Annual Report Feb 16 2021

Publisher

Carl Hanson

Editors

Emily Eyre

Ruth Riggs

Writers

Emma Freestone

Photography

BYU Photo

Magazine

Design

Tanya Gale

Department

Chair

Carl Hanson

Associate

Chair

Len Novilla

Emphasis

Coordinators

Brianna Magnusson

Josh West

Evan Thacker

Steve Thygerson

MPH

Coordinator

Ben Crookston

Contents

Letter from the Chair

Vision and Mission

Meet Our Faculty

Members

Administration and

Staff

Letter From The MPH

Director

COVID-19 Clarity

Diversity and

Inclusion

2

4

6

9

11

12

14

Statement Against Racism

What Our Graduates Are

Saying

Happiness in Population

Health

The Power of Prevention

Go Forth To Serve

Publications

Your Support Makes a

Difference

16

19

20

21

22

24

30

1

Letter from the Chair

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the annual report for the public health program at

Brigham Young University! This report outlines some of the

accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni over this

past year.

The year 2020 has been described as unprecedented. Faculty, staff,

and students in the public health program have responded and

adapted in positive ways to the unique challenges associated with

COVID-19, including but not limited to modifi cations in course

delivery to include remote learning. Many of our students continue

participating with faculty beyond the classroom in mentored research

opportunities–some of which include attention to COVID-19

issues. Despite the challenges of the year, we have remained highly

committed to training our students to be some of the most infl uential

leaders in public health.

During the year, faculty and staff have also worked to bring greater

attention to issues related to diversity and inclusion. As a program,

we are committed to being proactive in anti-racism and promoting

learning in the classroom, at the university, and in the community

that advances health equity, eliminates health disparities, and lifts

others from the effects of racism.

This report refl ects some of the accomplishments of the program this

past year. We invite you to learn about our work through this report

and to help us promote health worldwide through transformative

teaching, research, and service in an environment that also builds

faith and testimony.

I am grateful for the resilience of students, faculty, staff, and our

community partners during this challenging year and look forward to

continuing our important work in the year to come.

Carl Hanson

Department Chair and Professor

Carl L. Hanson, PhD, MCHES

Department Chair and Professor

Brigham Young University

“

“Despite the

challenges of the year,

we have remained

highly committed to

training our students

to be some of the most

infl uential leaders in

public health.”

2

2020 Highlights

Campus Response to COVID-19

2020 will be remembered as the year of

the pandemic. Within the public health

department, 2020 will be remembered

as a year of significant research efforts.

Public health professors and students

worked to discover and share the truth

and to bring clarity and direction to the

community. To read more about the

pandemic-related research done this year,

visit the public health website.ph.byu.edu

Diversity and Inclusion

A defining feature of 2020 was a nationwide

recommitment to supporting

diversity and inclusion. The BYU Public

Health program was inspired to make

changes where possible and improve

in its efforts. Both the undergrad and

Masters Programs created Diversity and

Inclusion committees which are featured

on page 17 and 16.

Unit Review Completion

During the 2019-2020 we completed our seven-year Self

Study Report. This report showed an in depth analysis of

our program including the progression and changes we have

made over the past seven years.

This can be found at: ph.byu.edu/SelfStudy

3

Our Mission

The Department of Public Health’s core purpose is to promote health worldwide through transformative

teaching, research and service in an environment that builds faith and testimony. We are committed to being

a community of lifters who are student centered. We are scientists of faith who demonstrate excellence

in teaching and research. Our goal is to be acknowledged as the best stand-alone academic public health

program in the world and the alma mater of the most influential leaders in public health.

Vision and

Mission

The vision and mission of the department

were debeloped during the 2015 fall

department retreat. The department

established a number of priorities to realize its

vision and mission. These priorities include

the following:

1. Enhance teaching and learning

2. Conduct meaningful research

3. Enhance faculty expertise

4. Nurture alumni and donor relations

5. Prepare students to enter graduate school

and the workforce.

4

287 189

New Public

Health

Students

2020

Graduates

Program Changes

We have recently added a couple new courses to our curriculum:

HLTH 403R – Advanced Qualitative and Quantitative Data Analysis

(First offered Winter 2021)

Taught by Dr. Robbie Chaney.

o This course will provide students with the opportunity to learn the theory

of qualitative and mixed method data analysis with software. Students will

learn about qualitative epistemology, theoretical positioning in study design

and analysis, study design decision making, and use of software for data

management and analysis, and will complete an experiential learning project.

HLTH 403R – Public Health Approaches to Food and Nutrition

first offered Fall 2020

Taught by Dr. Lori Spruance

o Students will learn about the environments and policies that shape our

current nutrition landscape and will learn how to improve it. Students will

also learn about possible future careers related to public health nutrition,

food labeling, marketing to children, and the role of the government and

the food industry on nutrition.

HLTH 456 –Families and Public Health

To be offered Fall 2021 as a formal elective class

Taught by Dr. Ali Crandall

o Students will learn about the influence that families have on individual

and community health and will learn methods to build healthier families.

Students will learn to address population health by addressing family health.

Emphesis

Areas

4 21

Full-Time

Faculty

5

Meet Our Faculty Members

Michael Barnes, Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning

Michael teaches courses relating to health promotion and population interventions. His research

interests include social media intersections and behaviors, health behaviors, and family health and

its relationship to public health.

John Beard, Assistant Professor

John is an environmental and occupational epidemiologist. He teaches courses related to

environmental health, disaster response and emergency preparedness. His research interests

include environmental and occupational risk and prognostic factors for neurological and mental

health diseases and health effects of temperature inversions and air pollution in Utah.

