike Strohsnitte, a third year pharmacystudent, says the class exerciseshave given him a greater understandingof disaster events. “It definitely showshow chaotic it can be and that it is hardto maintain control,” he says.Students who take the CPH basicdisaster training health professionalsclass in the spring receive certificationin both the Red Cross’ Basic First Aidand the American Medical Association’sBasic Disaster Life Support (BDLS).Students who take the advanced componentin the spring receive certificationin Advanced Disaster Life Support(ADLS) as well as four successive FederalEmergency Management Certifications(FEMA).UGA’s College of Public Health providesthe only student training for BDLSand ADLS in the state of Georgia.Winter 2009 17

Alumni & DevelopmentHonor Rollof DonorsGifts received July 1, 2007, through June30, 2008, from these donors directly benefitthe academic programs, faculty, andstudents of the College of Public Health.The College of Public Health proudlyrecognizes the following alumni, friends,corporations, and foundations who havesupported our academic programs, facultyand students over the past fiscal year(FY08). We thank you for your support!To make a gift to the College of PublicHealth, please contact our developmentoffice at 706-542-2590.Is your name missing? This list includesgifts to the College of Public Health asreported by the University of Georgia ArchFoundation. The list includes gifts processedbetween July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. Ifyour name is not included and you think itshould be, or if it is included, but not at thelevel you believe to be appropriate, theremay be several reasons why:1. You made your gift either before July1, 2007 or after June 30, 2008.2. You gave more during this timeperiod than you realize. Check thenext giving level for your name.3. You made a pledge instead of anoutright gift. This listing includes onlygifts received. If you made a pledgeduring this time period, but electednot to begin paying it until after June30, 2008 your name will not be listed.4. Your contribution was directed towardmembership in the UGA AlumniAssociation. Although dues paymentsare a vital part of the AlumniAssociation and enable it to pursueprojects in support of the University,dues are not tax deductible and havenot been included in this list.5. We have omitted your name in error.If we have made a mistake, pleaselet us know.Questions? Please contact Kate LindseyO’Reilly in the College of Public HealthDevelopment Office at 706-542-2590 orkrl@uga.edu.Benefactors ($10,000 or more)Ms. Susan Carol Waltman and Mr. Thomas M. BarryBeloco Foundation, Inc.Mr. Lovick P. Corn and Mrs. Betty CornDr. Carol Phillips CottonHealthcare Georgia FoundationMr. John Hampton Irby and Mrs. Sarah Corn IrbyKaiser FoundationMorrison Management SpecialistRetirement Research FoundationHarold and Milly Pincus SolomonMichael SvagdisFellows ($5000-9,999)Athens Community Wellness CouncilAthens Tobacco Prevention CoalitionLandmark Hospital of Athens, LLCMr. W. Walter Miller Jr. and Mrs. Polly C. MillerAssociates ($1,000-4,999)Athens Cardiology GroupAthens PulmonaryCoca-Cola CompanyConstruction & Cost Management SystemDr. Mark John Costantino and Mrs. Helen McPhersonCostantinoDr. Timothy Rice Kelley and Ms. Michelle PeppinaCoviDr. Eric Dahl and Mrs. Margaret Wagner DahlDr. David M. DeJoy and Dr. Judith K. DeJoyMr. Shyamsundar Komati Reddy and Mrs. Renee DyeDr. Stuart Feldman and Mrs. Renee FeldmanGeorgia Emergency Medicine SpecialistsGeorgia Hospital AssociationMr. John T. GibsonDr. John W. LayherJ. Patrick Levelle, MDMr. Steven Lowman, MDDr. Stephen K. Lucas and Mrs. Linda B. LucasDr. Daniel H. Magill IIIMedical Center Anesthesiology of Athens, P.C.Dr. James S. MillerStephanie R. MillerR. Steve MorrowDr. Thomas J. MurphyDr. Robert Darnell Sinyard Jr.Dr. W. Douglas SkeltonDr. Phillip L. Williams and Mrs. Theda Williams$100-$999 DonorsDr. Susan Shannon AndrewsDr. Robert Joseph Baer and Dr. Rebecca KirklandBaerMs. Janet Elizabeth BauschMs. Latresa Kawana BillingsDr. Marsha C. BlackBristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, IncDr. Phaedra Shaffer CorsoMr. William