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IU School of Public Health-BloomingtonNews and Updates

Sherwood-Laughlin honored with IU Distinguished Service Award

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During the spring semester, School of Public Health-Bloomington Clinical Professor Catherine Sherwood-Laughlin is one of two faculty members to have received the Distinguished Service Award from the university. This award recognizes faculty members for exemplary service to IU, their profession or a discipline. In addition, recipients of the Distinguished Service Award demonstrate effective engagement with organizations outside of the university, including the local community and communities around the world.

The awards were announced by Eliza Pavalko, vice provost for faculty and academic affairs at IU Bloomington in May 2017.

“It is a great privilege to recognize these deserving faculty members,” Pavalko said. “…Professors [Beth] Gazley and Sherwood-Laughlin have demonstrated outstanding service to the campus, their academic disciplines and the community. Congratulations for these honors.”

Sherwood-Laughlin played a key role in the ongoing accreditation of the Master of Public Health degree program at IU Bloomington and in the transition from the former School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation to the School of Public Health-Bloomington.

An authority on sexuality education, childhood obesity and other public health topics, she is frequently invited to consult and give presentations. In 2014, she was honored for her leadership in teaching and service with the school’s Distinguished Service Award and with the Tony and Mary Hulman Health Achievement Award for innovative public health programming from the Indiana Public Health Association.

She has served on the Bloomington Faculty Council, is a current faculty representative on the Office of Student Ethics, Student Academic and Behavioral Misconduct Board, and has been assistant chair of the Department of Applied Health Science since 2008. She is past president of the Indiana Public Health Association.

 

Steve Hinnefeld, IU Communications, contributed to this article

School to expand program targeting at-risk youth in Africa

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With a grant from the Sport Diplomacy program in the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, Associate Professor Sarah Young and Assistant Professor Bill Ramos from the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington will expand their successful Youth Enrichment through Sport program to four countries in Africa. Using sports to bring youth into the program, Young and Ramos will focus on teaching at-risk youth and those with physical disabilities between the ages of 14 and 23 about critical public health issues facing their communities.

Young and colleagues from the school conducted a similar program in Ghana between 2013 and 2015, and will use a similar model during their return to Africa.

“While sport is the mechanism through which we attract participants to the program, we use Time Out for Healthy Living sessions focused on the greatest public health issue that the country is facing,” explains Young. “Usually these are alcohol use or abuse and risky sexual behaviors, working with youth with disabilities, and youth development focused on leadership, teamwork and responsibility.”

Young and co-principal investigator Ramos will lead a team of faculty members from the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington to manage all aspects of the project. Additional team members include Associate Professor Jennifer Piatt, Assistant Professor Priscilla Barnes, and Clinical Assistant Professor Cassandra Coble.

Over the course of the three-year grant, 17 adult leaders and youth from each of the four exchange programs will come to the U.S. for educational sessions about the importance of following a healthy lifestyle, youth development leadership, and sport and aquatic instruction. In turn, 16 U.S. youth and program instructors will travel to each African country to learn about cultural differences, enhance the mutual understanding of using sport to create healthy lifestyles, and develop leadership through the Sport Education model.

The team is attending orientation this week in Washington D.C. to kick off the project.

New online course about post-flood infectious diseases and hazards now available

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In response to several public health issues caused by recent hurricanes and unprecedented flooding, the Public Health & YOU program through the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington has developed a new course entitled Post-Flood Infectious Diseases, Hazards & Prevention Measures. The course is available at no cost online at expand.iu.edu.

The module takes about one hour to complete and ensures that participants have the knowledge and skills to prevent dangers associated with common post-flood infectious diseases and hazards. IU School of Public Health-Bloomington faculty members Shawn Gibbs and Aurora Le developed the content for this course.

Gibbs is executive associate dean for Academic Affairs and a professor in the school, and is an expert in infectious diseases. His research focuses on biocontainment, personal protective equipment, and highly infectious disease management, among other topics. Le, an academic specialist at the school, also researches infectious diseases of public health significance and highly infectious disease management.

Public Health & YOU, a program through the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, aims to educate the public health workforce and to help professionals put public health concepts into practice to better the quality of life for all. All programs are offered online at no cost and there are no prerequisites required. Learn more at publichealthandyou.indiana.edu.

