Likely Healthy

Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Race Race is a modern...

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:34:45 -0700

Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Race

Race is a modern idea. Ancient societies, like the Greeks, did not divide people according to physical distinctions, but according to religion, status, class, even language. The English language didn’t even have the word ‘race’ until it turns up in 1508 in a poem by William Dunbar referring to a line of kings.

Race has no genetic basis. Not one characteristic, trait or even one gene distinguishes all the members of one so-called race from all the members of another so-called race.

Human subspecies don’t exist. Unlike many animals, modern humans simply haven’t been around long enough or isolated enough to evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface appearances, we are one of the most similar of all species.

Skin color really is only skin deep. Most traits are inherited independently from one another. The genes influencing skin color have nothing to do with the genes influencing hair form, eye shape, blood type, musical talent, athletic ability or forms of intelligence. Knowing someone’s skin color doesn’t necessarily tell you anything else about him or her.

Most variation is within, not between, “races.” Of the small amount of total human variation, 85% exists within any local population, be they Italians, Kurds, Koreans or Cherokees. About 94% can be found within any continent. That means two random Koreans may be as genetically different as a Korean and an Italian.

Slavery predates race. Throughout much of human history, societies have enslaved others, often as a result of conquest or war, even debt, but not because of physical characteristics or a belief in natural inferiority. Due to a unique set of historical circumstances, ours was the first slave system where all the slaves shared similar physical characteristics.

Race and freedom evolved together. The U.S. was founded on the radical new principle that “All men are created equal.” But our early economy was based largely on slavery. How could this anomaly be rationalized? The new idea of race helped explain why some people could be denied the rights and freedoms that others took for granted.

Race justified social inequalities as natural. As the race idea evolved, white superiority became “common sense” in America. It justified not only slavery but also the extermination of Indians, exclusion of Asian immigrants, and the taking of Mexican lands by a nation that professed a belief in democracy. Racial practices were institutionalized within American government, laws, and society.

Race isn’t biological, but racism is still real. Race is a powerful social idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our government and social institutions have created advantages that disproportionately channel wealth, power, and resources to white people. This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it or not.

Colorblindness will not end racism. Pretending race doesn’t exist is not the same as creating equality. Race is more than stereotypes and individual prejudice. To combat racism, we need to identify and remedy social policies and institutional practices that advantage some groups at the expense of others.

Super important to keep in mind in public health! I can’t count the times I’ve heard professors talk about racial differences in health status and not talk about racism or oppression. We need to locate health indicators within our socio-political context.

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry A Baltimore detective joins a...

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:43:51 -0700

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

A Baltimore detective joins a rapid response team to prevent the release of a biological weapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. Two hundred and forty-one reviews, four stars on Amazon, and little public health-inspired fiction - I’m in.

“Get In The Clean Hands Habit”: CDC Hand-washing...

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:48:44 -0700

“Get In The Clean Hands Habit”: CDC Hand-washing Poster From The 1930s

The Social Determinants of Health Iceberg Our health depends on...

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:39:00 -0700

The Social Determinants of Health Iceberg

Our health depends on many things. We need to take care of our bodies — eat well, stay active, drink moderately and not smoke. Just as important to our health is to have enough money, an education, proper housing, supportive family and friends and a clean, safe environment.

Some of these determinants are hard to change, such as a person’s genetic background. But some determinants come from the interaction between a person and the society in which they live, such as education, employment, and housing. These social determinants of health play an important role in people’s health and happiness.

The social determinants of health are fundamental to health promotion. Health promotion strategies need to address social factors, as many differences in health are socially created.

Health is just the tip of the iceberg.

Do you happen to know the difference between an mph in epidemiology and biostatistics? And which one is more marketable in this economy?

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:52:00 -0700

Hello,

Thank you for asking this question!

Epidemiology focuses on the study of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations (thanks, wiki).

Biostatistics is the application statistics to a wide range of topics in biology, including but not limited to, experiments, the collection, summarization, and analysis of data from those experiments and the interpretation of research results (again, thanks wiki).

So, Epidemiology is a field of study and Biostatistics are the tools we use to study that field.

Personally, I found epidemiology classes more of the “what” (e.g. what illness is prevalent in this population at this time?) and biostatistics classes more of the “how” (e.g. how did you test for this? How did you sample? How did you adjust for confounders?).

They’re both pretty similar. If you’re going to be working in public health, you’ll likely be drawing on both skill-sets regardless of the area of concentration in your degree.

Biostatistics and epidemiology are not mutually exclusive, and, usually, training in either area is sufficient - lots of postings refer to a background in either one or the other. We need more super nerdy epi and stats people, so my heart sang when I read your question.