M. Cosgrove III and Mrs. Debbie ClayCosgroveMr. Paul M. Cramer and Ms. Stacey CramerDalton Carpet OneDr. Claude-Leonard Davis and Mrs. Margaret CrowleyDavisMr. Vincent J. Dooley and Mrs. Barbara M. DooleyMr. Mark Dorgan and Ms. Stephanie Frye DorganDr. David Walter Dreesen and Dr. Alice MewbornDreesenMr. Damon M. Evans and Ms. Kerri Budd EvansDr. Noel Fallows and Ms. Kristin Marie PopeDr. Brian G. ForresterKay S. Fors and Stuart W. ForsDr. Robert S. Galen and Dr. Lorilee SandmannDr. Monica Marie GaughanGeneral Electric FoundationMs. Sarah Elizabeth GivenDr. Brenda Lee GreeneMr. Mark Alan HamlinDr. David M. HayesDr. Valerie HepburnMr. Paul Theron HoffmanMr. George Henry Hollerbach Jr.Mr. Richard T. Howerton IIIDr. Gregory Lee Jones and Mrs. Andrea JaneCrawford JonesMr. Melvin Franklin Jones Jr.Dr. Catherine Mumbi KabiruMs. Shannon Lloyd KehoeMr. Brian Charles KirtlandMr. James David Kopotic and Ms. Mitzi L. FountainKopoticMr. Richard C. Kraus and Dr. Pamela K. OrpinasMrs. Maria Johnston KuhnMr. William Larry Lee Jr.Lida CorporationKatherine Lindsey O’ReillyDr. Randall Oliver Manning and Mrs. Rita BlackManningTony MarshallMr. Scott McCulloh Martin and Ms. Amy HolmesMartinMs. Kary Lynn McDonoughBrandon and Heather McEachernDr. Charles A. McPeake and Mrs. Sandra H. McPeakeMs. Dorothy B. NaylorMs. Michelle Elizabeth NoonanThe Northrop Grumman FoundationMr. Glenn E. PearsonMs. Ann PickettMike PowerMr. Daryl E. Rowe and Ms. Linda S. RoweMr. Dwayne Sutton SmithMs. Lesley Stuart SmithMr. William T. Stringfellow Jr.Ms. Nancy Kodras TooleMr. G. Grant Tribble and Ms. Rachel Bianco TribbleDr. D. Alan WarrenMrs. Stacy Paul Wernick and Mr. Joel WernickMr. Timothy Keith WhiteMr. Geoffrey David Wilson$1-$99 DonorsAnheuser-Busch FoundationMr. Bosun I. Awoyemi and Ms. Iyabode AnofiAwoyemiMs. Lisa Jeanne Bain and Mr. William S. BaldwinDr. Tania Barman BastaMs. Kristen Mitchell BoxMrs. Kay Lynn Brooks and Dr. Paul J. BrooksMr. John Joseph Burns III and Ms. ChristinaBruggeman BurnsMs. Jayne S ClampMr. Jason Travis Collum18 College of Public Health

Mr. Jeffery Devin Corbitt and Ms. ElizabethZgutowicz CorbittMs. Pamela J. CoxMr. Brian DempseyMr. Calvin Lee ElmoreMr. Edward Jeremiah Fentress III and Mrs. HilaryHerris FentressDr. Chad D Fertig and Dr. Angela R FertigMr. Bruce Michael Foisy and Ms. Carol Ann FoisyDr. Travis C GlennMr. James V. HardenMs. Brittany Jo HemmerMr. John Howard HensonMrs. Maureen Finneran Hetrick and Mr. WestlyHetrickMr. Jason Key JacksonMs. Veronica JarrinMr. Robert Britt Jones and Mrs. Kimberly B. JonesMr. Harry John Jue Jr.Mr. David Endris KannapellMiss Priti KolheMr. Kevin Paul Koporec and Mrs. Kathleen SusanKoporecMs. Tina Jones LankfordDr. Erin K LippMrs. Melanie Burden Llewellyn-HambyMr. Patrick Aaron LyonMs. Andrea ManningMs. Rachel MarynowskiMr. Arthur Earl MastersMr. James Lawrence Metcalf Jr. and Mrs. KimberlyReagin MetcalfMs. JoLynn Erin MillerMs. Lisa Harwell PepitoneMr. Richard Michael Pilcher and Ms. April ZeiglerPilcherMr. Kevin Lee Redd and Ms. Tara ElizabethRobinetteMr. Richard Martin Rehm and Mrs. Lynn SmithRehmDr. Debra S. RisiskyClaire RobbMr. Matt Clayton Rogers and Ms. Sally Ann WoodsRogersMr. Nick SchnauferMr. William D. Shelnutt and Ms. Kathy H. ShelnuttMr. William George ShieldsMr. Dwayne Matthew Shumate and Ms. Amber LeeShumateDr. Mary Alice SmithMr. Clyde Wesley Taylor and Mrs. Nancy SmithTaylorMs. Hope Elise ThomasMrs. Michele P. S. WalshMr. William David Wells and Ms. Ashley CarpenterWellsMr. Michael John Wheeler and Mrs. Andrea RichWheelerDeanna Denise WhiddonMr. Michael Brian Winniford and Mrs. NicoleDickens WinnifordSmall Gifts: Big ImpactKate Lindsey O’Reilly,Director of DevelopmentFive years ago, a mother concerned that thechemical trichloroethylene (TCE), a cancer causingsolvent being used as a degreaser by a nearbyindustrial plan, was contaminating the air in herneighborhood contacted the department of environmentalhealth science for help. Students in thedepartment received $1000 to take air samples andanalyze them to determine whether TCE levelswere too high. The sampling project verified thatthe toxicant was contaminating the air and armedthe mother with