 

Direct link to the course:
https://expand.iu.edu/browse/publichealth/publichealthandyou/publichealthwebinar/courses/sph-phy2017-3

NIH Awards Grant to Study Health and Identity among Bisexual Men

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Brian Dodge of the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion, in collaboration with Wendy Bostwick at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Nursing, has received a two-year $453,000 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health & Health Disparities (NIMHD) to examine daily-level minority stressors among racially diverse bisexual men, and how these impact their identity- and health-related experiences.

Health disparities among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual and gender minority people exist across the lifespan, and are increasingly well-documented, but gaps remain in our basic understanding of how health status, behaviors and outcomes vary within these groups, especially bisexual individuals. A growing body of evidence suggests that bisexual-identified individuals experience significant health disparities in comparison to heterosexual and gay/lesbian-identified individuals. These include higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders, substance use (including tobacco use), suicidality, as well as disparities related to healthcare access and utilization. However, bisexual men remain relatively invisible in public health research except when studied almost exclusively through a lens of sexual risk behavior.

The new NIH-funded study will include qualitative in-depth interviews as well as innovative electronic daily diary (e-diary) data collection from a sample of Latino, Black, White, and other self-identified bisexual men throughout the metropolitan Chicago area. The research findings will significantly advance our knowledge of the risk factors associated with health disparities faced by racially diverse bisexual men. The multi-method data will be critical for informing directions for future health promotion research and intervention efforts.

The study is led by co-Principal Investigators Dodge (IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, Department of Applied Health Science) and Bostwick (UIC, Department of Health Systems Science), along with co-investigator Jesus Ramirez-Valles (UIC, Division of Community Health Sciences), and will be guided by a local community advisory board including a range of community experts from health and social service organizations across Chicago.

Professor Lynn Jamieson awarded IU School of Public Health-Bloomington Distinguished Service Award

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Service has always been an integral part of Lynn Jamieson’s professional and personal life. This commitment to helping and serving others is one of the driving reasons behind Dr. Jamieson being awarded the 2016-17 Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

“Service involvement has always been of great importance to me. I grew up in a family whose commitments were extensive,” she said. “It was a natural extension of my job to become active in community organizations to assist where possible in improving the quality of life in the community through recreation and parks involvement.”

The IU School of Public Health-Bloomington Distinguished Service Awards recognize exemplary service of the school’s faculty. Recipients of the award have demonstrated outstanding individual lifetime achievements, contributions to their professional areas, service to the school and university. Winners are selected by a group of their peers under the direction of the school’s Academic Council.

“My service goals in higher education have been two-fold. One, to use my expertise in areas where it is needed, and, two, to share my leadership strengths,” Jamieson said. “While I have been strategic in choosing most of these opportunities to serve, I have also found that some of the most fulfilling activities have been when I have been asked to serve to assist in solving a problem, righting a wrong, or completing a task that is crucial to meeting the goals of an organization.”

Jamieson earned her graduate degrees, including a Re.D. and two master’s degrees, from Indiana University. She completed an undergraduate degree in Health and Physical Education from Muskingum University.

Jamieson served as chair of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington’s Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies from 2001 to 2008. She has taught in higher education for 38 years and has 12 years of professional and practical experience in parks, recreation and tourism. Her research focuses on government policy on sport and leisure, competencies in recreational sports, and sport and violence.

Dean David B. Allison invited to join The Academy of Europe, Academia Europaea

Posted on by IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

David B. Allison, Ph.D.

Earlier this month, The Academy of Europe’s Council endorsed Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington Dean David B. Allison’s election to membership of the academy. The academy, whose members include scholars and scientists from around the world, promotes the advancement of excellence in a number of scholarly areas.

“I am deeply honored to be joining this extraordinary group of scholars. It is a privilege to be thought of, nominated and elected to this worldwide society that is dedicated to educating the public on many important academic topics,” Allison said. “I never get tired of learning new things, exchanging ideas, and trying to figure things out. I am a scholar, always, and flattered to be invited to be a part of this academy of amazing researchers, academics, and practitioners.”

The Academy of Europe was founded in 1988, and is comprised of leading experts from a number of science disciplines, the humanities, economics and law.

“David’s stellar academic and research reputation made him the ideal candidate to serve as the School of Public Health’s new dean,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel. “His election to the Academy of Europe’s Council affirms his place at the very top of his field and reflects the deep respect his research has garnered among his peers.  We are so thrilled that David has brought his commitment to academic excellence to the School of Public Health, and we look forward to many groundbreaking advancements in the medical sciences during his tenure.”

