Student Research

MPH students have an opportunity to engage in a variety of mentored research projects, ranging from community based participatory research to complex epidemiological analysis.

Improving Quality of Life for Vulnerable Community Populations

Research Projects

• Identifying barriers for access to care among immigrant populations living around Stamford, CT: Following an evidence review, students developed several tools for service providers in Stamford to administer in order to identify what barriers impact their ability to serve immigrants, and what barriers they see immigrants have to access their services.
• Operational research for assessing immigrant population acculturation levels
• Assessing the role of faith-based organizations in humanitarian assistance
• Examining key issues surrounding population displacement following natural disasters

Student Thesis

• Evaluating factors related to quality of care in the VA CT Healthcare methadone clinic

Research in Epidemiology

Students working under the mentorship of Professor Jacqueline Vernarelli have an opportunity to gain epidemiology research experience using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the National Youth Fitness Survey (NYFFS). The NHANES is a comprehensive, nationally representative survey of US residents designed to monitor the health and nutritional status of US residents. The NHANES is administered by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and is a robust resource for public health research. Students working with Dr. Vernarelli are trained in specialized statistical training in order to engage in the complex data analysis. Our students regularly present at national conferences, publish peer-reviewed articles and have received travel awards for their work.

Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Research Project

• Evaluating the relationship between childhood lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes

Nutritional Epidemiology

Research Project

• Understanding the relationship between acculturation and diet quality in US adults
• Investigating the impact of federal nutrition programs on overall health and diet quality

Student Thesis

• Dairy consumption during childhood and age of menarche in US adolescents
• Fish consumption and serum mercury levels in US adults: An Update on the Evidence
• Examining the association between theobromine consumption in diet and blood pressure

Social Determinants of Health

Student Thesis

• Assessing dental hygiene practices in children with and without intellectual disabilities, and the impact on oral health status
• Exploring Racial and Ethnic Differences in HPV Vaccination Rates among US Males