the information she needed to successfullylobby the plant to stop its use of TCE.This sampling project was worth much morethan $1000 to the people living in the affected neighborhood.While not all funding for public healthwill pay such dividends, a gift to the College of PublicHealth support fund provides the college the flexibilityto meet current and unforeseen needs.Our research and outreach is advancing scientificdiscovery into the prevention, causes andcures of our most pressing public health concerns.Your donation to the College of Public Healthcould provide the seed money needed to eradicateTuberculosis world-wide. Christopher Whalen,M.D., a professor of epidemiology, is currently researchinghow to accomplish this goal.A gift to the college could also help preparethe country in the event of a nuclear explosion bysupporting health policy professor, Cham Dallas’s,work at the institute for health management andmass destruction defense.Support for the college could also help us identifythe areas of Georgia that have the most needsfor cancer prevention. John Vena and Claire Robb,professors of epidemiology, have both been namedcancer scholars by the Georgia Cancer Coalition.Our mission is to promote health in humanpopulations through innovative research, exemplaryeducation, and engaged service dedicated topreventing disease and injury within the state andaround the world. I encourage you to use the enclosedenvelope to make a gift that will support thismission. Please know each gift makes a difference,and your commitment to our college is greatly appreciated.To learn more about our research andoutreach and ways to support our mission, pleasecontact the development office at 706/542-2590 orkrl@uga.edu.Winter 2009 19

Donor Spotlight:Susan C. Waltman,who receivedherbachelor’s degree insociology and master’sdegree in social workfrom the University ofGeorgia and law degreefrom Columbia,has done a great dealfor the field of publichealth. She is the ExecutiveVice Presidentand General Counselfor the Greater NewYork Hospital Association (GNYHA); she is on theboard of the Public Health Association of New YorkCity; and she is recognized for her efforts in the areaof public health emergency preparedness.But Waltman’s commitment to improving publichealth is more than a professional responsibility.She currently serves as chair of the dean’s advisorycouncil at UGA’s College of Public Health and haspledged to give $100,000 to establish the Fund forPublic Health Outreach. She has also establisheda summer internship program at the Greater NewYork Hospital Association through a gift to UGA’sHonor’s Program. Interns participating in this programwork on initiatives in the areas of health policy,health management, and public health.Waltman is compelled to support public healthon a personal level as well as a professional level becauseof the vast disparities in health outcomes, healthbehaviors, access to health care and quality of healthcare that weigh disproportionately on minority andunderserved communities. She has been instrumentalin helping the College of Public Health build theinfrastructure necessary to address the public healthissues within the State of Georgia, the region and beyond.Through her donation of time, energy, ideasand her personal financial gift, she has helped to enhancethe college’s capacity to respond quickly to thechanging needs of Georgia’s diverse and underservedpopulations.Dr. Harold S. Solomon, a physician practicingin Boston, MA, has been on the “BestDoctors in America” list since 1994; he is anassociate clinical professor of medicine at HarvardMedical School; and he has too many national honorsand awards for his contributions to medicine tolist. But when Solomon is asked to describe himself,he simply says that he is “a product of Georgia PublicSchools”—he attended grade school and high schoolin Savannah, earned his bachelor of science from theUniversity of Georgia in1961 and completed medicalschool at the MedicalCollege of Georgia. Hiswife, Milly Pincus Solomon,also attended UGA.Grateful for the educationhe received in Georgia,Solomon wanted to giveback to his home state.Having receivedhis medical