Allison joined the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington in August 2017 after most recently serving as associate dean for research and science in the School of Health Professions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While at UAB, he was also a Distinguished Professor, the Quetelet Endowed Professor, director of the Office of Energetics and director of the NIH-funded Nutrition Obesity Research Center.

Allison is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Medicine, one of the most prestigious medical societies in the world. His research includes a breadth of activity — including basic science using drosophila (fruit flies), rodent models, epidemiology, human clinical trials, statistical methodology, meta-analysis, mathematical models and human behavioral research — and engages in cross-disciplinary collaborations with scientists from many academic backgrounds.

Allison received his Ph.D. in clinical and school psychology from Hofstra University in 1990; his master’s degree in clinical and school psychology at Hofstra in 1987; and his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Vassar College in 1985.

Rise in demand for organic food leads faculty to research ways to help farmers transition to organic production

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Demand for organic foods continues to grow at double-digit rates, according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Yet, certified organic production accounts for less than 1 percent of the U.S. market and even less in Indiana. With a grant from the USDA’s North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington scholars James Farmer and Analena Bruce are working to change these statistics and help conventional crop farmers make the shift to certified organic production.

“Farmers with certified organic products report increased profitability, improved soil health, and improved quality of life through enhanced economic stability,” Farmer said. “All of these factors are used to determine sustainability in agriculture, so the more farmers we can move toward organic production, the better we’re promoting sustainability and environmental health.”

The research team, led by Dr. Tamara Benjamin and Michael O’Donnell from Purdue University, will survey and interview Indiana grain farmers–those who use conventional farming methods, those interested in organic methods, and those who are already certified organic–to identify the biggest barriers to becoming certified organic as well as the most helpful resources for farmers looking to move their farms to this type of production. Farmer and Bruce from the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, and Benjamin, O’Donnell, and Ariana Torres from Purdue are working with a farmer advisory board to guide both the research and outreach components of the project.

“With the help of this grant, we’ll be able to provide education and outreach, construct a farmer-buyer gap analysis, provide resource publications, and learn from a variety of farmers all with the goal of increasing the viability of organic grain production in Indiana,” said Farmer.

When this research is completed in 2020, Farmer and the research team plan for Indiana grain farmers to be more informed about new marketing opportunities and resources for transitioning to organic approaches, and to have built relationships and connections between farmers, grain buyers and certifying agencies.

“I don’t see the demand for and importance of organic farming decreasing,” Farmer explained. “Wider adoption of organic practices and organic certification offers important economic opportunities for farmers and contributes to the long-term sustainability by using practices that increase soil and plant health, and protect waterways. It’s a win for everyone.”

Professor receives $3 million grant to study effects of minerals on cognitive decline

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Thanks to academic research, we know what kind of diet lowers our risk of heart disease, we know not smoking decreases the likelihood we’ll have lung cancer, and we know that getting regular exercise will help improve our general overall health. But what if we knew a way to help lower our risk of cognitive decline? With Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia and cognitive decline, affecting millions of older adults each year, this kind of research is on the cutting edge.

A team of researchers, led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington Professor Ka He, is working toward making this type of discovery thanks to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. The $3.1 million grant entitled “Trace mineral levels, the trajectory of cognitive decline and telomere attrition” will look at what connection exists between trace mineral concentrations and cognitive decline.

“Information generated from this study will be useful for future interventions related to healthy aging,” He explains. “The knowledge we gain from this study will serve as a scientific foundation for remediation and prevention strategies to improve cognitive health or slow down the consequences of aging.”

He, who is serving as the principal investigator, is working with colleagues Frederick Unverzagt from IUPUI; Pencheng Xun, James Klaunig, and Zemin Wang from the IU School of Public Health; Leslie McClure from Drexel University; and Marguerite Ryan Irvin from the University of Alabama to complete this research. Over the course of this five-year study, the team will examine the trace mineral concentrations measured in urine or serum in relation to the trajectory of cognitive decline of nearly 2,400 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.

“The REGARDS study is an ongoing U.S. national population-based, general population cohort of about 30,000 African American and Caucasian adults age 45 or older at the baseline of the study between 2003 and 2007,” He says.

