March2006

Almost all the offices affiliated with The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health have finished moving into Roy P. Drachman Hall, most boxes have been unpacked, and people are settling in.

A dedication ceremony will be held at the Arroyo Courtyard, under the glass bridge between the two wings of Drachman Hall, Friday, April 7, 4 p.m. Guided tours of the building will be offered starting at 3 p.m. and pre-program festivities, including music by the Sunnyside High School Mariachi Band, will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Earlier on that day, the College will hold the MPH Internship Conference: Public Health Role in Emergency Preparedness, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Drachman Hall A114, and the Epidemiology in Arizona Forum, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Arizona Cancer Center Kiewit Auditorium. In addition, College alumni are invited to a reception at 6 p.m. at the Arizona Inn Flandrau House. For more information about these events, please contact Kathy Ott, at 626-2112 or ottL@coph.arizona.edu.

Raúl Grijalva to Speak at Partners in Public Health Luncheon, April 13

Raul Grijalva U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva will speak about universal health care at the annual Partners in Public Health luncheon, Thursday, April 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St.

Grijalva represents the 7th Congressional District of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a leading advocate for working families, defending the environment, preserving Social Security and Medicare, universal health care, protecting civil liberties, immigration reform and a comprehensive border policy; and increased support for public education, including financial aid for higher education.

Cost to attend the luncheon for Partners in Public Health members is $25, non-members, $40 (luncheon not tax deductible). Annual membership to Partners in Public Health is $75 (tax deductible).

For more information or to RSVP contact Donna Knight, at 626-6459 or knight@coph.arizona.edu. Please RSVP by Friday, April 7.

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Dr. Rosales Appointed to the
U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission

U.S. President George W. Bush appointed Cecilia Rosales, MD, MS, associate professor in the Community, Environmental and Policy division at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health to the United States Section of the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission.

Dr. Rosales, who joined the College last fall, will be offering courses that probe public health policy issues on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Prior to joining the College, she was chief of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Office of Border Health, where she earned a reputation for possessing an in-depth familiarity with border health issues.

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Nearly 800 participants walkers, runners and families enjoyed extraordinarily great weather at the 2006 Sundown at the Pass.

Tucsonans claimed the top three spots in the overall results this year. Kyle Gocklish, 25, who came in first last year finished the 5-mile course first with a time of 25:52:00, beating his 2005 time of 26:16.2. He edged out 26-year-old Scott Floyd, who crossed the finish line with a time of 27:46:00. Floyd came in second last year as well. Adam Campbell, 27, came up third at 28:17.00.

Women leads were Danusia Marczyk-Teschner, 34, from Albuquerque, who finished the 5-mile course seventh with a time of 29:54:00; Samantha McGlone, 26, from Tucson, who finished in 10th place at 30:32:00 and Paula Morrison, 32, who finished 12th at 31:23:00.

Of the nearly 750 registrants, 498 made it to the finish line. The eldest participant was 82 and the youngest was 8 years old. For results and photos of the 2006 event, visit here.

2006 Drachman Prevention Fund Fellowship Awarded to Konarski and Stroupe

The 2006 award recipients were Patricia Konarski, an MPH candidate in epidemiology, and Nancy Stroupe, an MPH candidate in health education and behavioral sciences, in the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Focusing on health and physical activity, Konarski will work with Anabel Hill, PhD, assistant professor at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, on an internship that involves building a database of effective adolescent obesity treatment and prevention programs. The database will enable public health educators, local and state health departments, and schools throughout Arizona to identify and select appropriate physical activity interventions for adolescents ages 11-18.

“Obesity disproportionately affects minorities and low-income populations,” Konarski said. “Given the severity of the problem, there is a vital need to focus on ways to prevent and reduce obesity.”

Under the mentorship of Norma Gray, PhD, assistant professor at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, Stroupe’s internship will focus on the implementation of a peer educator empowerment program that aims to prevent substance abuse and HIV-associated risk behaviors for Pascua Yaqui youth in the Tucson area. The program entitled Tu'i Vóóta Bwise ("Catch the good road”) allows participants to engage in media and cultural arts as well as educational presentations on a variety of topics related to substance abuse and HIV.

“Prevention is key for individual, family, and community well-being,” Stroupe said. “This fellowship will provide me with a learning opportunity to enhance my skills and knowledge in the field of prevention work.”

The fellows’ work keeps with the spirit of the Drachman Prevention Fund Fellowship, said Chris Tisch, assistant dean of student services and alumni affairs at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health. “Roy Drachman was a community and civic leader who felt strongly about improving the world for children. The main thing with the fellowship is that the projects and work impact children and will have future ramifications.”

More than 250 people, including many members of UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, participated mid-February in a walk-a-thon at Desert View High School that was organized by the American Diabetes Association and the Sunnyside Unified School District in memory of Bob Rencken, a Los Niños Elementary School psychologist who passed away last spring.

Christine Rogers, a major organizer of the event and physical education teacher at Los Niños, noted that the walk-a-thon raised nearly $3,600. These funds will be use to send a child from the Sunnyside community to diabetes camp.

Participants from the Sunnyside and Elvira Advocates for health (SEA) diabetes classes spent the morning walking the track and—along with other SEA members and Project EXPORT staff and fellows—contributed to the nearly $400 raised by the UA group.(Group photograph are, from left: Elvia Cota, Armando Sanchez, Silviana Wood, Sandra Acosta, Mary Tasho and Salvador Barajas.)

Project EXPORT members Ada Dieke, fellow, and Martha Monroy, Southside Tucson program coordinator, collaborated with other SEA members to assist in the planning and staffing of the walk-a-thon.

The UA had a strong presence at the event. Staff from Project EXPORT, the mobile health program, and UA Cooperative Extension provided information and materials on diabetes, osteoporosis, nutrition and physical activity. In addition, a number of community partners participated: the YMCA brought their climbing wall and Carondelet Health Network provided staff and health education materials. The ADHS Office of Border Health donated a number of incentives that were distributed at the event.

UA members who participated included Project EXPORT Fellows, other public health students, staff, and faculty, and UA College of Nursing faculty. Students volunteered their time walking the track alongside Sunnyside community members, monitoring the jumping castles, and tracking the number of laps walked.

Members of the Health Policy and Leadership Class taught by Alison Hughes and Senator Bob Cannell, MD, recently paid a visit to the State Capitol

UA President Peter Likins met with the group in one of the Senate hearing rooms and provided a talk about "public servant leadership."

Class members were introduced to the Senate from their seats in the Gallery by Dr. Cannell and later were led on to the Senate floor. Ms. Melodee Jackson, the Governor's director of constituency services explained her office to the class and provided a tour of the governor's office.

Among the many activities schedule for the day were meetings with leaders in the Senate and the House, the director of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee office, the director of ADHS, and the legislative liaison for AHCCCS. The purpose of the trip was to learn how laws are really made and implemented.

Zhao Chen, PhD, MPH, associate professor at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, has been appointed Chair of the Master in Public Health (MPH) Program.

Raúl Grijalva to Speak at Partners in Public Health Luncheon, April 13

Dr. Rosales Appointed to the
U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission

2006 Drachman Prevention Fund Fellowship Awarded to Konarski and Stroupe

Zhao Chen, PhD, MPH, associate professor at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, has been appointed Chair of the Master in Public Health (MPH) Program.

Raúl Grijalva to Speak at Partners in Public Health Luncheon, April 13

Dr. Rosales Appointed to the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission

2006 Drachman Prevention Fund Fellowship Awarded to Konarski and Stroupe

Dr. Rosales Appointed to the
U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission