Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2020-2021
| Title: | Using Innovative Strategies to Alleviate the Burden of Hypertension |
| Author: | Brittney Ankrom, MPH |
| Excerpt: | As innovation in the medical field begins to expand telemedicine opportunities, it is important to understand how blood pressure self-management can be utilized in this domain.... |
Continue Reading
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2019-2020
| Title: | Data Dissemination to Improve Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention and Management in South Carolina |
| Author: | Jennifer Mandelbaum, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Diabetes and heart disease are among the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S., and these conditions are especially prevalent in the Deep South. South Carolina’s persistent racial... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Using Innovative Surveillance to Understand Circumstances Surrounding Overdose Deaths |
| Author: | Brittney White, Graduate Assistant |
| Excerpt: | The South Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (SCVDRS) was established in 2002 at the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (SCDHEC) through a cooperative agreement... |
Continue Reading
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2018-2019
| Title: | Improving the Health of Mothers and Infants in South Carolina |
| Author: | Kate LaFroscia, Graduate Assistant |
| Excerpt: | As of 2016, South Carolina ranks 7th in preterm births and 5th in low birthweight rate. Additionally, South Carolina’s 2016 infant mortality rate was 7 per 1,000 live births. |
Continue Reading
| Title: | National Diabetes Prevention Program Site Inventory |
| Author: | Ashley Hrubala, MPH Candidate |
| Excerpt: | Prediabetes is defined as having blood sugar levels higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prediabetes affects 1 out of every 3 American.... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Evaluation of the 2018 South Carolina Farm to Institution Annual Summit |
| Author: | Jennifer A.S. Williams, Graduate Assistant |
| Excerpt: | South Carolina ranks a dismal 44th nationally in public health measures such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular death. Lack of appropriate nutrition is one major factor relating directly to these outcomes. |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Veterans’ Mental Health and Substance Use in South Carolina |
| Author: | Carlos Avalos, MSPH |
| Excerpt: | According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, there are about 20 million veterans in the US. Approximately 400,000 veterans live in South Carolina, making up 10% of the total population. According to the World Health Organization... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | SC Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Receive More Oral Health Services Thanks to the Orthodontia Program |
| Author: | Farren Allen, MPH/MSW Candidate 2020 |
| Excerpt: | The widespread issue of poverty has continued to burden South Carolina’s children and families, remaining stagnant even as the state prospers economically. Children and adolescent’s experiencing poverty are less likely to... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Collaborating with the CDC to Gain Insight on Circumstances Surrounding Violent Deaths in South Carolina |
| Author: | Olivia Livingston |
| Excerpt: | Violence is a major public health problem and is incredibly costly in the United States. In 2016 alone, there were approximately 64,000 violent deaths from both homicides and suicides, costing the economy $87 billion in health care and lost work costs... |
Continue Reading
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2017-2018
| Title: | Ensuring All Work Areas are Properly Evaluated and Safeguarded Against Risks |
| Author: | Anne-Elizabeth Rush, MPH, Environmental Health Science |
| Excerpt: | The Job Hazard Assessment Database was an essential component of Lockheed Martin Ocala’s employee safety standards; however, it needed improvements in several key areas... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Physical Activity Helps Medical Students Manage Stress and Burnout |
| Author: | Nicole Senn, MPH, Physical Activity and Public Health |
| Excerpt: | Every year 300-400 physicians commit suicide, which is the size of a small medical school. Depression, anxiety, alcohol consumption, and burnout are common issues among physicians, which often begin in medical school.... |
| Title: | CYSHCN Orthodontic Program |
| Author: | Nikki Hill, MSPH, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control |
| Excerpt: | Many children and youth who live in poverty in the state of South Carolina are unable to receive the orthodontic care they need. Due to the high cost of orthodontic treatments... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Communication Plan for SC Diabetes Impact and Awareness |
| Author: | Leigha Faulkner, Health Services Policy and Management |
| Excerpt: | Diabetes is a major problem in the state of South Carolina with 1 in 8 adults having diabetes, which put South Carolina at 7th highest in the country for diabetes prevalence.... |
| Title: | Developing and Delivering a One-Page Report on CDC DPRP Performance in South Carolina |
| Author: | Caitlin Potter, Graduate Assistant MPH Candidate, Health Services Policy and Management |
| Excerpt: | In 2014, South Carolina had a non-institutionalized adult population of 3,749,025. The population included an estimated 30.40% of South Carolina... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Development of a One-Page Report on CDC DPRP Performance in South Carolina |