Previous research shows that a healthy content of some micronutrients within the body’s cells maintains several immune functions, and anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities, which together may play a pivotal role in reducing the effects of aging. On the flip side, some studies have linked exposure to certain heavy metals to cognitive decline. What’s missing in previous research, however, is how trace minerals, both nutritious and heavy metals affect cognitive health.

“We plan to use the information we gain from this study to help advise future interventions that will help people maintain a homeostatis of micronutrients in relation to healthy aging,” He says.

He and his research team began work in June and will continue reviewing data and looking for connections through May 2022.

Faculty research women’s experiences with sexual pleasure

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Faculty members from the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and the school’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion, in partnership with sex research company, OMGYES, recently published a paper in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy focused on addressing gaps in scientific understanding of women’s sexual pleasure. The study findings, from the OMGYES Pleasure Report: Women and Touch, focused on orgasm and sexual pleasure as related to genital touch and stimulation.

“There had been little known at the population level about detailed aspects of women’s sexual pleasure and orgasm,” said Debby Herbenick, lead author of the study and professor at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington. “Most previous studies utilized clinical, college and convenience samples. We worked to change that with this research and provide data surveying a U.S. nationally representative probability sample of adult women.”

Herbenick and her research team, including Brian Dodge, associate professor in the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, conducted the OMGYES Sexual Pleasure Report: Women and Touch with a focus on discovering a greater understanding of women’s sexual pleasure and orgasm.

“The study results challenge the mistaken, but common, notion that there are universal ‘sex moves that work’ for everyone,” said Dodge. “On the other hand, the data also make clear that there are certain styles of touch that are more commonly preferred by women, emphasizing the value of studying sexual pleasure – and not just sexual problems.”

The study found that the more than 1,000 women, ages 18 to 94, surveyed reported a diverse set of preferences for genital touch, location, pressure, shape and pattern. Further, 41 percent of women preferred just one specific style of touch, underscoring the value of couples having conversations about their preferences and desires.

This study provides the first U.S. nationally representative data on pathways to orgasm during intercourse, noting that nearly 75 percent of women reported that clitoral stimulation was either necessary for their intercourse-orgasms, or helped their orgasms feel better, while 18 percent noted that vaginal penetration alone was sufficient for orgasm.

Women’s sexual health is one of several research areas focused on within the IU School of Public Health’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion. The center, which is a collaborative of sexual health scholars from across the campuses of Indiana University and strategic partner academic institutions, also continually researches community based participatory research and sexual health, reproductive health, men’s sexual health, health and well-being among sexual and gender minority communities, and global sexual health.

The IU School of Public Health-Bloomington is reimagining public health through a comprehensive approach that enhances and expands disease prevention and reshapes how parks, tourism, sports, leisure activities, physical activity and nutrition impact and enhance wellness. Unique in the nation, the school’s multidisciplinary approach, history of community engagement and emerging strengths in epidemiology, biostatistics and environmental health bring new vigor and energy to the traditional concept of a school of public health.
OMGYES is a research company that partners with scientists to fill the gap in scientific and public understanding of sexual pleasure. It also operates a website, OMGYES.com, to get the study findings to the public in relatable and refreshingly frank videos. They’re currently studying the ways sexual pleasure changes during menopause as well as during pregnancy and postpartum.

Study shows positive effect of magnesium on blood pressure

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Researchers at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington recently completed a study in which they discovered that individuals with preclinical diseases like pre-diabetes and insulin resistance, and those with type 2 diabetes had significantly reduced blood pressure after taking magnesium supplements. The study, recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recorded a mean reduction of 4.18mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 2.27 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure among those who took the supplements for an average of about three months.

“While there has been great achievement in treating hypertension in the last few decades, high blood pressure still remains the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart failure. And, up to 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure and are at a much greater risk than the general population for developing heart disease,” said Daniel Dibaba, a doctoral student in the school and the first author of this study. “With this work, we were looking to find a way to help those with prediabetes, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes reduce and control their blood pressure.”

Dibaba, along with Professor Ka He and Assistant Scientist Pengcheng Xun, looked at 11 randomized controlled trials and examined the effects of magnesium supplementation among more than 500 participants. The team found that those in the magnesium supplementation group significantly reduced their blood pressure as compared to the control group.

Magnesium is found in a variety of foods, including green leafy vegetables, almonds, beans and cereals. In addition, supplements are readily available over the counter.