Robbie Chaney, Assistant Professor

Robbie works on active transportation problems in urban areas and includes students in each

step of the process. Recently, his projects have been centered around gender differences in nighttime

walking safety. He teaches the qualitative half of HLTH 313, data analysis & collection, and

advanced qualitative analysis & mixed methods, a new course.

Ali Crandall, Assistant Professor

Ali teaches classes relating to program planning and evaluation and as well as families and public

health. Her research interests include examining factors that influence family health and the

intersection of family health and cognitive functioning on adolescent and adult mental health.

Benjamin Crookston, Associate Professor

Ben has more than 15 years of experience conducting research in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

He works with local and international non-governmental organizations to evaluate efforts to

improve maternal health, child health and development, food security, and gender equality.

Jeff Glenn, Assistant Professor

Jeff is a health policy and systems researcher interested in interdisciplinary approaches to solving

complex public health problems. He is currently working on projects focused on strengthening

health systems and improving global health governance.

6

Cougar Hall, Associate Professor

Cougar primarily teaches courses related to school health education and preparing secondary

education teachers for health promotion activities in the public schools. His research and

citizenship interests extend to health education and promotion opportunities in a variety of global

settings.

Carl Hanson, Department Chair

Carl teaches courses related to health promotion, planning and evaluation, and public health

administration. His research interests include health communication, computational health science,

social media, family health, mental health, and adolescent health.

Jim Johnston, Associate Professor

Jim’s research is focused on understanding bioaerosol exposures in the home and how these

exposures influence the development and exacerbation of asthma and other allergic diseases.

As a proponent of the “hygiene hypothesis,” he is interested in early-life residential microbial

exposures, and their influence on the developing immune system. Current research projects center

on characterizing the bacterial and fungal microbiota of low-income housing in Utah.

Brianna Magnusson, Associate Professor

Brianna teaches epidemiology methods, biostatistics and statistical computing courses. Her

research interests include sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and social determinants of

health.

Ray Merrill, Professor

Ray teaches courses related to epidemiology and biostatistics. His research interests include cancer

epidemiology, evaluation of health interventions, and religion and health.

Brad Neiger, Assistant to the President for Faculty Relations

Brad is currently serving as an Associate Assistant to the President over Faculty Relations. His

research interests include social media and social marketing in public health and health promotion.

Len Novilla, Associate Professor

Len teaches courses relating to chronic and infectious disease, social determinants and context

of health, maternal and child health, and gerontology. Her research interests include family and

community health, social determinants of health, health inequities, and health policy.

Randy Page, Professor

Randy teaches courses related to health promotion, international health, and vulnerable and

diverse populations.

7

Meet Our Faculty Members

Alisha Redelfs, Assistant Professor

Dr. Redelfs is a translational scientist dedicated to making best practices in health accessible and

available to all communities. Her research centers on healthy eating and active living, utilizationfocused

evaluation, and communicating complexity within a community context.

Chantel Sloan, Associate Professor

Chantel teaches about infectious disease prevention and control and medical geography. Her

research interests include respiratory health, genetics, epidemiology, and viral infections.

Lori Spruance, Assistant Professor

Lori teaches classes related to program planning and evaluation and policy affecting obesity. Her

research interests include childhood obesity prevention, public health nutrition, physical activity,

and school-based research.

Evan Thacker, Associate Professor

Evan is a chronic disease epidemiologist. He studies connections of cardiovascular and metabolic

health with neurological health in older adults. For example, recently he has been investigating why

older adults who get new-onset epilepsy are more likely to have subsequent strokes and dementia

than older adults without epilepsy. He teaches courses on health and disease, biostatistics, and

epidemiology.

Rosemary Thackeray, Assistant to the President for Assessment and Planning

Rosemary was appointed Assistant to the President for Assessment and Planning in July, 2019,

after serving as an Associate Dean in the College of Life Sciences. Her research interests include

social marketing, social media, technology, and women’s health.

Steve Thygerson, Associate Professor

Dr. Thygerson teaches Occupational Health and Safety and Environmental Toxicology. His

research focuses on building global occupational health capacity including occupational health

exposure assessments in various industry sectors. This includes brick factories of South Asia and

the mining and automotive industries in Africa.

8

Josh West, Professor

Josh researches health behaviors, including ways to measure and change behavior. He applies

this to undernutrition, overnutrition, physical activity, and emerging technologies. He has

worked domestically and in South America, Central America, Africa, and Asia. He teaches health

promotion classes to undergraduate and graduate students.

Administration and Staff

Tanya Gale

Administrative Assistant

Emily Eyre

Financial Manager

Tanya Gale has been the Administrative Assistant for the

Department of Public Health since 2018. She helps with

ensuring the department runs smoothly for our students,

faculty, staff, alumni and guests.

Beth Liechty

Academic Advisor

Beth Liechty has served the Department of Public Health

as an academic advisor since 2013. Her expertise helps our

students on a daily basis with their academic and future

planning.

Emily Eyre has been the business manager of the

Department of Public Health since 2011. Her job

responsibilities include managing the budget and

accounting functions for the department, as well as the

collection and analysis of learning outcomes data.

Ruth Riggs

MPH Program Manager

Ruth Riggs has served as the program manager for the

Master of Public Health program since 2015. She helps

manage virtually every aspect of our MPH program and is

invaluable to both our MPH students as well as our whole

department.

