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This Is Public Health, a brand run by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, raises awareness about education and career options in public health through student ambassadors, graduate fairs, partnerships, interprofessional activities, and other pipeline-building events for students.

Since the inception, This Is Public Health has produced:

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thisispublichealth

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thisispublichealth

Hi everyone!

My name is Taylor Munro and I’m currently a Master of Public Health candidate in my second year at Oregon State University within the College of Public Health and Human ...

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Oct 25

Hi everyone!

My name is Taylor Munro and I’m currently a Master of Public Health candidate in my second year at Oregon State University within the College of Public Health and Human Sciences @cphhs . My concentration is Environmental and Occupational Health and I am excited to share more about the field with you all!

During this week's #AmbassadorTakeover for #ThisIsPublicHealth I will share my internship experiences, my interests within the field of environmental and occupational health, and have conversations about environmental justice. I will also be attending the American Public Health Association’s virtual conference this week and will share my key takeaways from the Environment Section @americanpublichealth ! Lastly, I will be talking about the importance of voting- as we are nearing the end of this election!

Feel free to ask me any questions throughout the week as I’m here to help!

thisispublichealth

TIPH Ambassador Alyssa R Shares #WhyIVote:

I #vote because my voice matters - as a woman and daughter of immigrants, my parents’ hard work to become American citizens has shown me how ...

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Oct 23

TIPH Ambassador Alyssa R Shares #WhyIVote:

I #vote because my voice matters - as a woman and daughter of immigrants, my parents’ hard work to become American citizens has shown me how important it is to have a say here. Researching candidates and issues in preparation to vote in every election, national or local, also connects me more closely to the political goings-on around me and has taught me so much about our responsibility to be educated, active citizens. And of course, as we’ve all seen recently, public health and public politics are inextricable, so it’s extremely important to vote on those issues right now! “It’s never too early to start explaining to young people: ‘the government’ is you.” -Barack Obama #whyivote #thisispublichealth

thisispublichealth

Happy Saturday! #Ambassadors Ashley and Emily here.

Are you searching for your authentic health career? One that best fits your unique talents, passions, goals, and lived experience? Are you...

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Oct 17

Happy Saturday! #Ambassadors Ashley and Emily here.

Are you searching for your authentic health career? One that best fits your unique talents, passions, goals, and lived experience? Are you wondering how others are navigating the uncertainty of finding a career during a pandemic?

Join us tomorrow from 5-6 pm PST (8-9 pm EST) for a Q&A/discussion with author Jeffrey Oxendine as we wrap up our TIPH Fall 2020 Book Club. Whether you are a student or recent graduate, a health professional, or are considering a career change to the health field, this book provides the framework, exercises and insights you need to advance form where you are today to experience the joy, power, and success that comes from living your authentic life and career.

Don’t miss this opportunity! You don’t have to be a member of our Fall Book Club to participate. See the link in our bio to register. We can’t wait to see you there!

#ThisIsPublicHealth #TIPHFallBookClub2020 #AmbassadorPost

thisispublichealth

Culture: (n) the customary beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.
_______________

Cultural humility is important to understand people as ...

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Oct 17

Culture: (n) the customary beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.
_______________

Cultural humility is important to understand people as people and not as symptoms. As public health professionals, we emphasize the importance of the social determinants of health and culture is one of them! It is an important aspect of identity that informs us about the motivators for many health beliefs and behaviors.

Black, Latinx, and Asian Americans are more likely to report feeling misunderstood by their providers (NIH). They are also more likely to feel that their providers do not use their cultural background to inform their care (NIH).

Let’s work together on changing that!
#healthliteracy #culture #culturalhumility #healthequity #ambassadortakeover

thisispublichealth

October is #HealthLiteracy month.

Health literacy is closely tied to our health outcomes because it impacts our ability to make informed decisions. However, there are factors beyond our ...

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Oct 15

October is #HealthLiteracy month.