Both concentrations are very marketable. Biostatistics can be applied more generally across health fields (everyone is looking for an eager biostatistician to assist in data extraction and analysis); whereas, epidemiology is confined mainly to research and surveillance centres such as the the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, regional health authorities, health organizations like the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and federal field epidemiology programs.

But don’t think you’re stuck! It’s all about how you play your cards and use your experiences to craft your career journey (and, I’ll stop sounding like a guidance counselor… now). Good luck!

All the best,

Blake

Another Reason To Get The Flu Shot: Bipolar Disorder Tied to Flu...

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 -0700

Another Reason To Get The Flu Shot: Bipolar Disorder Tied to Flu Exposure During Pregnancy

In a population-based cohort of Californians born between 1959 and 1966, exposure to influenza in utero was associated with a nearly fourfold increase in the risk of bipolar disorder (odds ratio [OR] 4.21, 95% CI 1.60 to 11.05; P=0.004) — even after adjustment for maternal age and history of psychiatric disorders and other potential confounders, according to Alan Brown, MD, of Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues.

“Further studies with larger sample sizes will be necessary to confirm the present findings and to probe more precisely the specificity of timing of exposure during gestation and bipolar disorder onset,” the researchers wrote.

They added that if exposure to influenza infection in utero is demonstrated to be causally associated with bipolar disorder, preventative measures such as prepregnancy vaccination will prove to be particularly important in women who might become pregnant, especially if other risk factors for bipolar disorder are present.

More research is necessary - but what a great tool to aid in preventing mental health concerns! Primary prevention FTW!

My Medical Choice My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent...

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:43:00 -0700

My Medical Choice

My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.

Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average.

Angelina’s brave (and informed) choice to undergo a double mastectomy provides some much needed advocacy for preventive cancer measures. Mad props, Angelina! We need genetic counselling (and treatment) to be affordable and accessible.

That said, BRCA genetic mutations account for only 5-10% of breast cancers and 10-15% of ovarian cancers. ”Lifestyle factors” (ugh, hate that phrase) account for the vast majority of breast and ovarian cancers.

At the population level, the best prevention measures are changes to diet, exercise, and smoking status through those programs, policies, and services that make it easier for us to engage in health-promoting activities. Living wages! Affordable daycare! Subsidized fruits and vegetables! Walkable neighbourhoods! Smoking cessation programs!

Mr. Condom.

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:38:10 -0700

Mr. Condom.

Photo

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:45:28 -0700

Hi, I'm currently attending Yorku's health management and I'm still confused as to what jobs specifically I could possibly be going into. Also, as an undergrad, do you suggest if I should do anything like volunteer/internships and where should I start? You have a very informative blog, one of my favorites! Cheers!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:55:42 -0700

Hello again!

Thanks for the update - the more information, the better.

A background in health services administration is a great asset in public health. A lot of public health work is planning and evaluating health programs, convening committees, and involving community members in the decision-making process, so a background in governance and administration is super beneficial.

In terms of gaining some experience, perhaps you could pick a health issue that you’re passionate about: HIV? Mental Health? Diabetes? Maternal and Child Health? Or maybe a population: Sexual Minority Youth? Older Adults? People living with Developmental Disabilities? Look into community-based organizations, research programs, volunteer groups, or student clubs related to your interests. Google is your friend.

In terms of career options, there are precisely a bajillion. An MPH is a generalist degree that we can use to craft the kind of career we want - although, our careers are usually related to health. Maybe it’s working as a program coordinator for a non-profit, working in health care delivery for the Ministry of Health, running workshops on sexual health in high schools, undertaking community-based research on barriers to accessing healthcare for newcomers to Canada, writing grants for a local health charity, or spending your days as a health consultant conducting literature reviews and building resources for a variety of organizations.

Hope this helps!

Best,

Blake

Whenever I read about the Canadian Federal government attempting...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:55:08 -0700

Whenever I read about the Canadian Federal government attempting to shut down InSite, the Vancouver-based supervised injection facility….

i am a junior majoring in health services administration and i really want to go get my mph after. i don't want to get it in health services to avoid redundancy. in your opinion what are good concentrations that would complement a health services degree? i want to focus on helping the community.

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:20:00 -0700

Hello!

Thank you for reaching out! It sounds like you’re looking for something that’s a little bit of a change of pace from health administration. I’m certainly not going to tell you what to do (wayyyy too prescriptive!), but maybe you could check out concentrations in the social determinants of health, global and indigenous health, community health, health promotion, or food, nutrition and health. Shop around and see what you like - be a connoisseur of program descriptions and pick what speaks to you.