education inGeorgia, Solomon waswell aware of the publichealth concerns facingthe state. He also wantedto give a gift that couldreflect his connection toUGA’s Jewish community, so Solomon pledged togive the College of Public Health $50,000 to establisha Maymester course taught by a public healthexpert from Israel—Israel has been a pioneer in thecontemporary concept and practice of public healthand as a result has one of the world’s healthiest populations.The first class, a course on emergency preparedness,will be offered this May and will be taughtby someone from the School of Public Health at theUniversity of Haifa in Israel.20 College of Public Health

Award RecipientsSimeon Receives Award fromBlue Cross Blue Shield of GeorgiaRenee Simeon, a second year Master of Public Healthstudent with a concentration in health promotion and behavior,was selected as the College of Public Health’s firstrecipient of an award from the Blue Cross Blue Shield ofGeorgia Foundation Master of Public Health Fund. Simeonusedthe award money to present a poster at AmericanPublic Health Association’s annual meeting that took placein San Diego in October.The poster was titled, “Healthy Teens: Can 6th grade characteristicspredict dating and dating violence in 9th grade?”The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia Foundationseeks to support community, state, and national initiativesthat address two strategic signature programs: covering theuninsured and healthy generations.Beard Named First Recipient ofConnie Lloyd ScholarshipThe College of PublicHealth Professional DegreesCommittee recentlynamed Stephanie Beard asthe college’s first the recipientof the Connie LloydScholarship.Stephanie is a secondyear Master of PublicHealth student with a concentrationin health policyand management. Lastspring, Stephanie completed an internship with the MadisonArea Resource Team, which made her interested indeveloping a way to provide prenatal care for teen momswhile providing insight against risky behaviors. She isevaluating new policies for providing such care as thefinal project for her degree. After graduation, Stephaniehopes to obtain a management position in a hospitalknown for its dedication to maternal health.The scholarship was made possible by a gift generouslydonated by Don and Sue Lloyd and their childrenin honor of Mr. Lloyd’s mother, Connie Lloyd.The Connie Lloyd scholarship is awarded to a studentin the College of Public Health with a program ofstudy that includes course work, outreach or internshipsfocused on women and health.The Georgia Power EnvironmentalHealthScience Scholarship was establishedto provide scholarships inEnvironmental Health Science withinthe College of Public Health. Scholarshipswill be used to recruit membersof diverse backgrounds and tobring new students to UGA to majorin Environmental Health. To be consideredfor this scholarship, studentsmust apply as intended EnvironmentalHealth majors on their UGA applicationand be enrolled fulltime duringthe fall and spring semesters. Studentsalso complete their internship degreerequirements at Georgia Power. The2008 - 2009 recipients are Marla MaeMartinez, Darryl Tricksey and AriellLawrence.Winter 2009 21

®N122C Coverdell CenterUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, GA 30602Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDAthens, GeorgiaPermit 11®The University of GeorgiaGlobal Health Symposium 2009Social Determinants of Inequalities in Health II:Continuing the Global ConversationMarch 24th-25th 9:00 AM - 6:00 PMPaul D. Coverdell Center for Biomedical Health SciencesThe University of GeorgiaSponsors: The College of Public Health at the University of Georgia, TheBiomedical Health Science Institute at the University of Georgia, W.K. KelloggHealth Scholars ProgramThe two-day symposium will bring health experts from the United States, andFrance to the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia, to exchangeinformation about various methodologies and paradigms for understandingthe contributions of socio-economic status, socio-political environment, andrace and ethnicity to inequalities in health.22 College of Public Health