Dibaba cautioned, “Even though these supplements are easily available and less expensive than prescription anti-hypertension drugs, patients with preclinical conditions or type 2 diabetes should consult their physicians about whether to add magnesium as a supplement.”

He notes that no major side effects were found in the study, but too much magnesium intake can have unintended health risks, such as too low blood pressure, diarrhea, and irregular heartbeat, and should be used with caution and under a physician’s supervision.

“The results of this study give us another option for those with insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other noncommunicable chronic diseases to fight against high blood pressure,” Dibaba explained. “By lowering their blood pressure, these individuals are improving their overall health and reducing their risk for heart disease in the future.”

The study was partially funded by NIH grant R01ES021735 to He and Xun. The full study can be accessed online at http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2017/07/19/ajcn.117.155291

School awards first Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health degree

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The spring 2017 commencement ceremony held extra significance at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Among the hundreds of graduates at the ceremony was the school’s first Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health graduate.

Daniel Sheppard took a circuitous route to his degree in Environmental Health. A Bloomington native, he started his college career at Ivy Tech then transferred to IUPUI to pursue a degree in Biology. As Sheppard took classes in his intended major, he discovered what a broad topic it was and decided he wanted to focus on something a little more specific.

“I came back to Bloomington and tried the Safety major at the School of Public Health. My advisor told me about the Environmental Health degree,” he said. “It interested me because it combined science and safety, and it turned out I really liked it.”

Environmental health is a public health field concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environments which affect air and water quality, food safety, workplace and other spaces. Environmental health practitioners work on the front lines in the battle to prevent and control disease and injuries caused by environmental conditions.

“The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health is an excellent career option for undergraduate students interested in health, science, and the environment and who want to apply their knowledge and skills to tackle current and emerging environmental health and sustainability issues that affect communities in Indiana and elsewhere,” said M. Margaret “Meg” Weigel, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health at the IU School of Public Health.

Throughout his time at the school, Sheppard took a variety of courses in Environmental Health topics and secured an internship to further his skills.

“The Environmental Health program opened up realms of possibilities – food safety, toxicology, air pollution – there’s a broad range of things to study,” Sheppard explained.

During his internship with the Brown County (Ind.) Health Department, he was able to gain experience in septic work, food safety and restaurant inspections, and water sampling. This internship, combined with his classroom experience, helped Sheppard quickly get his first job following graduation.

This summer, he began working as a Field Chemist at Heritage Environmental in Indianapolis. He’ll also be starting the School of Public Health’s online safety management graduate degree program this fall.

“The internship was a great experience and was a lot of variety,” he said. “Throughout my time at the school, Dr. [Jo Anna] Shimek was a tremendous help. She’s been there every step of the way, and I’m very thankful for her. And, my advisor Janet [Donley] helped and definitely influenced my success.”

“We are so proud of Daniel,” Weigel said. “We’re excited to have our first graduate and to continue educating future environmental health scholars, researchers and practitioners in our program.”

Tony Pantaleoni presented with Dean’s Medallion

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During a recent visit to Bloomington, Anthony “Tony” Pantaleoni, M.P.H., Ph.D., vice president for Environment, Health and Safety at Crane Company in Stamford, Conn., was honored with the Founding Dean’s Medallion.

Given to public health leaders at the Dean’s discretion, the medallion honors those who have made a significant impact in the field of public health. Medallion recipients are those whose careers and personal efforts have been dedicated to rigorous public health research, education, and practice by preventing disease, promoting health, and enhancing quality of life.

With a focus on health and safety, Dr. Pantaleoni has distinguished himself in the corporate sector as an expert in environmental safety. In addition to his professional career, Pantaleoni is committed to ensuring that future public health leaders have access to education. He has been instrumental in establishing two scholarships in the School of Public Health: the Pantaleoni Scholarship for students in Applied Health Science, and the Crane Fund for Widows and Children.

“Dr. Pantaleoni’s expertise in environmental safety has impacted the health and safety of thousands of workers. This, paired with his desire to help students in our school through scholarship funds, makes Dr. Pantaleoni a crucial figure to public health,” School of Public Health-Bloomington Dean Mohammad Torabi said. “It is my honor to recognize him with the Dean’s Medallion in recognition of his influence in public health and environmental safety.”

Dr. Pantaleoni earned a Master’s in Public Health degree with honors and a Ph.D. in Health and Safety from the former IU School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington
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