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FALL 2023 VOL. 24 ISSUE 1
Front Cover:
Why Plants Make the Best Roommates: The Benefits of Greenery in Dorm Environments
Microwave Usage: Understanding Microwave Safety
Inside Front Cover:
Dean: David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Jeremy S. Jordan.
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Healthy You is a student-run health magazine of the Department of Public Health. It is a jointly funded publication of the Syracuse University David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the Divisions of Undergraduate Studies, and Enrollment and the Student Experience. This publication enhances, broadens and supports the academic and social experiences of students. The Student Editorial Board is responsible for providing work structure for the magazine’s production, which includes the content, design, production and distribution. The information contained in this publication is not to be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult a medical professional before engaging in any activity described. The contents of this magazine may not be reprinted without the expressed consent of the editorial director.
In The Know
By Luvenia W. Cowart and Shelby Fenton
Racism Link To Dental Anxiety And Fear Among Black Women
According to a recent article published in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, oral health may be inadequate or delayed due to fear and anxiety associated with racial experiences among Black women. The study found that this anxiety, which reaches beyond fear of needles and drilling, is linked to experiences of racial discrimination in daily living and housing, work or from law enforcement that before “contributed to elevated dental fear and anxiety among nearly 1 in 5 Black women, more than double the prevalence of dental fear among white women.” According to lead author Brenda Heaton, associate professor of epidemiology at Boston University, “Black women with higher levels of dental fear and anxiety said these fears were fueled by a perceived lack of control during dental exams or procedures, painful or uncomfortable procedures, and unsympathetic or unkind dentists.” Researchers posit that these stressful experiences only elevate perceived discrimination during a health care visit. The study findings also suggest poorer health outcomes and avoidance of dental services for a population already disproportionately affected by many health disparities in oral health and quality and affordable health care services.
Source: Boston University School of Public Health
Have A Laugh: Mental Health Minute
In a video presentation, clinical psychologist Gabrielle Roberts, from Advocate Children’s Hospital in Illinois, points out the impact of laughing on physical and mental health. Roberts strongly encourages family members to participate on a rotating basis in making the other family members laugh. This may look like assigning a schedule where one member oversees producing a laughable minute to share with the rest of the family per week. However, Roberts identifies this schedule as fluid, depending on household dynamics. Roberts’ main objective is to identify intentional laughter. Even in times of stress, taking time to find comical clips or review things that may have made you laugh in the past is extremely beneficial to your well-being.
Source: cbsnews.com
Introducing the New Public Health Chair
By David Larsen, Ph.D. MPH
Chair and Professor, Department of Public Health
David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
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David Larsen
Professor Dave Larsen
Public Health And The Accreditation Process: What Students Need To Know About Accreditation
By Maureen Thompson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health
Director, Undergraduate Programs in Public Health
Chair, Program Review and Assessment Committee
David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
Our public health program, consisting of our bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.) and master of public health (MPH) degrees, is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), an independent agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education to accredit schools and programs of public health.
What Is Accreditation?
In higher education, accreditation is considered a voluntary quality assurance process that colleges and universities undertake to confirm that their academic programs meet high-quality educational standards. Specific to public health accreditation, CEPH says it “assures quality in public health education and training to achieve excellence in practice, research, and service, through collaboration with organizational and community partners” [1]. Accredited status is for a designated period of time. To maintain accreditation, programs apply for re-accreditation before the endpoint of the initial accreditation period. Thus, accreditation is also a form of continuous quality improvement and assurance, whereby schools participate in internal review leading up to the point of re-accreditation.
Why Is Accreditation Important?
Accreditation creates a set of standards that all public health programs follow. It also assures the public, including students, that the degrees provide high-quality and professionally relevant training. Graduates of CEPH-accredited MPH programs are also immediately eligible to
sit for the Certified in Public Health exam, a credential awarded by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
History of Public Health Accreditation At Syracuse University.