Health literacy is closely tied to our health outcomes because it impacts our ability to make informed decisions. However, there are factors beyond our personal abilities that impact our health literacy and decision-making due to some inequalities that exist in our systems.
#thisispublichealth #healthyliving #literacymatters #healthliteracy #ambassadortakeover

thisispublichealth

Join us Wednesday, Oct 21st for an ASPPH Presents Webinar: Where Public Health and Transportation Collide.

Every day we rely on transportation to get us from point A to point B. From driving ...

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Oct 15

Join us Wednesday, Oct 21st for an ASPPH Presents Webinar: Where Public Health and Transportation Collide.

Every day we rely on transportation to get us from point A to point B. From driving our vehicles, riding public transportation, riding our bikes, to walking, transportation is a significant part of our daily lives. However, transportation is a leading cause of death.
In this interactive webinar, we will discuss the role of public health within transportation, current challenges faced within impaired driving and occupant protection, and how injury prevention methods are implemented to protect lives on our roadways.

Prevention measures are key to decrease serious injuries and fatalities on our roadways. You can be a part of the solution. During National Teen Driver Safety Week, we encourage all road users to join us and learn how you can create a safer driving environment.

Learn more by visiting the link in our bio!

#ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Hi everyone!

My name is Walae Hayek and I’m a second year MPH candidate at Boston University School of Public Health. My concentration is in Community Assessment, Program Development, ...

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Oct 13

Hi everyone!

My name is Walae Hayek and I’m a second year MPH candidate at Boston University School of Public Health. My concentration is in Community Assessment, Program Development, Implementation, & Evaluation.

I’m excited to host this week’s #AmbassadorTakeover for #ThisIsPublicHealth. I’m an EMT and my clinical research focuses on disparities in emergency psychiatric services. I’m passionate about mental wellness, health equity in emergency services, and the impact of cultural humility on health outcomes.

I’m also really into visual arts, exercise, and fashion and enjoy finding ways to merge these interests into my public health practice.

This month is #healthliteracymonth and we will be having live discussions with professionals in the field about the role of cultural competency in health communications. I am also excited to share with you all the impact of Public Health and how it has changed our everyday lives! @busph

thisispublichealth

With today being the final day of my #AmbassadorTakeover, I wanted to leave you with the contact information for the following resources. Please remember that help is out there and you are NOT weak ...

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Oct 11

With today being the final day of my #AmbassadorTakeover, I wanted to leave you with the contact information for the following resources. Please remember that help is out there and you are NOT weak for seeking it. It is truly a sign of strength. There are brighter days ahead. 💚

#ambassadortakeover #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalhealthmatters #thisispublichealth

thisispublichealth

Self care is so important! With the way 2020 has been, it’s easy to push off taking care of yourself, but practicing self-care has so many mental and physical benefits.

My favorite form of ...

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Oct 9

Self care is so important! With the way 2020 has been, it’s easy to push off taking care of yourself, but practicing self-care has so many mental and physical benefits.

My favorite form of self-care is popping my headphones in, turning on a podcast, and taking a walk. Oh and indulging in some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, too! It’s all about balance, right? 😅😂

Share how you practice self care below!

#ambassadortakeover #mentalhealthawarenessweek #mentalhealthmatters #selfcare

thisispublichealth

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” ― John Green

Mental health conditions are more common than you think. The more we talk about them, the more people we can ...

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Oct 8

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” ― John Green

Mental health conditions are more common than you think. The more we talk about them, the more people we can reach. Check in with yourself once in a while. Check in on others, too. A smile on someone's face doesn't mean they aren't struggling inside. One of the most profound moments of our conversation with @tackledpression last night was when their founder, Bill Kvalheim explained the damaging effects of keeping his struggles to himself.

#AmbassadorTakeover #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Today's the big day! Make sure to tune in to our Facebook Live at 7:30 EST with Bill Kvalheim, founder of @tackledpression. We will be discussing mental health, stigma, its impact on athletes, ...