As always, do a test drive before you commit. Try an internship practicum, or volunteer experience at a community-based organization, non-profit, or health centre related to the subject area you’re interested in (I worked at a non-profit, and we were always itching for some extra help - just ask!). Meet your potential professors. Sit in on a class. Talk to the graduate student advisor. Talk to a current student. Make sure this decision is right for you!

… And you can always change your concentration after your first semester ;)

All the best,

Blake

UNICEF Sweden Ad Skewers Social Media Slack-tivism Another...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:33:00 -0700

UNICEF Sweden Ad Skewers Social Media Slack-tivism

Another reason I love Sweden.

The Norwegian Prison Where Inmates Are Treated Like...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:07:18 -0700

The Norwegian Prison Where Inmates Are Treated Like People

“In closed prisons we keep them locked up for some years and then let them back out, not having had any real responsibility for working or cooking. In the law, being sent to prison is nothing to do with putting you in a terrible prison to make you suffer. The punishment is that you lose your freedom. If we treat people like animals when they are in prison they are likely to behave like animals. Here we pay attention to you as human beings.”

A clinical psychologist by profession, Nilsen shrugs off any notion that he is running a holiday camp. I sense his frustration. “You don’t change people by power,” he says. “For the victim, the offender is in prison. That is justice. I’m not stupid. I’m a realist. Here I give prisoners respect; this way we teach them to respect others. But we are watching them all the time. It is important that when they are released they are less likely to commit more crimes. That is justice for society.”

Working in mental wellness and substance use, I find this amazing! The justice system serving social justice! Prisons as health promoting spaces! Okay, I’ll stop with the exclamation marks. Norway’s justice system is leading the way.

What Does 2000 Calories Look Like?It’s smaller than you...

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:58:15 -0700

What Does 2000 Calories Look Like?

It’s smaller than you think.

Truth!

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:26:21 -0700

Truth!

Incompetence In Public Health Communications Why do health...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:40:00 -0700

Incompetence In Public Health Communications

Why do health officials scare the public? A great post about public sector communications, taking H1N1 and various new health “threats” as examples. Worth a read.

The MOH of Ottawa called a press conference warning that thousands of Ottawan’s were at risk of hepatitis or HIV infection, but he wouldn’t tell the public what procedure was involved, what had gone wrong or what clinic did the work. As a result, anyone who has had any procedure done at any nonhospital clinic in the last decade had cause to worry about a severe health problem. The lack of information and the weekend timing guaranteed maximum unease.

Let’s remember to communicate what our target populations need to know in a timely manner.

hey I saw your blog on public health and thought it was interesting. I was wondering would you happen to know if sociology is an acceptable bachelors to get into an mph program? Im contempalting doing that. I like disease epidemiology

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 00:17:00 -0700

Hey!

Thanks for reaching out! My undergrad minor was sociology, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but I think sociology is not just an acceptable bachelor’s - it’s a great choice! In fact, an arts-based background is very helpful in identifying and helping to dismantle barriers to accessing services - the social side of health that a science degree just doesn’t usually touch on. MPH programs accept applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds - anthropology, geography, biology, business - and, yes, sociology!

What’s crucial no matter what your academic background is relevant work/intern/volunteer experience that relates to public health, so, if you have not done so already, I would strongly recommend gaining some experience in an area you feel passionate about - cancer prevention, disease modelling, the social determinants of health, even hand-washing! Whatever makes your public health heart sing! Good luck with your applications!

Best,

Blake

"Over the years, Grant has followed up that study with other experiments testing his theories about..."

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:23:00 -0700

“Over the years, Grant has followed up that study with other experiments testing his theories about prosocial motivation — the desire to help others, independent of easily foreseeable payback. In one study, Grant put up two different signs at hand-washing stations in a hospital. One reminded doctors and nurses, “Hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases”; another read, “Hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases.” Grant measured the amount of soap used at each station. Doctors and nurses at the station where the sign referred to their patients used 45 percent more soap or hand sanitizer.”

- Susan Dominus for the NYT

Racism Makes Me Sick Campaign This new anti-racism...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:35:37 -0700

Racism Makes Me Sick Campaign

This new anti-racism campaign from Australia, which was launched yesterday, isn’t the common fight against racism. It is about the threat to public health racism can be. A range of health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease, depression, anxiety, low birth rate and premature birth can all be caused directly by people’s personal experiences of racism.

What a great way to bridge the gap between a social determinant of health and health outcomes!