Stephanie Lutz

Internship Coordinator

Stephanie Lutz has served as the Internship Coordinator

for the Department of Public Health since 2013. She

helps insure our students receive outstanding real world

experiences to help round out their education. She also

helps teach several courses in our curriculum.

9

MPH

Program

10

Letter From The MPH Director

The year 2020 was an eventful one for our MPH program. We

strengthened our program mission statement to add a focus on the

family and leadership while retaining our previous focus on serving

marginalized and disadvantaged populations.

The mission of the BYU MPH program is to develop future public

health leaders who drive change that improves the health and well-being of

communities, families, and individuals. To this end, the program prepares

students to conduct public health surveillance, and to plan, implement,

and evaluate public health programs and policies that focus on at-risk

populations in both domestic and international settings.

In response to the changing landscape in public health and feedback

from our partners in the field (including many of you), a committee of

students and faculty worked together throughout the year to redesign

the curriculum for our entire graduate program. The new curriculum

is intended to give students more flexibility in specializing in different

areas of public health, help students learn via a more integrated

approach, build essential skills that are important for new graduates in

public health, and better match our mission statement. We hope that

these changes, which will be proposed to the university for approval

this coming year, will strengthen our program further and provide

students with a variety of areas to specialize in as graduate students.

Ben Crookston

MPH Director and Professor

Brigham Young University

Over the past few years we have had students enter our program from

countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The diverse

backgrounds and perspectives they have brought to our program have

helped us all to grow and see the world in new ways. In an effort to

keep this positive momentum towards diversity going, we established a

student-led committee on diversity and inclusion this past year. We are

excited for the work this committee is doing to help all who come here

feel safe, welcome, and part of our BYU MPH family.

As we reflect on the ups and downs of 2020, we are grateful for the

incredible students and faculty that made this year memorable in

so many positive ways. We believe our 2020 experience and efforts

to change for the better will help us prepare students in new and

improved ways for current and future challenges in public health in

addition to helping them “in their quest for perfection and eternal

life”. We are excited for what 2021 will bring!

“

“We

are

working... ...to

help all who come

here feel safe,

welcome, and part

of our BYU

MPH family”

11

Dr. Chantel Sloan

Associate Professor

BYU Department of Public Health

COVID-19 Clarity

Author: Emma Freestone

In 2020, Dr. Chantel Sloan,

a BYU professor of public

health, studied COVID-19 and

worked to bring clarity, direction,

and answer to questions to the

BYU community. Her experience

studying and teaching about

infectious disease, respiratory

health, and viral infections for

the last ten years has prepared

her to lead efforts to understand

the disease and form a reaction

to it.

To discover patterns of

transmission, Dr. Sloan worked

on a research project that models

the likely risk of transmission

on BYU campus. To create the

models, Dr. Sloan, Dr. Micheal

Goodrich from the Department

of Computer Science, and

Dr. Candice Berrett from the

Department of Statistics made a

virtual model of the entire BYU

campus and compared the risk

of transmission for interactions

with different people in different

places, and interactions with or

without masks.

What they discovered did not

surprise them. Dr. Sloan

explained, “Classrooms

have not been a major

area for spread, but

housing has been a major

area for spread.” Keeping

distance and wearing masks

in classroom settings has

made a difference in lowering

transmission on campus, but

off campus, where students are

less likely to wear masks even in

small mixed household groups,

has been a different story. Dr.

Sloan found that even if people

are socially distanced, they still

have a high risk of transmission

if they aren’t wearing masks. In

her words, “Masks make a huge

difference. If one person shows

up wearing a mask, that might

give someone else the courage

to pull their mask out of their

pocket.”

Dr. Sloan has also researched

the effectiveness of masks, the

risks and benefits of opening

schools, and how the pandemic

has affected trust in government

and the 2020 election.

Of her experience, Dr. Sloan

says, “It feels good to be able to

say that I can legitimately help

people understand what comes

next, why things are the way they

are, and how we can interact

well and safely. That’s been very

fulfilling over the last year.”

Besides a call to follow public

health recommendations,

Dr. Sloan’s message to the

BYU community is a call for

understanding and compassion.

She explains the need for “giving

people room to make difficult

decisions” and advocates having

difficult conversations with

family and friends. She says, “We

want to feel like we have control

over our own safety, health, and

well being, but this has to be a

team effort, because you don’t

truly have control over that if

the people around you are being

less safe than you are.” She also

encourages “being intentional

about forming connections” with

the people around us, including

professors and classmates.

Dr. Sloan’s research and guidance

has and will continue to shed

light on the pandemic and what

the community can do to fight it

in the months ahead.

“ It feels good to be

able to say that I can

legitimately help people

understand what comes

next, why things are

they way they are, and

how we can interact

weel and safely. That’s

been very fulfi lling over

the last year..”

12

4, which were summarized in Ref 5)

With contributions from the

BYU Community including:

PWS, CS, MMBIO, BYU Law

The Problem

Anxiety and Depression

Burnout

Worsening mental health

symptoms

Suicidal Thoughts

Stress and Worry

Loneliness

What Can I Do?

Prioritize your physical and

mental health.

A 10-minute walk, mindful

meditation, and yoga can do

wonders for improving your

emotional health and feelings

of fatigue. Participate in

regular exercise, eat well,

and get enough sleep.

Be aware of others around you.

Check in with your friends, neighbors and loved

ones frequently and genuinely ask how

they’re doing.

If you’re worried about your loved

one’s wellbeing, there are many mental

health resources available such as NAMI

(National Alliance on Mental Illness:

https://www.nami.org/) and the National

Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-

8255). If you’re worried that your loved

one may be at immediate risk for

hurting themselves, call 911.

