UAB School of Public Health

We all know the how important regular physical activity is to our physical and mental health. But, it can be challenging for many of us to find time, energy, and motivation to get up and moving, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we are joined by a panel of expert to talk about, not only the positive benefits of exercises, but strategies in addressing some of these challenges. Guest Names: Dr. Olivia Affuso, Physical Activity Epidemiologist, Academic Researcher, Ultra Runner, and Wellness Advocate Mr. Pedro Magalhaes, Coordinator of Fitness at the UAB Recreation Center Ms. Riley Thornton, Employee Wellness Manager, UAB Links: UAB Walking Trails: https://www.uab.edu/humanresources/home/wellness/active-living/trails UAB Rec Center: https://www.uab.edu/students/universityrecreation/ Fresh Water Land Trust Find a Trail: https://freshwaterlandtrust.org/find-a-trail/

According to Pathways' news release, one in 23 children in Alabama will experience homelessness before the age of six and most of the state's homeless children in that age group living in Jefferson County. Only three percent of those children have access to federally-funded early childhood education. Ms. Carrie Leland, Executive Director of Pathways, joins us to talk about this population and how Pathways is able to provide care for homeless children through their new Early Learning Center.

On this episode of Population Health Plug-In, we interview recent SOPH alum, Aaron Royer, about his summer internship with the Coosa Riverkeeper. Aaron shares information about the Riverkeeper, activities he coordinated, and tips for future students considering completing internships.

Ms. Bambi Ingram and Dr. Julie Price join the podcast to talk about sustainability, what it is and what UAB and the School of Public Health are doing to help reduce waste and protect the environment. For more information on sustainability programs and initiatives at UAB please visit https://www.uab.edu/sustainability.

In this podcast, Ashley Chappell, MPH and Greg Pavela, PhD discuss the educational and research experiences leading to Ashley's current position as a Disease Intervention Specialist at the Jefferson County Department of Health.

March is National Nutrition Month! Learn more about the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, to MyPlate, to food insecurity and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and health behavior theory from UAB’s Dr. Greg Pavela and Ms. Tara Harman. Links: Dietary Guidelines for Americans: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ My Plate: https://www.myplate.gov/ Food Insecurity: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx BlazerKitchen: https://www.uab.edu/benfund/blazer-kitchen

Career Conversations is an opportunity for you to hear from a UAB School of Public Health alum. During this episode, Meena Nabavi, MPH, interviews SOPH Alum Stacie June Shelton, Global Head of Education and Advocacy, Dove Self-Esteem Project, Unilever, Dove Global Masterbrand, London, United Kingdom. Ms. Shelton received an MPH from the SOPH in 2001 with a Behavioral Health concentration.

Career Conversations is an opportunity to hear from a UAB School of Public Health alum. In this Career Conversation, Elena Kidd, MPH, will interview SOPH Alum Jeff Stover, Executive Advisor to the Health Commissioner at the Virginia Department of Health. Mr. Stover received an MPH from the SOPH in 1997 in Epidemiology.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent cervical cancer cases plus a range of other cancers, including many for which there is no routine screening. In this episode of Population Health Plug-In, Dr. Andrzej Kulczycki dives deep into who should get the HPV vaccine, vaccine safety and efficacy, as well as what is needed to improve HPV vaccination rates in the United States.

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It’s so common that approximately 80% of people will be infected with HPV at some point. In most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer. In this episode of Population Health Plug-In, Dr. Andrzej Kulczycki shares information about HPV, risk factors for developing cancer, how HPV is spread, signs and symptoms, and much more.

Join us as we talk to University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health alum Rosalind Robinson. Ms. Robinson graduated with a Master’s of Public Health degree in International Health and Epidemiology from the UAB SOPH in 2001. Rosalind has been a part of the organ and tissue donation community for more than 15 years. She currently holds the position of the Assistant Manager of the Family Care Coordinator Program at LifeLink of Georgia. LifeLink of Georgia is a non-profit community service organization dedicated to the recovery of life-saving and life-enhancing organs and tissue for transplantation therapy. More Information: https://registerme.org/ https://www.lifelinkfoundation.org/

As most of America has been asked to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and limit exposure to others, there is a group of people who cannot: the homeless. Ms. Carrie Leland, Executive Director of Pathways, joins us to talk about this vulnerable population during the pandemic and how a local shelter, Pathways, is able to safely provide housing, care, and food to this population.

