TODAY news - February 19, 2004 - School of Public Health news

Thursday, February 19, 2004 TODAY

School of Public Health news

Healthy People 2004 to explore Spirituality, Culture, Health

Can religion improve health? That question and more will be explored during the Healthy People 2004 conference on March 9 to 12, 2004, at Loma Linda University in Wong Kerlee International Conference Center.

The conference will carry the theme: "Spirituality, Culture, & Health" and is presented by the School of Public Health office of continuing professional education, Center for Christian Bioethics, and Center for Spiritual Life & Wholeness.

Keynote speakers include researchers recently featured in Newsweek magazine (November 10, 2003): Harold G. Koenig, MD, MHSc, director and founder of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University Medical Center; and Neal Krause, PhD, a researcher at the University of Michigan.

The conference will discuss three different themes: Spirituality & Health: Connections in Research and Practice (Tuesday and Wednesday, March 9 and 10); Culture in Health Care: Improving Practices (Thursday, March 11); and Child Health: Local and International Initiatives (Friday, March 12).

The purpose of this conference is: to present the latest research on relationships between spirituality and health and show how these are being applied in practice; to show the importance of cultural competency within the context of health disparities and how health-care providers can close the gap between client and provider; and to share the latest intervention strategies to prevent child death and improve child health locally and internationally.

For costs to attend the event and for more information about Healthy People 2004, you may visit www.llu.edu/llu/sph/cpe/events.html or call (909) 558-4595 to receive a brochure about the conference.

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School of Public Health teaches in Peru

More than 100 students are enrolled in the SPH off-campus MPH program at Universidad Peruana Union, Lima, Peru.

When the 118 students in Peru were asked how many have a friend or relative who died of infant diarrhea, everyone raised their hands. Infant diarrhea is the leading cause of death in Peru—an infection caused mainly by poor sanitary conditions. That is just one reason why Peru has been a common destination for School of Public Health faculty members.

This last summer, SPH began courses for its off-campus master of public health (MPH) program at Universidad Peruana Union (UPeU), Lima, Peru. In about a year, (June, 2005), 118 students from South America and the Caribbean will graduate with an MPH in public health practice or maternal child health.

"Peru is a poor country and the efficiency of public health is very important there," states John Morgan, DrPH, associate professor, epidemiology/biostatistics, SPH. "Most people in the country do not have any health care, so public health is the most cost-effective way to prevent illness."

Twice a year, in January and July, SPH professors teach four to five courses in one month’s time. The students have pre- and post-assignments, plus field practicums during the two-year program. All the students in the program are health professionals or active public health practitioners, including pastors.

In January, 2004, Dr. Morgan and Cesar Galvez, DrPH, coordinator of MPH program, UPeU, formed a union between LLU and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of Peru by influencing the direction of public health problems. They gave a scientific presentation and earned the support of the NCI of Peru to market the MPH program at UPeU. In addition, graduates from the program will have the opportunity to work in the national health department of Peru.

"These graduates are going to be part of the vision to make sure that the infrastructure to prevent illness is built," says Dr. Morgan.

In the meantime, half the coursework is completed and the students look forward to the remaining year till graduation.

"The students are thrilled beyond words about LLU’s off-campus MPH program," says Christine Neish, PhD, associate dean and associate professor, health promotion and education, SPH. "They told me, ‘This is a dream that we never dared to dream, and to have LLU come here is unbelievable.’"

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Thursday, February 19, 2004 TODAY