| Author: | Erin Dreyer, Graduate Assistant MPH Candidate, Physical Activity and Public Health |
| Excerpt: | According to the state-level adult population estimates collected by BRFSS in 2014, South Carolina (SC) has a population size of... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | 2017-2018 Oral Health Needs Assessment for School-Aged Children |
| Author: | Megan R. Buss, MSPH |
| Excerpt: | In 2014, Oral health has a large impact on quality of life for adults and children. Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease for children in the United States. |
Continue Reading
| Title: | HPV Vaccination among Adolescents and Adults in South Carolina |
| Author: | Dana Alhasan, MPH, PhD(c) |
| Excerpt: | Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common sexually transmitted virus, is associated with various cancers, including cervical cancer. |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Development of a One-Page Report on County Comprehensive Plans in South Carolina |
| Author: | Matthew Walker, MPH Candidate |
| Excerpt: | South Carolina as a state has seen a large population increase over the last 20 years which requires an increase in infrastructure to support the individuals. |
Continue Reading
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2016-2017
| Title: | Evaluation of the School Wellness Initiative |
| Author: | Susannah Small, MSPH Candidate, Epidemiology |
| Excerpt: | Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, and in adults, chronic disease accounts for 7 of 10 deaths each year. These adverse outcomes are directly linked to root causes of improper nutrition and inadequate physical activity... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Data Collection, Maintenance, and Tools for Farm to School |
| Author: | Samantha Truman, MSPH Candidate, Epidemiology |
| Excerpt: | The Farm to School coordinators wanted to know which schools within South Carolina were currently participating in Farm to School activities, the types of activities that were being done, and the resources that would be needed to initiate or sustain the Farm to School program... |
| Title: | Title X Program Review |
| Author: | Kathryn Albano, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Unintended pregnancies are avoided by easy access to affordable voluntary family planning services including a wide range of contraceptive methods and preventive health services. To ensure this, the federal government implemented the Title X Grant program... |
| Title: | Developing and Delivering a Needs Report: Campers by Prevalent Medical Diagnosis |
| Author: | Lisa Zeitlin, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Camp Burnt Gin provides a fun, safe summer camp experience to over 460 children who might not otherwise have the chance to attend camp because of their special health care needs... |
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2015-2016
| Title: | Evaluating the Process of Six Counties Creating an Active Community Environment Project |
| Author: | Dana AlHasan, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Without a doubt, obesity is growing at an alarming rate and contributes to many complications. Because individual-based interventions geared towards weight loss is only one approach of reducing obesity rates... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Updated Data Demonstrates Continual Burden of Obesity and Diabetes |
| Author: | Charity Breneman, MS, Research Assistant MSPH Epidemiology Candidate and PhD Candidate |
| Excerpt: | The prevalence of obesity is increasing dramatically across the United States including South Carolina which had a five percent increase in obesity rates over the last 10 years and currently ranks 10th in the nation... |
| Title: | Identifying Hearing Loss in Newborns Provides SC Children with a Brighter Future |
| Author: | Danielle Gentile, Ph.D. (c) |
| Excerpt: | Did you know that hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects? It affects about 3 of every 1,000 babies. Untreated hearing loss in children can limit or delay speech and language development... |
| Title: | Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) |
| Author: | Mark Macauda, PhD |
| Excerpt: | Comprehensive sexual health education is vital to the current and future health and well-being of South Carolina (SC) youth. The state’s teen birth rate has decreased, but remains high, especially for 18... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Data Collection and Reporting Tools for the Region Work Plan |
| Author: | Alison Grossman, MPH(c) |
| Excerpt: | Within the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Community Health and Chronic Disease Prevention Bureau wanted to improve the communication within the regions on a variety of objectives. The goal of the Region Work Plan... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Children with Special Health Care Needs Program Reducing Medication Error at Camp Burnt Gin |
| Authors: | Kirby Beal Joye Lee |
| Excerpt: | Due to the special health care needs of the campers at Camp Burnt Gin, three nurses are in residence during each camp session to provide routine nursing care for the complex health needs and to respond to medical emergencies... |
| Title: | Creating Awareness on the Current State of Health Care Coverage in South Carolina among Public Health Professionals |
| Author: | Christian Ochonma |
| Excerpt: | The number of uninsured people in the South Carolina is still high despite the... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) 2016 |
| Author: | Mark Macauda, PhD |
| Excerpt: | Comprehensive sexual health education is vital to the current and future health and well-being of... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Actions to Increase Accessibility to Affordable Fruits and Vegetables |
