The Affordable Care Act: Basic Provisions and Implications for Maternal and Child Health Populations We at the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health put together a series of factsheets about the Affordable Care Act in September 2013 to describe some of its provisions and implications for specific populations. Each of the […]
Author: anderslj@umn.edu
MCH Field Experience: Summer 2013
By Sonja Ausen-Anifrani This summer, I had the opportunity to fulfill my field experience requirement at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). I was stationed in the STD and HIV section of MDH and was employed with the task of developing protocol for the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review as it relates to perinatal transmission […]
Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines Dissemination Toolkit
More people are overweight in the United States today than ever before. More than 2 out of every 3 adults are overweight or obese. And more than half of women in their childbearing years (ages 12-44) are overweight or obese. How much weight the mother gains (or not) over a pregnancy is important for the […]
How will uninsured and Medicaid recipients be affected by the Affordable Care Act?
The Kaiser Family Foundation developed an interactive tool to that shows how the Affordable Care Act will affect communities throughout the US. One interactive map focuses on increases in the number of people who will be enrolled in Medicaid and the other map focuses on the future reductions in the number of people who are […]
Using video storytelling to provide health education across 52 languages
HRSA profiles the work of the International Community Health Services (ICHS), a health center in the Seattle area, that provides a model for how health centers can offer culturally competent care to a linguistically diverse clientele. – Read more on how how health centers can offer culturally competent care to a linguistically diverse clientele
Overview of Perinatal Periods of Risk Analytic Methods
The PowerPoint presentation, sponsored by CityMatch, March of Dimes and the CDC, provides a brief introduction about how Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) analysis works and how it helps communities prioritize infant mortality reduction efforts based on data. As described by the sponsors, “PPOR provides structure, strategies, and specific analytic methods for analyzing vital records […]
Emergency Contraception should be Available over-the-counter for Youth under age 17
By Nancy Pitsenbarger *Pitsenbarger is a Maternal and Child Health MPH student at the University of Minnesota. In July 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded over-the-counter (OTC) access to emergency contraception (EC) for individuals aged 17 and older. In December of 2011, the FDA was poised to expand OTC access to EC to […]
Will Offering Oral Contraception Over the Counter Improve Access?
By Michaela McDonald *McDonald is a Maternal and Child Health MPH student at the University of Minnesota. Women in the United States face numerous barriers to using oral contraception (OC), such as cost, a doctor’s requirement of an annual exam to renew a prescription, and restrictions that limit many women to only one pack of […]
The Future of Abortion Rights: A Model of Reproductive Justice
Abortion’s Legislative History: Roe v. Wade, Hyde Amendment, and State Regulations January 22nd, 1973, marks the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy. Outside of Roe v. Wade’s historical and expansive victory, recent years have seen the abortion-rights movement pummeled by smaller scale, but incredibly significant, […]
An AIDS-Free Generation: Is it Possible?
By Sonja Ausen-Anifrani In the last several decades, HIV/AIDS has plagued populations, disrupted economic and family structures, and highlighted underserved groups. Since the first reported cases of HIV/AIDS, more than 25 million people have died as a result of complications from the illness. The disease has been particularly devastating in certain portions of Africa: out […]
What is the role of Public Health? Reflections following the Newtown Tragedy
By Sonja Ausen-Anifrani Following the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut on 14 December 2012 much has been discussed and debated surrounding the need and efficacy of stricter gun control laws. Worth discussion, certainly, given the magnitude of loss – all preventable. Proposals have begun to surface across the nation and they will most definitely make appearances […]
Conference Opportunity for Current and Former MCH Trainees
Are you a current or former Maternal and Child Health Bureau MCH Trainee? The following conference opportunity may interest you: Dear current and former MCHB trainees, We would like you to participate in a unique opportunity to build leadership skills and meet other MCHB current and former trainees. We hope you will consider joining us […]
Rethinking approaches to mental health in poor rural areas of the developing world.
by Michaela McDonald Vikram Patel delivered a TED Talk recently, titled “Mental Health for All by Involving All”. He spoke about the treatment of mental illness in areas of the developing world lacking trained therapists to treat depression. Almost 450 million people worldwide are affected by mental illness. There is a staggering difference in the […]
Soda Ban: Paternalism or Prevention?
By Sonja Ausen-Anifrani On 13 September 2012, New York City’s Board of Health passed a divisive ban on the sale of soda and other sugar-laden drinks (greater than 16 ounces in size) at those food service establishments regulated by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This conglomerate includes restaurants, street carts, stadiums, arenas, and […]