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Oct 7

Today's the big day! Make sure to tune in to our Facebook Live at 7:30 EST with Bill Kvalheim, founder of @tackledpression. We will be discussing mental health, stigma, its impact on athletes, and more!

#AmbassadorTakeover #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MentalHealthMatters #ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Are you ready for me to get a bit vulnerable? Read #MyStory below.

Almost a year ago today, I posted this picture on my personal social media accounts, with the following caption:

...

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Oct 6

Are you ready for me to get a bit vulnerable? Read #MyStory below.

Almost a year ago today, I posted this picture on my personal social media accounts, with the following caption:

"In honor of #WorldMentalHealthDay, I thought I’d get a little bit candid. I have struggled with anxiety and depression for a long time. These three pills help keep my head above water. I have been through several medications and dealt with all of the fun side effects like nausea, weight gain, etc.. Some days I’m on top of the world and others I can’t get out of bed. I don’t know how long I will be on medication; it might be a few years or it might be forever. Either way I am not ashamed. Even on my worst days, I am enough...and you are, too"

When I made this post, I was nervous. So many thoughts ran through my mind. I knew I was posting it for a reason, though. For many, social media serves as a highlight reel for their 'best' moments; but why can't we use it to speak open and honestly?

I have experienced depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. As a first generation college student, navigating through undergrad exacerbated it. I still struggle now.

When I first began taking medication for my anxiety and depression, I avoided telling people. Why? There was no reason to be ashamed. If someone breaks their leg, does society tell them to just 'deal with it' and move on with their lives? It doesn't.

I'm not telling my story for people to tell me how brave I am or anything like that; I'm telling my story so that those out there who are struggling with their mental health know that they are not alone. Seek help. Do not be ashamed. Keep your head held high. Even on days you feel weak, you are strong. There are better days ahead.

#AmbassadorTakeover #MentalHealthMatters #ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Hello everyone!

My name is Alexandra Fox and I am a second year Master’s student at the Rutgers School of Public Health (@rutgerssph). My concentration is in Social and Behavioral Health ...

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Oct 5

Hello everyone!

My name is Alexandra Fox and I am a second year Master’s student at the Rutgers School of Public Health (@rutgerssph). My concentration is in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Health Education with a concentration in Community Health Promotion from the University of Florida (@uflorida). For my #AmbassadorTakeover week (October 5th through October 11th), we will be talking about mental health. With that being said; Happy Mental Health Awareness Week!

I have so many exciting things planned for this week. I will be sharing my own struggles with mental health, highlight an organization that is doing incredible work to break the stigma regarding mental health in sports, and so much more.

2020 has been a tumultuous year for many people, making the topic of mental health *that* much more important. I hope that by sharing my own story and sharing pertinent information regarding mental health, I am able to be a champion of change in reducing the stigma surrounding it. No one deserves to suffer in silence! With this being said, are there any topics you would like me to discuss or shed some light on?

#TIPH #AmbassadorTakeover #MentalHealthAwareness

thisispublichealth

Today is my last day of #ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeover. Physical activity has had its challenges integrating public health, but over the last several years has made great strides. While there...

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Oct 4

Today is my last day of #ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeover. Physical activity has had its challenges integrating public health, but over the last several years has made great strides. While there is still a lot of room to turn science into practice, I hope that working together we can eliminate barriers to physical activity so that all are able to have the opportunity and desire to be active.

I loved having the opportunity this week to share some of my passions and I want to thank you all for following along and for your participation throughout the week!

Everyone faces their own challenges to physical activity, and I hope that this week showed you that you are not alone in this challenge and that many share similar experiences to you.

As I close out the week, I would like to leave you with this: The best physical activity is the activity you love doing! Don’t be active because you feel you have to, do it because you want to!