Author: Ali Crandall, PhD Public Health, BYU

Mental health and family health




How can we have better mental

health during COVID-19?

Graphic Design by Tanya Gale, BYU Department of Public Health

Many people feel isolated and

restrained during COVID-19. As

the weather turns colder and the

hours of sunlight decrease, it is

also natural for feelings of anxiety,

depression, and other emotional

concerns to increase.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Masks

Engage in safe social activities.

We need each other. There are social With things contributions from the


that we can still do in safe


ways. Just remember to


wear a mask, stay 6-feet

apart, wash your hands,

Why should I wear a face mask?

and ask your contacts to do

the same. Go on a walk or

Masks prevent infected people from

Wearing masks reduces the transmission of

spreading the virus by trapping the

meet with friends at a park,

COVID-19 and decreases the severity of

respiratory droplets that are produced

or look for well-ventilated

the disease even when infection occurs.

when we cough, speak, and breathe.

indoor spaces where you

Masks also protect the wearer from

can physically distance and wear your masks.

other people’s particles by mechanical

Wearing a well-fitting mask over your

and electrostatic filtration. By trapping

mouth and nose can stop 90% or more

particles and dispersing our breath,

Seek professional assistance of when the droplets and aerosols carrying the

masks can protect us and those around us

virus.

needed.

from COVID-19.



We all need help from time to time. If you or


a loved one are in need of guidance regarding


your mental health and well-being, find a What face mask

How should I wear my

professional by asking your doctor, using should I choose?

face mask?

What is COVID-19 Long Haul Syndrome?

online resources such as findatherapist.com

After getting COVID-19, recovering from the viral infection, or even testing negative for

or asking trusted

the virus, some people continue to have COVID-19-related symptoms for several weeks or

friends and family

months or develop new COVID-19-related symptoms. We call this COVID-19 long haul

for a referral.

syndrome, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, or long COVID.


The COVID-19 Vaccines


How do I know the

How do I talk to

COVID-19 Vaccine is safe?

loved ones who

do not want to

Each approved vaccine has

get the vaccine?

completed three levels of

trials, involving tens of

thousands of volunteers.

1. Listen Not just a pandemic, an

Although mild side effects (like

2. Understand


infodemic!!

pain at the injection site

BYU Community 3. including: Talk about why


lasting less than a day,

it’s important.


or feeling “off ” for a day

4. Discuss how they

or so) is common, severe

feel about it.

allergic reactions are very

What 5. is Repeat the problem?

Why is it a problem?

rare, about 2 for every million

people. This is monitored very

• An infodemic is an excessive

• A tsunami of misinformation

carefully. For example, in one

amount of information about

has contributed to increased

trial, two people in England had

If your loved a problem ones are like worried COVID-19 about

COVID-19 burden in the US.

a possible severe side effect: they

getting the making vaccine, it hard they to may sort out

• Misinformation can lead to

have one

stopped the trial until they could be

of several different what is accurate concerns. and what The is

attitudes such as,

best

sure it wasn’t caused by the vaccine.

way to talk not.

to someone about it is to


• Easy access to cell phones and

BYU Community

including:

make sure they have been heard PWS, CS, MMBIO, BYU Law

social media make it easy

understood, then talk to them about

to spread misinformation,

why you think the vaccine is important.

Will I need to get COVID-19

drowning out reliable

Some concerns

information

can be

about

factually

COVID-19.

dealt

Vaccines each year like I do with (for • example, Prominent the public vaccines figures do not

. These perceptions lead

for the u?

change your (e.g., DNA politicians, or contain celebrities, aborted

to

lack of desire to practice

We don’t know if we will need to get a new vaccine

fetuses), but etc.) most make of up the 20 time percent hitting of the

prevention measures.

every year. It depends on how much the virus changes.

SARS-CoV-2 is less changeable than the flu virus,

people with misinformation, facts will not but change account their

for

• People fail to practice

minds. If they 69 percent are heard, of the social understood, media

prevention due to

and cared engagement. about, they will Be critical be more of where

misinformation, thus

but more than some other viruses. It’s still a young

likely to listen your to information you what is you coming have from.

increasing the spread of the

virus in humans, so we will have to wait and see. Influenza

has many ways of changing that SARS-CoV-2

to say. Remember to discuss ideas, not

disease.

attack people. Calling someone stupid

does not, so hopefully one round of vaccines will be or blind only causes them to become

enough!

defensive.

What is the solution?

Author: Brian Poole, PhD, Microbiology and Molecular Biology; Jamie Jensen, PhD, Biology, BYU

Vaccine hesitancy, attitudes towards vaccination, virology

1. Look for facts and Page evidence 5 and consider the sources of information

2. Choose carefully by only sharing or liking content from trusted sources

3. Be cautious by not sharing or liking false information you know is not true

4. Be a good example by correcting or calling out others who post untrue information

COVID-19

5. Spend less time online

Fact Checking

How common is COVID-19 long

What are the most common

mon

haul syndrome?

persistent symptoms?

COVID-19 long haul syndrome appears to be quite

- fatigue

Page 1

common, but we do not yet know how common.

- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Estimates from different studies range from

Less commonly reported rted persistent

10% of COVID-19 patients to over 80%

symptoms include:


of COVID-19 patients have persistent

- memory loss


symptoms several weeks to months after

- difficulty concentrating PWS, CS, MMBIO, BYU Law

their initial infection. (Refs 1-7)

- psychological distress


- trouble sleeping

What treatments

- joint pain

Most of us have had the experience of meeting someone in an obscure place only to discover that we had

Are Masks Safe? are available for

- chest pain

a common friend or relative. It’s a small world! Although most of us spend about two-thirds of our social

Masks are safe for almost all people COVID-19 to wear. long haul

- loss of smell and taste

(based on 4 studies of hospitalized patients time in Europe

with a collection of around 15 family members and friends1, the remaining one-third can be spent with

They do not increase carbon dioxide syndrome?

or decrease

(totaling about 500 people), the most common scores persistent

symptoms of people ple reported 2-3 month after

their initial illness travel and other interactions. One interaction within our social circles connects us to many others, who are

(Refs 1-4, which were summarized in Ref 5)

more through larger social circles created through work, church, shopping, sporting events, theatre,

oxygen in wearers.

At present, there are no standard

If you have questions on whether wearing treatments a for COVID-19 long haul

syndrome. (Refs 8-9)

in turn connected to others, and so on, making the world... small.

mask is safe for you please talk to your doctor.

Will people believe that I am still sick?

COVID-19 takes advantage of these networks to spread across communities, states, and nations.

In early 2020, COVID-19 long haul syndrome was not widely recognized as a legitimate condition. This lack of awareness and

Author: Benjamin W. Abbott, PhD, Plant and Wildlife Sciences, BYU

An infectious person spreads the disease within his or her social circle, and members of that social circle

understanding led to gaslighting of many early COVID-19 long haul patients by family members, friends, employers, and doctors, who

Environmental Health, Environmental Science

did not believe that the persistent symptoms could be real. (Ref 10) This is likely still occurring. However, as information has infect emerged others, and soon tens of thousands are infectious or sick! In contrast, prevent spread.

Research Assistant Authors: Mitchell Greenhalgh, S. Isaac St. Clair, Jonas Bush

over Page the past 2 several months about people who experience persistent symptoms, COVID-19 long haul syndrome is becoming In a better

social bubble, we interact only with our closest family members and friends. Members of social bubbles

recognized in the medical community and in the public as a valid condition that warrants appropriate consideration.

rarely connect with members of other social bubbles (unless they are masked and socially distanced),

drastically decreasing the reach and the speed with which infection occurs.

Where can I look for support?

Grassroots online support groups allow people to connect with others to discuss their experiences with COVID-19 long haul drome, for example https://www.facebook.com/groups/COVIDLongHaulers/ and https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/covid19.

ic.com/covid19. Forming Effective Social

syn-

Bubbles

References:

• Pan American Health Organization. (2020). Understanding the infodemic and misinformation in the fight against COVID-19. https://iris.paho.org/bitstream/

handle/10665.2/52052/Factsheet-infodemic_eng.pdf

• Tasnim, S., Hossain, M., & Mazumbder, H. (2020). Impact of rumors and misinformation on the COVID-19 in social media. Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53,

171-174. https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO202016151586109.pdf

• Bagherpour, A. & Nouri, A. (2020). COVID Misinformation is Killing People: This “Infodemic” Has to Stop. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.

com/article/covid-misinformation-is-killing-people1/

• Brennen J.S., Simon, F., Howard, P.N., & Nielsen, R.K. (2020) Types, sources, and claims of COVID-19 misinformation. Reuters Institute for the Study of

Journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/types-sources-and-claims-covid-19-misinformation

• World Health Organization. (2020). Infodemic Management. https://www.who.int/teams/risk-communication/infodemic-management

For More Information:

1. Carvalho-Schneider C, et al. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2020 Oct 5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33031948/

2. Garrigues E, et al. J Infect. 2020 Dec. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32853602/

3. Carfi A, et al. JAMA. 2020 Aug 11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32644129/

4. Halpin SJ, et al. J Med Virol. 2020 Jul 30. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32729939/

5. Infectious Disease Society. 2020 Nov 19. https://www.idsociety.org/covid-19-real-time-learning-network/disease-manifestations--complications/post-covid-syndrome/

ications/post-covid-syndrome/

6. Tenforde MW, et al. MMWR. 2020 Jul 31. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32730238/

7. Greenhalgh T, et al. BMJ. 2020 Aug 11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32784198/

8. NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines, Clinical Spectrum. 2020 Dec 17. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/overview/clinical-spectrum/

ical-spectrum/

9. Marshall M. Nature. 2020 Sep. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32929257/

10. Yong E. The Atlantic. 2020 Aug 19. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/long-haulers-covid-19-recognition-support-groups-symptoms/615382/

oups-symptoms/615382/

p

Author: Evan Thacker, PhD, Public Health, BYU

Epidemiologist

How do I know when I need to

wear a mask?

COVID-19 Infopacket

Dr. Sloan helped lead a project involving

faculty members across the BYU campus

as well as in our own department to

put together an information packet on

COVID-19.


“Long Haul Syndrome”





Page 3

How can we prevent COVID-19

from spreading to others?

References:

https://www.ft.com/content/c5ce0834-9a64-11e8-9702-5946bae86e6d

Author: Michael A. Goodrich, PhD, Computer Science, BYU

Computer modeling of human interaction networks

Student Editors: Puneet Jain, Aadesh Neupane, Calix Barrus, and Alexander Anthon.

How do I stay safe while

meeting people in person?


You can encourage healthy decision making by making sure those you oversee have accurate

information about COVID-19 transmission and risks. You can also help epfind safe eways

to connect

online or outside while observing social distancing. Outdoor gatherings can be fun even in winter.

Perhaps we can all learn from the Scandinavian saying: “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing!”

Holding in-person, indoor events with people outside your household is strongly discouraged.