In 2016, our bachelor of science in public health was one of the first in New York state to be accredited as a standalone bachelor’s program, a new accreditation for undergraduate public health programs. In 2021, we were certified as a public health program, including the B.S.P.H. and MPH degrees. We will submit our self-study for re-accreditation in fall 2026 with an anticipated CEPH review in spring 2027.
Engaging Students And The Community In The Accreditation Process.
It is important that we involve our students, alumni and community members in our program and evaluation. We seek feedback from these groups through various means, for example, representation on department committees, course feedback surveys, exit surveys, alumni surveys and employer surveys.
What can you do? Review the assessment plan found in your course syllabus. How do the course learning objectives and assignments relate to accreditation criteria and standards? Discuss assignments with course faculty. What knowledge and skills will be demonstrated and how do these relate to accreditation? Ask questions and provide feedback. We depend on you to keep our programs strong.
[1] “About,” Council on Education for Public Health, accessed October 25, 2023,
For More Information: ceph.org/about/org-info/
A Look Into Global Health: How A Public Health Degree Can Prepare You For A Diverse Work Environment
By Cate Wiling '22, B.S.P.H., B.A.
David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Alumna
and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Alumna
When I applied to Syracuse University in 2017 as a public health major, I had yet to learn how I would be setting myself up for success. In fall 2018, I started at Falk College as a public health student, unsure of what would come and what I wanted to do with my life. I had dreams of helping people for the common good, which were only strengthened during my time in the public health program.
Early on, I knew that I didn’t want to study public health to become a practicing medical professional. Instead, I knew I wanted to use my knowledge and skills to do my part in solving the world’s toughest public health issues. To do this, I paired my public health B.S. with a B.A. in policy studies at Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a perfect combination of degrees. These skills became even more invaluable when the pandemic hit, as I could digest and navigate public health orders. My public health knowledge continues to equip me with the tools to succeed daily in my career.
Today, I work in health public relations (PR) and communications at Edelman, the world’s largest PR agency. Since I didn’t study PR or communications, my public health background made my perspective novel among my colleagues, who mainly hold PR backgrounds. If your interests align, joining the workforce—whether it is communications, business or the technology field—with a topic specialization in public health will differentiate you from your colleagues, further supporting your work.
While at Syracuse, my interests were focused on domestic public health issues, including mental health in the U.S., early childhood nutrition and SNAP/EBT programs, and harm reduction programs for addiction. Through research with SOURCE and Professor Bernard Appiah, I was exposed to global public health for the first time in depth. Appiah and I worked with another public health student to conduct a content analysis of COVID-19 responses in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ghana. We accomplished this by analyzing press releases and media communications against the WHO health systems framework to quantify the impact of health communications during pandemic times. Much of the work I do today is similar to this project.
At Syracuse, you can study with a true global perspective. Appiah says that global health is what brought him to Syracuse University: “Here, there is a substantial global focus for students receiving public health training. There are many opportunities to learn about global issues.” He is excited to apply his research and subject matter expertise in public health to “shape the future students in the public health program.” Working with professors like Appiah at Syracuse exposed me to the world of possibilities within public health. In my current position as an account executive at Edelman, I support nonprofit organizations, foundations and biotechnology companies focused on media and policy tracking. I’ve supported global public health outreach and education in Africa through a prominent foundation, supporting activation at the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, D.C. Most recently, I’ve worked with Stop TB, a hosted entity of the United Nations Office for Project Services, working to end tuberculosis through aligning partner organizations (including international and technical organizations, government programs, research and funding agencies, foundations, NGOs, civil society and community groups, and the private sector). For this project, I leaned on my public health knowledge of public-private partnerships and epidemiology experience in disease.
For the first year and a half of my career, I consistently rely on my background knowledge of public health frameworks, regulatory pathways, health care systems and cultural competence to guide my work. I continue to be amazed at how applicable my major is to my career, and I would recommend a public health degree to anyone interested.
If you’d like to talk more about public health careers, please contact me on LinkedIn or at cathrynwilling@gmail.com.