Public Health Students Work on Theses, Applied Practice Projects
Research subjects range from the spread of COVID-19 to effects of dietary intake
Eleven Sacred Heart University students in the master of public health (MPH) program are participating in applied practice experience (APE) and thesis projects to complete their degree. Their projects range from addressing childhood poverty to examining the relationship of fish consumption and mercury levels in adults, as well as COVID-19 contact tracing efforts.
“In the final year of the MPH program, students choose whether they want to complete an APE or a thesis,” said Sofia Pendley, professor of public health. “The APE is a unique opportunity that enables students to apply practical skills and knowledge learned through coursework to a professional, public-health setting that complements the students’ interest and career goals.”
Pendley said APE students choose an outside organization to work with and complete a series of deliverables or products that aligns with their interests and career goals.
“Both APE and thesis projects prepare students for careers in public health,” Pendley said. “They learn applicable skills, such as health promotion, health education or research. These skills are required of all public health practitioners, regardless of where they end up professionally.”
All the projects are in line with the MPH philosophy, which emphasizes community health that is grounded in a social justice framework. They also enable students to benefit from opportunities to work with community partners to improve health and wellness.
Elizabeth Galliford, 23, from Bethel, is working on a thesis project about predictors of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in United States males using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
“The HPV vaccine is fairly new and has only been recommended as a routine vaccination for males since 2012,” Galliford said. “The vaccine has been controversial because it prevents a sexually transmitted infection, so parents are sometimes hesitant to get their children vaccinated. By looking at social determinants of health related to vaccination, public-health professionals will be able to better tailor interventions to reach key target populations that may be under-vaccinated.”
Galliford said vaccines, in general, have been a hot topic in recent years, and people have a lot of differing opinions on their safety and efficacy. “From a public health standpoint, we know that vaccines are effective at mitigating the spread of infectious disease, but we need to make sure that everyone is willing and able to access vaccines in order for them to be effective at improving and protecting population health,” she said.
“I have learned so much from this project, and being able to conduct individual research and critically analyze and interpret data has been such a great learning experience,” said Galliford.
The project has been applicable to her real-world experience, as she recently started a job as an epidemiologist with the Danbury Health Department. “I have been analyzing data related to COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the city,” she said. “Much of the research I conducted during my literature review was related to vaccine hesitancy and predictors of vaccination overall.”
Debrina Hudson ’21 is supporting contact tracing efforts for SHU’s public safety department to prevent an increase of COVID-19 cases. During the summer of 2020, she volunteered as a contact tracer for the state. When she learned she could help SHU’s contract tracing efforts for her APE, she was eager to make the transition. “I found that I was even more interested because I have a closer connection with the students who are part of the same community that I am part of,” Hudson said. “To help steer students through a very difficult time in their lives was inspiring.”
Hudson, a 25-year-old from Bridgeport, said she worked on her time management skills throughout the experience. “Teamwork and communication were also learning experiences for me because I was able to work alongside a team of very busy people using effective communication to complete tasks.”
Hudson said the APE enabled her to exercise program planning and evaluation skills needed as a public health practitioner. “I have received feedback from my mentors, professors and members of the public safety team, and it has contributed to how I will execute future projects.”
The following six MPH students are pursuing original thesis research projects in epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology:
Elizabeth Galliford ’21 is completing a project about the social determinants of health related to vaccination. Her thesis, “Exploring Racial Difference in HPV Vaccination Rates Among United States Males,” identifies areas that may be worthy of intervention for improving vaccine uptake.
Olivia Hine ’21 is exploring the understudied area of nutrient intake and illicit drug use in adults.
Melanie Reyes ’22 is working on a project co-mentored by Pendley and Jacqueline Vernarelli, assistant professor public health, examining the dietary patterns of U.S. immigrants. Reyes’ work explores the role assimilation plays on diet quality, specific intake patterns and subsequent risk of disease. She will present her findings at the American Society of Nutrition’s annual meeting in June.
Sara Szollosy ’21 is completing her thesis on the impact of dairy consumption during childhood and age of menstruation in adolescents.
Emma Turchick ’21 is involved in three research projects. Her thesis examines the effect of theobromine, a chemical found in the cocoa plant, on risk for hypertension in a representative sample of adults. Turchick also completed work that looked at locomotor development and dietary behaviors in children. Additionally, she recently co-authored a research article looking at the impact of economic downturns on dietary intake in children and adults that will be presented to a national audience at the American Society of Nutrition’s annual meeting in June. The findings are especially relevant given the current economic crisis facing Americans during the pandemic.
Allyson Wojinoski ’21 is completing her thesis work categorizing the relationship between fish consumption and serum mercury levels in adults. Her analysis examines fish consumption by sub-type, which may have implications for policy and nutritional recommendations.
The following five MPH students are working on APE projects:
Caroline Burns ’21 is addressing childhood poverty in four census tract areas in the Naugatuck Valley. This will be done through a collective impact survey to obtain the stories and experiences of the families living in the selected areas. Collective impact is a public health framework that is used to understand complex social problems. It is the first step in facilitating a system change to overcome the barriers of the high rate of childhood poverty in the Naugatuck Valley. Additionally, Burns will assist with the implementation of specific objectives to improve maternal and infant health, identified in the Naugatuck Valley Community Health Improvement Plan. Burns is working with the Valley Community Foundation and Naugatuck Valley Health District.
Brianna Collins ’21 is addressing episodic and chronic migraines by adding to the limited research on preventive therapies to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from them. Collins will develop and implement a prospective survey to assess frequency and consistency of weekly migraine attacks, adverse effects of medications and early discontinuation of treatments over a period of time. Collins also will work on analyzing the data, compiling the results and communicating the findings to key stakeholders. She is working with Biohaven Pharmaceuticals.
Felicia Creary ’21 is supporting infectious disease management efforts at SHU’s Maureen Hamilton Wellness Center by creating and maintaining a follow-up care procedure for students at SHU. In addition to tracking the number of current COVID-19 cases, Creary also monitors symptoms in students who were contact traced. The flu is also an area of concern for health advisors on campus, and Creary is working to support flu awareness and vaccination campaigns. Ultimately, the project will aim to assist in the prevention of an outbreak on campus and within the neighboring community.
Debrina Hudson ’21 is supporting contact tracing efforts with Sacred Heart’s public safety department to prevent an increase of COVID-19 cases. Hudson conducts contact tracing interviews for early detection of the virus. In addition, she trains new University contact tracers. Hudson communicates regularly with the Connecticut Department of Public Health through the ContaCT system to provide situation updates. Ultimately, the program aims to prevent additional transmission of the virus, keeping the University safe.
Kylie Lauterbach ’21 is supporting infectious disease prevention efforts with the Stratford Health Department. Lauterbach works to prevent the spread of COVID-19 cases by tracing contact that people with confirmed positive results have had with others in Stratford. She also collaborates with the Stratford public schools’ nursing supervisor to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among school-age children. In addition to this, Lauterbach is organizing flu vaccination clinics in the area to promote vaccine use and increase rates of vaccination. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce the incidence of infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases in local communities.