Presentation j byelick

Career Pipeline-Linked Public Health Curricula in Secondary Education Lessons Learned from the First Year in a Chicago Latino Community
Jenny Byelick, MPH Candidate
University of Illinois at Chicago
School of Public Health
April 22, 2011
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Public Health Significance
Adolescence = critical time in development to address health- related behaviors
Latino youth exhibit elevated rates of:
Asthma
Lack of adequate sleep
Suicide ideation or attempts
Sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections (HIV)
Higher risk for diabetes
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Centers for Diseases Control YRBSS (2009);Healthy People 2010 and 2020

Future Implications of Adolescent Health Issues
Unhealthy youth today chronic conditions
Healthy youth learn better!
Improved education, improved communities
Issues that impact entire community (i.e. violence)
Financial burden of chronic diseases due to behaviors started during adolescence
Annual adult health-related costs from cigarette smoking - $193 billion
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010.

Comprehensive Public Health Curricula
Public health education in the classroom
Enhanced personal and public health literacy
Community-based youth activism
Connect students to local community health efforts and to college-level public health programs
Opportunities for mentorship
Exposure to health professions
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Nutbeam, D. (2006), Freedman, D., Bess, K., Tucker, H., Boyd, D., Tuchman, A., Wallston, and K. (2009)

Logic Model – Introduction to Public Health

Objectives of Curricula
1. Address adolescent health disparities
2. Promote an understanding of root causes of health disparities among youth and in communities
3. Raise awareness of some solutions at individual, community and policy levels
4. Interest youth in future health careers, enhancing cultural competence
5. Connect students to career-linked pipeline programs
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Classroom Delivery
Remember DARE?
Evaluations of DARE program ineffective
Less overall influence on substance use behaviors when compared to interactive programs
Traditional lecture style approach on intrapersonal factors, "Just say no” vs. developing strong drug-specific social skills (interpersonal)
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Ennet, S.,Tobler,N., Ringwalt, C. & Flewelling, R. (1994)

Theoretical Framework
Positive Youth Development
Social Constructivism/
Youth Organizing Theory
School Connectedness
Empowerment Education – Paulo Freire
Youth as agents of change
Opposes a “banking education”
Critical race theory – culture as capital
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Freudenberg, N., Eng, E., Flay, B., Parcel, G., Rogers, T. & Wallerstein, N. (1995), Link, B and Phelen, J. (2007), Yosso, T. (2005), Watts, R. & Flanagan, C. (2007), Oyserman, D., Bybee, D. & Terry, K. (2006)

Anticipated Outcomes
Involve youth with local health initiatives
Enhance personal and public health literacy skills
Interest youth in public health careers
Create positive possible selves
Improve adolescent health outcomes
Inspire youth public health leadership
Change community norms to support healthy behaviors
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Case Study in Humboldt Park, Chicago
Health disparities:
47% of children are overweight or obese
1 in 4 Puerto Rican children in the community have asthma
14% of residents are afflicted with diabetes (compared to 8% of the total U.S. population with diabetes)
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Puerto Rican Cultural Center
Founded in 1972
Community building and business development
Cultural and arts center
Vida/SIDA – HIV Outreach
Muevete – Physical fitness
Project CURA – Asthma prevention and child care
CDC-funded diabetes program – Block by Block
Healthy foods cooperative/urban agriculture
Award winning alternative charter high school – Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Alternative High School (PACHS)
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PACHS Public Health Curriculum
Introductory public health course
Science-based urban agriculture program
Opening of the school greenhouse
Underage youth drinking campaign
Youth engagement with local community health campaigns
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Introduction to Public Health elective
Unit 1 – Intro to Community Health and Disease
Unit 2 – Health Issues
Unit 3 – Personal and Relationship Well-being
Unit 4 – Transformation/Social Change
*Based on Illinois State Standards in health and physical education
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PACHS Pipelines to Health Careers
Funded by Advocate Bethany Community Fund
Selected students from the introductory public health course to apply
1.) Academic - develop skills necessary for college/ACT
2.) Community - interactive activities on health disparities and public health interventions within the Humboldt Park community
3.) Health Careers Exploration - summer internships
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Educating their community