Dr. Lisa McCormick, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Associate Dean for Public Health Practice at the UAB School of Public Health talks about public health perspectives associated with plastic waste and the impact of COVID-19 on plastic pollution.

Dr. Robinson earned a Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from the UAB School of Public Health in 1998. In 2001, she began working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, and currently serves as the Deputy Executive Secretary of HHS. She has dedicated over 19 years of service to the Federal government. Learn more about her career and story since graduating from the School of Public Health!

Dr. Rachael Lee, an assistant professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Disease, joined our podcast to talk about what is currently known about the 2019 novel coronavirus.

Dr. Suzanne Judd, nutritional epidemiologist and professor in UAB’s School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics, joins us on this episode of the podcast to talk about risk factors associated with heart disease and ways to improve health outcomes as part of February's American Heart Month.

Michael Hansen, executive director of the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP), joins us to discuss the organization’s mission to advance healthy air & environmental justice in the greater-Birmingham area through education, advocacy, and collaboration.

December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, and as part of raising awareness of the issue, Dr. Ana Belén Araúz, a physician specializing in Infectious  Diseases at Hospital Santo Tomas in Panama recently visited UAB. While she was here, we interviewed her to learn more about  HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, and care in her home country.

Listen in as Jeff Burrowes shares his story of how his career has evolved and lessons learned during his journey.

Carrie Leland, Executive Director of Pathways, joins us to discuss the organization’s mission of empowering  women and children to end homelessness in Birmingham Alabama.

In the spring of 1978, when she was just 27 years old, Lois Gibbs discovered that her home and those of her neighbors in Love Canal were sitting next to 20,000 tons of toxic chemicals. Ms. Gibbs brought public attention to the environmental crisis in Love Canal. She helped organize the Love Canal Homeowners Association and after a 2 year struggle, her efforts led to the relocation of over 800 residents and forced the government and companies responsible for the toxic waste to clean up the area. Ms. Gibbs share lessons learned from Love Canal and her current work with the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and for this month, we would like to highlight the work of Sowing the Seeds of Health, a unique community-based education program at the UAB Cancer Center led by Dr. Scarinci, Professor in the Division of Preventative Medicine at UAB and Associate Director for  Globalization and Cancer Disparities at the Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Susan Walley joins us  to discuss the recent outbreak of deaths and severe lung injury among  users of e-cigarettes and vaping products. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html 

UAB’s Assistant Director of Historical Collections and University  Archivist sat down to share some of the historical connections and ties  between Alabama, UAB, and the Republic of Panama dating back over 100 years.

In this episode, we learn more about Alzheimer's and the work of Alzheimer's of Central Alabama from the organization's executive director, Miller Piggott.

Dr.  Michele Kong is the co-founder of KultureCity, a nonprofit that raises  not only awareness, but promotes a community-shifting acceptance of  children with autism. She is here to talk with us about rethinking accessibility and explain how  KultureCity is creating a community of acceptance and inclusion for all  individuals with unique disabilities. https://www.kulturecity.org/

One Health: The Intersection of Human Health, Animal and Environmental Health

A Brief History of Chemical Warfare Agents, Challenges in Response, and Lessons Learned.

Rachael Lee, MD, Assistant Professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases, talks about the seasonal flu and flu pandemic.

Alan Weil, Editor-In-Chief with Health Affairs, gives a talk titled "The End of US Health Policy."

Amy Miskimon Goss, PhD, Assistant Professor, UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences, talks about the Keto Diet.

Caitlin Wessel, who is with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, Genwest Systems, joins us to talk about the microplastics and pollution along the Gulf Coast.

Vaping and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-operated devices which produce an aerosolized mixture from a solution of concentrated nicotine, flavoring chemicals, and other substances to be inhaled by the user. These devices have exploded in popularity over the last several years, largely due to aggressive marketing and advertising that include unsubstantiated claims of e-cigarettes as “healthier” than conventional cigarettes. This presentation will highlight the current scientific evidence on electronic cigarettes and the impact on youth tobacco use, health and public health effects.

Learn more about ADPH, its structure and their recent PHAB accreditation from the Chief of Staff at ADPH, Michele Jones.

Innovate Birmingham: Fueling Education and Training in the IT Sector Among Birmingham’s Youth http://workforce.innovatebham.com/

Medical Advocacy and Outreach: Using Telemedicine to Improve Rural Access to Medical Care.