Page 4

Which vaccine is right for me?


Author: Carl Hanson PhD, Public Health, BYU

Health Promotion Specialist

Page 6

Author: Chantel Sloan PhD, Public Health, BYU

Respiratory infectious disease epidemiology

Check current

local guidelines and

laws about social

gatherings

https://www.freepik.com/vectors/people

Page 7

Social distance

and wear

masks

Meet outdoors

when possible

Be clear and ddiscu

discuss

expectations ectations about

staying

safe before

the in-person

meeting

Full Infopacket can be found at

Ph.byu.edu

Author: Lisa Grow Sun J.D., BYU Law school

https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/people

p p

Page 8

Author: Chantel Sloan PhD, Public Health, BYU

Respiratory infectious disease epidemiology

Page 9

13

Diversity and Inclusion

Subtitle of Article


Inspired by the events and

movements of 2020, BYU

Public Health professors and

students worked together to

create committees to support

diversity and inclusion within the

programs.

The BYU Master of Public

Health (MPH) Diversity and

Inclusion Committee includes

Dr. Jeff Glenn as a Faculty

Advisor, and MPH students

Cyrille Kouambo, Gwen

Kleinhenz, Janaya Brown, and

Lily Kim as committee members.

The vision of the committee is

that, “embracing diversity will

bring richness to the learning

environment and prepare

students for future public health

careers.” The committee has

three chairs: Applicants and

Admissions, Cohort Unity and

Inclusion, and Professional

Preparation.

The Applicants and Admissions

chair focuses on encouraging

a variety of students to apply

to the program. Kleinhenz

explained, “This includes

students from out of state and

students with different religious

viewpoints, culture, upbringing,

or socioeconomic statuses.”

The chair does this work by

attending career fairs, guiding

new students, and answering

their questions.

The purpose of the Cohort

Unity and Inclusion chair is

to help each student feel that

they belong in the cohort.

14

Brown said, “The goal is to

make sure that everyone in the

MPH program feels like they

have a voice, are heard, have

something to contribute, and

can bring their strengths to the

table.” This is accomplished with

activities, events, discussions,

and collaboration with the

curriculum committee.

The Professional Preparation

chair was created with the

intent of helping students learn

about cultural competence

and translate those skills to the

workplace. Kouambo said, “This

subcommittee’s work is to build

a spirit of togetherness and a

culture of competence.”

This work is done

through a series es of

lectures, activities, ities,

and curriculum to

enhance student

effectiveness as

future public health

professionals.

The committee

members are

already seeing

the benefit

of focusing

on these areas

within the

program. “If we

can promote the

diversity of the

student body as

a whole, it adds ds

to a greater

learning

environment,”

said

Kleinhenz.

“Working

with different

people

helps me open my mind more

to different ideas, which is

important, going out in the

world to be a public health

professional. That’s why I’m

excited about this committee.”

Kim added, “As a professional,

we have to broaden our

perspective to diversity, so this

committee is really important to

our department as well.”

Kouambo brought the insight

that, “As members of the

Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-Day Saints, our mission

is to serve, and as public health

professionals, we are also going

to serve, so we have the same

mission in both situations. For

this reason, we should always

be ready to look around us

and try to help.”

The Diversity and

Inclusion

Council for the Department

of Public Health includes

MPH alumni, Gina

Dorsan and Paola

Donoso, and Drs.

Carl Hanson, Evan

Thacker, and

Cougar Hall.

Dr.

Hanson

explained

that the

purpose of

the

council is

to “Enhance

representation from

underrepresented

groups, and develop

a stronger, more

culturally

competent

environment.” In

2020, the

council

worked to create

a climate

survey

Diversity and Inclusion.

for the department, to “gain

a better understanding of

what we’re doing well on and

what we need to do better on

with regards to diversity and

inclusion.” The survey will be

administered in January 2021.

The council also plans to identify

faculty, students, and staff

who may be underrepresented

in the department and work

to find ways to increase their

representation.

Gina Dorsan, one of the MPH

alumni on the committee, said

that the goal for the committee,

and the purpose of the survey,

is to “Assess if there are any

barriers for the students in the

department.” She adds that,

“We want to make sure that

the minority students here

feel at home and feel that they

belong. We want to foster an

environment for minorities to

feel comfortable.” Dorsan also

discussed the benefits of having

a diverse panel where she and the

other committee members can

provide feedback coming from

their experiences as minorities

on campus.

The work these committees are

doing will benefit prospective

and current students and will

help them in both their personal

and professional lives.

“ The goal is to make sure that

everyone...feels like they have a

voice, are heard, have something

to contribute, and can bring their

strengths to the table”

15

Statement Against Racism

As followers of Jesus Christ and public health educators, we condemn racism in all its forms. These

forms include structural racism—power inequalities perpetuated in our society that systematically confer

advantage and privilege on the dominant racial group at the expense of oppressed racial groups—as well

as interpersonal racism—explicit attitudes of prejudice and actions of discrimination between individuals.

We hold that all forms of racism are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ. We accept moral

responsibility to identify and eliminate racism in processes, laws, organizational attitudes, and interpersonal

relations, including in our own institutions and in ourselves. We strive to uphold Jesus Christ’s teachings by

treating all people with love, respect, kindness, and dignity and by promoting inclusion, justice, and equity.

Structural racism is a public health crisis. It affects many aspects of health and well-being and is a

fundamental cause of persistent racial health disparities rooted in unfair disadvantage based on race, color,

position, and resources. Structural racism is pervasive in interconnected sectors of society that affect

health including housing, education, employment, health services, law enforcement, and criminal justice.