Opening an urban greenhouse

Advocating for healthy choices

Limitations/Challenges
Preparation and staff time
Resource availability/funding
Fluctuations in the student body and attendance issues
Variations in student cognitive abilities
Strong student emotional responses
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Semester 1: Student Survey
Positive Feedback:
Enjoyed class discussions and appreciated a forum for asking questions
Felt instructors were supportive, knowledgeable and attentive
Indicated the course covered a comprehensive span of relevant health topics
Areas for Improvement:
Frustrations with course management, behavioral issues
More reading and writing activities in class
Field trips outside the community
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Course Evaluation
Student journals and reflections, in class feedback
End of course survey
Pre and Post testing
Pretest designed for current semester
Assess student knowledge across domains (personal health behaviors, disease specific content, environmental influences to health, public health literacy)
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Lessons Learned
Engaging students and improving attendance
Improved general math and literacy skills
Consistency
Effectively reaching students
Self-reflection on becoming an organic intellectual
Relationship building and critical engagement with personal and social issues
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Tickle, L.( 2001)

Future Directions
Evaluate and improve introductory public health course
Plans to have linked pipeline and curricula across 8 elementary and 4 high schools in the greater Humboldt Park area
Plans to have a life skills course incorporated into curricula to enhance prevention
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From the students
My father’s 5 brothers and 1 sister all have diabetes. My doctor says my brother and I have a 70% chance of getting diabetes. Since then, we changed our ways of eating and hopefully lowered our chance of getting this illness.
Diabetes has a major effect on my community. I feel we need to take action and help prevent future generations from being diagnosed; some ways could be holding community exercise events to keep our children fit, more super markets and less fast food restaurants so we can eat healthy and finally, monthly check ups to make sure we keep our blood sugar levels balanced.
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From the students
In my old school, I didn’t care because my teachers didn’t care. They taught and everything, but didn’t seem like they wanted to be there and were just going through the motions. Here, I can tell teachers care about me and it makes me want to do well for myself.
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From the students
We learn about how the whole community influences health, not just what you can do to keep healthy.
This class is the bomb! I never had a health class that covered so much.
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Selected References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009) School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Bocksay, K., Harper-Jemison, D., Gibbs, K., Weaver, K., Thomas, S. (2007)
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Birkhead, G., Riser, M., Mesler, K., Tallon, T. & Klein, S. (2006) Youth Development Is a Public Health Approach. J Public Health Management Practice, S1–S3.
International Union for Health Promotion and Education- IUHPE (2010) Achieving Health Promotion in Schools: Guidelines for Promoting Health in Schools. Accessed from http://www.iuhpe.org/.
Carline, J & Patterson, D. ( 2003) Characteristics of Health Professions Schools, Public School Systems, and Community-based Organizations in Successful Partnerships to Increase the Numbers of Underrepresented Minority Students Entering Health Professions Education. Acad. Med; 78:467–482.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. Volumes 1 and 2. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November 2000. This information can also be accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/data2010/.
Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (2009) Center for Disease Control. Accessed from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/pdf/us_overview_yrbs.pdf
Towey, K. & Fleming, M. (2003) Healthy People 2010: Supporting the 21 Critical Adolescent Objectives. American Medical Association.
Paul, T., Park, M., Nelson, C., Adams, S., E. Irwin, C. & Brindis, C. (2009) Trends in Adolescent and Young Adult Health in the United States. Journal of Adolescent Health; 45:8-24.
Bocksay, K., Harper-Jemison, D., Gibbs, K., Weaver, K., Thomas, S. (2007). Community Area Health Inventory Part One: Demographic and health profiles. Health Status Index Series Vol. XVI No. V. Chicago, Ill: Chicago Department of Public Health, Office of Epidemiology. Retrieved April 30, 2010 via
Frieden, T. (2010) A Framework for Public Health Action: The Health Impact Pyramid. American Journal of Public Health; 100(4); 590-595.
Yosso, T. (2005) Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education; 8(1): 69-91.
Ennet, S.,Tobler,N., Ringwalt, C. & Flewelling, R. (1994) How Effective Is Drug Abuse Resistance Education? A Meta-Analysis of Project DARES Outcome Evaluations. American Journal of Public Health; 84(9): 1394-1401.
Tickle, L.( 2001) The Organic Intellectual Educator. Cambridge Journal of Education; 31(2): 159-172.
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Acknowledgements
Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication in making the public health curriculum in Humboldt Park possible!
Dr. Michele Kelley
Dr. Michael Fagen
Jose Lopez
Zenaida Lopez
Juana Ballesteros
Vanessa Santiago
Matthew Rodriguez, Judith Diaz and all faculty/staff at PACHS
UIC and Humboldt Park community partners
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Presentation j byelick

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