Division News

Winter 2007

Health Policy and Management

SPH Wins 2 of 9 National ‘Investment’ Grants
School of Public Health researchers have been awarded 2 of 9 grants on strategies aimed at improving the U.S. public health system. The University of Minnesota was the only school to win two such grants.

Capitol Forum Convenes in D.C.
A veritable “Who’s Who” in U.S. health policy participated in the recent Capitol Forum, sponsored by the SPH-based Medical Technology Leadership Forum (MTLF).

Epidemiology and Community Health

More Weighing May Mean More Troubles For Teens
Teenage girls who frequently weigh themselves are more likely to binge eat and resort to unhealthy dieting measures, according to new research from SPH professor Dianne Neumark-Sztainer.

Spare-Time Activities Counter Workplace Idleness
Daily activities outside of work may make up for sedentary hours in the office, new School of Public Health research finds.

Lung Function Linked to Stroke Risk
People with poor lung function face an increased risk of stroke, even if they have never smoked or experienced respiratory problems. But the link may only hold true for white populations, not African Americans.

Americans Take Moderate Steps to Heart-Healthy Diet
The quality of people’s diets designed to prevent coronary heart disease has “moderately improved” over the last two decades, but the trend may not be continuing, according to research from SPH associate professor Lisa Harnack.

Environmental Health Sciences

Concerns Deepen Over Tainted Water
For more than two years, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has been scrambling to deal with groundwater pollution from 3M compounds called perfluorochemicals (PFCs). The likely sources are three Twin Cities landfills that 3M used to dispose PFC waste from 1956 to 1974. A recent discovery of contaminated wells has intensified concerns about the safety of drinking water.

Using Photography to Fight Pesticides
SPH associate professor Pat McGovern and doctoral student Maggie Stedman-Smith are collaborating with the University’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships program on an innovative way to assess pesticide exposure in Minnesota’s Red River Valley.

Public Health Education and Outreach

Genomics Featured in Upcoming Institute
This year’s Public Health Institute will feature courses and events on the science and politics of genomics.

U Offers Tools for Personal Emergency Planning
For the first time, University experts are offering free online tools to help individuals and families plan for potential disease outbreaks and natural or man-made disasters. The materials are designed so that individuals can tailor plans to their own unique needs.

Biostatistics

Treating Gum Disease Does Not Lower Risk of Preterm Birth
Pregnant women who receive nonsurgical treatment for periodontal disease do not lower their risk of delivering a premature or low-birthweight baby.

SPH Partners with Mayo Clinic on Clinical Trials Course
The tool behind the School of Public Health’s latest partnership with the Mayo Clinic is television. For the first time, staffers in the division of biostatistics at the Mayo Clinic can take an SPH course in clinical trials through interactive television (ITV).