As a public health program, we are committed to being proactive in anti-racism and promoting learning

in the classroom, at the university, and in the community that will advance health equity, eliminate health

disparities, and lift individuals, families, and communities from the hostile effects of racism. To this end,

we will take the following actions:

• Listen and seek to understand the experiences and perspectives of Black, Indigenous, and People

of Color (BIPOC) students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

• Continually examine our own implicit biases and participate in continuing education and training

related to diversity, inclusion, and racism.

• Create inclusive environments in and out of the classroom where people of all backgrounds feel

welcomed and heard, offensive racial comments are not acceptable, and inspired teaching and

meaningful conversations against racism can unify and change minds and hearts.

• Implement a coordinated curriculum in BYU’s public health courses integrating cultural humility

and topics related to diversity, inclusion, and racism.

• Address racism as a critical issue in our public health research and practice.

• Advocate for racial equity in our communities.

• Request periodic external evaluation of our ongoing efforts.

We believe that acting against racism gives us opportunities to understand each other better, to learn

together, and to change unjust systems and structures that segregate America’s BIPOC from upward

mobility, opportunity, and health. As we seek solutions to the injustice of racism, we wholeheartedly echo

the words of President Russell M. Nelson, Derrick Johnson, Leon Russell, and The Reverend Amos C.

Brown:

“Answers to racism, prejudice, discrimination and hate will not come from government or law

enforcement alone. Solutions will come as we open our hearts to those whose lives are different than our

own, as we work to build bonds of genuine friendship, and as we see each other as the brothers and sisters

we are—for we are all children of a loving God” (Locking Arms for Racial Harmony in America, jointly

authored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the NAACP, 2020).

Endorsed by Department of Public Health Faculty and Staff July 2020

16

BYU MPH Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Faculty Advisor: Jeff Glenn

Committee Members: Cyrille Kouambo, Gwen Kleinhenz, Janaya Brown,

Lily Kim

Vision

Embracing Diversity will bring richness to the learning

environment and prepare students for future public

health careers.

Mission Statement

Brigham Young University’s Master of Public Health

Diversity and Inclusion Committee works to encourage

a diverse student body, foster inclusion and unity, and

enhance students’ ability to make positive, well informed

impacts in the field of public health.

17

18

Our Graduates

“ I loved all of the hands on

learning opportunities. Everything

felt very applicable to real world

usage.”

Quotes pulled from our 2020

Graduate Exit Survey

“ My favorite part of the BYU public health

program was learning about how to effectively

protect the world from the imminent dangers

found everywhere. I also loved the classes where

I was able to stop worrying about my GPA and

just learn about the world and how I can make

a difference in it.”

“ I love the spirit of helping others as the

ultimate goal. I love the culture of hope

for progress while giving the reality of

our situations. I will always be grateful

for the skills I gained in research and

collaboration.”

What Our

Graduates Are

Saying

“ I love the increadible professors and how

much they care about their students. They

genuinely want their students to succeed

and are always willing to meet with them

and help them. I also like that many of

our classes utilize real life partnerships

with organizations. It feels like our work

matters.”

“ I liked the resources that were available

to us students that helped us learn and

apply what we learned in class.”

Our Alumni have gone on to work for organizations such as:

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Our Alumni have gone on to pursue additional degrees at:

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• varius orci fringilla.

19

Marco Verdeja

Student Emphasis

Happiness in Population

Health


Marco Verdeja, a BYU MPH

alumni, loves his job. He

said, “Every day that I come to

work is a happy day.”

What makes going to work such

a happy experience? Verdeja

spends his time working to

help communities live happier

and healthier lives. As a Senior

Community Health Specialist

at Intermountain Healthcare,

Verdeja leads initiatives to

address specific needs of local

communities, prevent conditions

such as diabetes, and increase

vaccination rates. Everything he

does is tailored to help those

who need it most, in ways that

will benefit them most in the

long term.

Verdeja has always

been interested in

health care, but he found

population health to be his

real interest. After receiving

his M.D. in Mexico, Verdeja

returned to BYU for his MPH.

His experience at BYU still

influences his work daily. He

said, “Everything you learn in

public health applies to work.

I’m very grateful to BYU. It’s

an environment that helps you

thrive.” Of the professors in the

MPH program, Verdeja said,

“they are wonderful mentors

that have the knowledge and

also the human connection

with their students to help them

learn everything they need to

learn.” Verdeja explained that his

experience in the program, as

well as the opportunity he had to

go to Peru and train individuals

with materials he had helped

create gave him the “backbone

to be able to present myself in a

position to get a good job.”

As the pandemic arrived this

year, Verdeja focused on

increasing influenza vaccination

rates with mobile vaccine events

and adaption within the hospital.

Veredeja noted that adapting

is “Something that public

health always does. We’re good

at shifting and being flexible

because we know that diseases

are shifting and changing and we

go where the people need it.”

Verdeja has brought the call to

“go forth and serve” to life. He

said, “Public health is the perfect

way to serve. Everything we do

is based on serving the needs of

the community as a whole.”

“In Public Health

we’re good at shifting

and being fl exible

because we know that

diseases are shifting

and changing and we

go where the people

need it.”

20

The Power of Prevention


Julie Varner, a BYU MPH

alumni, grew up interested

in health care. Her mother had

several illnesses, and Varner

watched as doctors treated

the illnesses, which were often

preventable. When she did

discover public health, a career

focused on prevention rather

than treatment, she said, “I loved

every single course I took, there’s

so much to love.”