| Author: | Charity Breneman, MS, MSPH Andrew Fogner |
| Excerpt: | In South Carolina, two out of three adults are overweight or obese. Whereas among children, about one in three are ... |
| Title: | Assisting in the Training of New Employees |
| Author: | Kirby Beal, MPH |
| Excerpt: | At the beginning of this semester, the Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) program at the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) employed... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Camp Burnt Gin |
| Author: | Allison Allred, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Every year many children attend a variety of overnight summer camps. Camp is an opportunity for children to ... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | SC DHEC Birth Defects Program Study of Neural Tube Defects during 2007-2014 |
| Author: | Yihong Zhan, Ph.D |
| Excerpt: | Neural tube defects (NTD) are a category of birth defects, which are characterized by defective closure of the... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Identifying Hearing Loss in Newborns Provides SC Children with a Brighter Future |
| Author: | Danielle Gentile, Ph.D |
| Excerpt: | Did you know that hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects? It affects about 3 of every 1,000 babies. Untreated hearing loss in children can... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Developing a Return on Investment Model for the National Diabetes Prevention Program in South Carolina |
| Author: | Joshua Sellner, MSPH |
| Excerpt: | Every day more and more South Carolinians are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The traditional practice among the medical community to... |
| Title: | Evaluating the Prevalence of Daily Physical Education Offered in School Districts Across South Carolina |
| Author: | Dana AlHasan, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Children who are physically active are more likely to also be physically active as adults and thus incorporate healthy lifestyle behaviors. Schools are a great avenue to... |
Success Stories for Arnold School of Public Health students
2013-2014
| Title: | Surveillance and Evaluation: Helping Tobacco Prevention Program Demonstrate Results |
| Author: | Daniel J. Kilpatrick, MPH, CEPR |
| Excerpt: | Youth Tobacco Prevention is a growing concern not only across the country but in South Carolina as well. Consider the following... |
| Title: | Helping Smokers Quit with New Year’s Resolution Media Campaign |
| Author: | Daniel J. Kilpatrick, MPH, CEPR |
| Excerpt: | Smoking kills roughly 6,400 people in South Carolina each year. Annual health care costs in SC due to smoking total approximately... |
| Title: | How the Relationship Between DHEC and USC Maximized My Impact on Public Health |
| Author: | Georges J. Nahhas, Ph.D.(c), MPH |
| Excerpt: | I was a third year doctoral student in epidemiology at the University of South Carolina when I had to complete a consulting practicum as part of my academic program of study. As an international with very limited contacts and connections my chance of finding a consultation was close to null. |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Too Small, Too Early, Or Too Sick: Ensuring Healthy Outcomes for Very Low Birth Weight Infants in South Carolina |
| Author: | Hannah Lawrence, MPH Candidate 2014, CHES |
| Excerpt: | The Very Low Birth Weight Database (VLBWDB) provides a source of documentation of very low birth weight infants in the state of South Carolina. Very low birth weight infants are defined as weighing less than 3 lbs 5 oz (1500 grams) at birth and are at risk for developing serious health conditions, often resulting in ... |
| Title: | Evaluation Helps Improve the Quality of Continuous Trainings |
| Author: | Quyen To, MPH |
| Excerpt: | Nationally, South Carolina has ranked very high for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. To address these problems, the DHEC Diabetes Division, in collaboration with other agencies, regularly holds... |
| Title: | Improving access to health indicator data in order to best serve the health needs of South Carolinians |
| Author: | Kelly Johnson, PhD(c), MPH |
| Excerpt: | Understanding the health profile of a community is challenging, but the information is crucial when state health officials are planning programs and services aimed at... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | LiveWell Kershaw: the healthiest county in South Carolina |
| Author: | Kelly Kavanaugh, MPH, CHES |
| Excerpt: | Kershaw County, South Carolina can be described as a fragmented community. With close proximity to Columbia, most state and federal organizations don't categorize it as a rural county; however, when measuring at anything smaller than the county level, almost half of the county... |
| Title: | Program Bridges Gap in Childhood Obesity Surveillance |
| Author: | Abdoulaye Diedhiou, MD, MS, PhD |
| Excerpt: | Hello, my name is Antoine, and I'm calling from Senator Darrell Jackson's office. The senator is seeking data on childhood obesity, racial disparities related to childhood overweight and obesity in South Carolina (SC), and how South Carolina rates compare nationally and to other... |
Continue Reading
| Title: | Academic Practice Partnership Strengthens Statewide Diabetes Program |
| Author: | Shelly-Ann Bowen, PhD |
| Excerpt: | An estimated 300,000-350,000 people in South Carolina—9.6% of the total population—are living with diabetes, affecting more women than men; the prevalence of diabetes is higher in the nonwhite population (10.6%) than in the white population (7.3%). At the South Carolina Diabetes... |
Continue Reading