Thank you again for a great week! Don’t forget to register to vote and wear your mask!!

thisispublichealth

Being able to run safely in your neighborhood is a privilege, one that many black Americans were reminded that they don’t have after the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Historically, black bodies...

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Oct 2

Being able to run safely in your neighborhood is a privilege, one that many black Americans were reminded that they don’t have after the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Historically, black bodies have not been welcome in green spaces and this continues to be the case today. Whether going for a run or visiting a park, recent instances highlight how black bodies experience unwarranted suspicion, confrontation, and violence in outdoor spaces.

This racism creates yet another barrier to physical activity, and will continue to do so until green spaces become inclusive for all.

Follow along in our story for more information.

#AmbassadorTakeover #ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Weight stigma (also known as fatphobia) has become increasingly prevalent in society alongside rising rates of obesity. While weight stigma affects everyone, women are particularly stigmatized.
...

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Oct 1

Weight stigma (also known as fatphobia) has become increasingly prevalent in society alongside rising rates of obesity. While weight stigma affects everyone, women are particularly stigmatized.

Weight stigma is driven by the misunderstanding of the complex causes of obesity. Society’s focus on personal responsibility often results in blaming people with obesity for their condition, rather than thinking of the complex biological, environmental, and social factors that play a role. This leads to stereotypes that label people in bigger bodies as lazy or lacking in willpower.

While some argue that the stigmatization of people with obesity will motivate weight loss, evidence shows that this is not the case. Weight stigma is extremely harmful to health and can alienate people from participating in physical activity. Fitness spaces are often places where those in larger bodies experience the most shaming and discrimination. These negative experiences can lead to an avoidance of exercise.

Weight stigma is prevalent in other settings too, including in healthcare. Like in fitness spaces, people with obesity can feel unwelcome or unwanted in healthcare settings due to ‘anti-fat” biases observed among some physicians and dieticians.

Many anti-obesity efforts unintentionally contribute to weight stigma, but we have the power to change that. Public health measures can encourage healthy behaviors without mentioning weight or weight loss. By focusing on modifiable behaviors, such as an increase in fruit and vegetable intake, stress reduction, or increased physical activity, health can better be promoted without pushing fat shaming messages.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

#AmbassadorTakeover #ThisIsPublicHealth

thisispublichealth

Sports played a big role in my childhood and continue to make an impact in my life today. But sadly, not everyone has an equal chance to participate in recreation and sport.

Today, ...

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Sep 30

Sports played a big role in my childhood and continue to make an impact in my life today. But sadly, not everyone has an equal chance to participate in recreation and sport.

Today, unstructured play has been replaced by structured competitions that fail to promote inclusion and development. This focus on structured competitions fails to create conditions to grow physical literacy which provides children with the ability, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life.

The current pyramid model of youth sport emphasizes performance over participation. This pushes kids aside who want to play but may not have the means, talents, or abilities to play at increasingly competitive levels. This model creates many equity concerns that reflect larger systemic issues. White children participate in sports at greater rates than African-American, Hispanic, and Asian kids, children with disabilities still struggle to find accessible recreation programs, and access to sport programs is still shaped by gender, income, and zip code.

Access to sport and recreation programs needs to be increased and prioritized over elite performance to increase participation and promote physical literacy. Restructuring the current youth sport model is a step in the right direction, but societal structures will need to be addressed too. Follow along in the story today for more info!

Comment below your experiences with youth sports!

#ambassadortakeover #ThisIsPublicHealth

*Information and graphs from today’s post comes from Aspen Institute’s Project Play. For more info go to projectplay.us!*

thisispublichealth

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Griffin and I am ecstatic to be hosting this week's #AmbassadorTakeover for #ThisIsPublicHealth!

I am a Master of Public Health Physical Activity student...

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Sep 28

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Griffin and I am ecstatic to be hosting this week's #AmbassadorTakeover for #ThisIsPublicHealth!

I am a Master of Public Health Physical Activity student in the Kinesiology Department (@knesumd) at the University of Maryland, College Park (@umdpublichealth). I am a Terp through and through and graduated from Maryland in May 2020 with a B.S. in Kinesiology and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership and Social Innovation. I am also part of Maryland’s B.S./MPH accelerated program which allowed me to start my MPH my senior year of undergrad!

I am passionate about eliminating barriers to physical activity and examining the role sports and sexism play in the health of girls and women! In my free time I love to paint, watch basketball, and spend time outdoors!

This week I will be sharing information on societal and structural barriers to physical activity and possible solutions to these problems, but today I’d like to start off by talking a bit about my public health journey!

Please feel free to ask me any questions this week and share with me your thoughts in the comments! Looking forward to a great week!

thisispublichealth

Today is my last day of #ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeover. I hope during this week you all have gotten to know more about my experiences and passion as an MPH student.

Like I shared at ...

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Sep 26

Today is my last day of #ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeover. I hope during this week you all have gotten to know more about my experiences and passion as an MPH student.

Like I shared at the beginning of our week together, hope implies agency. For me, hope is not always easy but it is always important. If I don’t believe that a more just and equitable future is possible then what am I working towards?

In order to stay hopeful, I have to rest and do things that make me happy. As a teacher, I experienced burnout. Now I’m intentional about setting boundaries and creating a work-life balance. It isn’t always easy but things like getting outside, working in my garden, and setting aside dedicated days where I do not do work help me make this happen. Building in these opportunities for self-care feels especially important right now during the pandemic. It can sometimes feel like I am letting people down when I do this. But saying no leaves room for me to say yes when I want to.

Public health seeks to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy and this includes us as public health students. We can call on our institutions to normalize work-life balance, create systems of mentorship, and build opportunities for self and community care.

Thank you for following along with me this week! I enjoyed my time with you all. Best of luck to everyone. If you’re considering a career in public health, I hope that you’ll join us. We need you now more than ever.

#ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeOver

thisispublichealth

Hi everyone. At the start of my #AmbassadorTakeover, I promised to bring some hope to your timelines. I promise we will get there, but there’s one more topic I want to cover: public health and the ...

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Sep 25

Hi everyone. At the start of my #AmbassadorTakeover, I promised to bring some hope to your timelines. I promise we will get there, but there’s one more topic I want to cover: public health and the environment.

Two weeks ago, there were 11 major fires burning in Oregon. The pictures I have shared are of my community during that time. In Eugene, OR where I live, we recorded the worst air quality on record for our city. Public health officials in our state helped to keep the public informed by creating a map of the fires and evacuation zones using ArcGIS. At one point, our air quality index hit above 500 -- past the threshold of the index for hazardous air. 10% of the state’s population was under some kind of evacuation notice during that time, with 40,000 people having to leave their homes due to fire. I did not have to evacuate but I was on high alert with an emergency go bag ready as the Holiday Farm Fire was close by.

Fires in Oregon are still burning today. To date, approximately 1,500 square miles have burned, with 2,270 homes and 1,556 structures destroyed so far. Ten people have lost their lives.

Climate change is a health emergency. Based on the UN IPP report and the 4th US National Climate Assessment, climate change is happening much more rapidly than we thought. What was predicted to happen in 2100 is now expected to happen in 2040. We can already see the impacts all around us. As individuals working in public health, we can help disseminate information and educate those around us about the effects of climate change on our health. We can also call on policy makers to bring forward and implement solutions that protect our health, wealth, and wellbeing

While public health and the environment is something that I’m interested in, it isn’t my main area of study. To stay in my lane, I’ve asked for some help from a colleague, Natalie Wenzlick (@bignat28 ) who is a fellow MPH student at @cphhs , studying Environmental and Occupational Health. Check out our stories to hear from Natalie and for more resources on the impact that climate change has on our health.

#ThisIsPublicHealth #AmbassadorTakeOver