Varner currently works as a

Senior Community Health

Specialist and Project Manager

at Intermountain Healthcare.

She describes her work as

“bringing together community

organizations and leaders and

to collaborate for the greater

good.” Her projects are as varied

as the needs of the community,

but always prioritized on

specific topics. This year she

has focused on mental wellbeing,

preventable disease and

injury, air quality, and naloxone

distribution. With the pandemic,

Varner has needed to switch

in person trainings to online

trainings and has coordinated

COVID-19 testing sites for the

hospitals she oversees.

Varner finds meaning in a career

focused on service. She said, “A

lot of my job is altruistic. I’m

not trying to improve my life,

I’m looking at other people

who have less resources,

more social determinants

of health, and seeing

what we can do to

improve that situation and

help them live healthier lives.”

She added that the best part is

that “I’m not alone. Sometimes

when you’re on your own trying

to make a difference, you’re

running in the same spot not

going anywhere. Working with

other health agencies and other

public health professionals really

helps move the work forward.”

When Varner was searching

for internships, it was her

experiences and what she

learned in the BYU Public

Health program that set her

apart. She said, “BYU gave me

the knowledge, skills, and the

resources to connect to a good

internship.” She explained how

she continually uses the skills she

learned in the program such as

program planning, evaluation,

and policy.

BYU’s call to “go forth and

serve” guides Varner’s life and

Julie Varner

Student Emphasis

career. She said, “I get to serve

daily! I get to help people live

their healthiest lives and be

where they want to be in life to

succeed.”

“Sometimes when you’re

on your own trying to

make a difference, you’re

running in the same

spot not going anywhere.

Working with other health

agencies and other public

health professionals really

helps move the work

forward.”

21

Go Forth To Serve

Brittany Brown, MPH ‘13

“The pandemic is the crux of our

public health career”

“ Brittany Brown found her love for public health when she decided to apply to

the BYU MPH program. She said, “It was exactly what I’m passionate about,

the perfect combination between health, nutrition, medicine, and helping people.”

Brown works as an Epidemiology and Evaluation Manager at the Utah Department

of Health, Healthy Living Through Environment, Policy, and Improved Clinical Care

(EPICC) Program. She manages a team of epidemiologists and works on evaluation and data surveillance for

conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity prevention work. The best part of the job, for Brown, is

“getting to see the impact that we’re having in the communities and to hear the success stories of the people we’re

working with.”

COVID-19 has been a turning point in Brown’s career. She noted, “It’s the crux of our public health career.” She

has helped with contact tracing, developing surveys, and vaccination, and has seen how COVID has escalated health

disparities. She said,“People are finally starting to see that there’s a big problem and we need to address it. It’s been

exciting to see people start to prioritize reducing disparities within our communities.”

Throughout her career, Brown has continued to use the skills she developed in the BYU MPH program. She said, “I

appreciated how the classes and projects were focused on real-life applicability. I felt very prepared to step into my

public health career.”

Brown has served as Chair of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) Epidemiology and

Evaluation Collaborative, and currently serves on the Executive Committee for the NACDD Cardiovascular Health

Council. She has volunteered with the Utah Medical Reserve Corps, an emergency response team during a Hepatitis

A outbreak among the homeless population.

Victor Arredondo, MPH ‘13

Victor Arredondo realized that public health was the career for him while

completing his pre-med courses. He said, “I realized that I wasn’t going to be

part of the change that I wanted to be part of if I went one patient at a time. I

wanted something bigger and quicker.”

Since then, Arredondo has been actively involved in creating change for entire

communities. He works for the American Heart Association as the Senior

Community Impact Director, assessing community needs and evaluating solutions.

For him, the best part of the job is being able to see the health of a population

improve, step by step.

When COVID hit, Arredondo and his team had to move quickly to change focus. The needs of the community

had dramatically changed. Arredondo said, “Before we were talking about building safe and walkable streets and

“

22

Gina Dorsan, MPH ‘19

“

“My passion is creating long term change

that’s going to benefi t people.”

Gina Dorsan knew she wanted to become a public health professional in 2010,

after the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Dorsan knew she wanted to help the Haitians and any other underserved population

in any way she could. That year, she partnered with LDS Charities and assembled over 100 hygiene kits, and hasn’t

stopped working since to help minorities who are disproportionately affected by public health, especially during the

pandemic.

Since graduation, Dorsan has worked at Comagine Health, at the BYU Computer Science Department helping with

community engagement as a staff assistant, at Utah Valley University as an adjunct online instructor for HLTH

1100 Personal Health and Wellness for the Public Community Health Department, and at Ensign College, teaching

LS 103 Nutrition and Health as an Adjunct GE Faculty. She also volunteers at ARISE Project for Humanity, an

organization whose aim is to empower Haitian youth through mentoring.

In every setting Dorsan has been in, she has used the skills she acquired from the BYU MPH program. She said,

“One of the main skills needed in public health is to be able to form relationships so that people can trust you,

before you implement new programs.” Her experience in the MPH program, and skills in qualitative methods,

community engagement, and working with people, are exactly the kind of skills that have served her and those

around her in her current work.

For Dorsan, the most meaningful part of public health is the opportunity to create sustainable change. “That’s my

passion,” she said, “creating long term change that’s going to benefit people. If what I am involved in is going to

improve someone’s quality of life, then I did my part as a public health professional.”

“

Victor Arredondo, Continued

improving zoning and all of the sudden people didn’t have enough to eat.

We had to switch quickly.”

Arredondo’s preparation through the BYU MPH program has guided him

through his career. He said, “It prepared me in what I know, in the way I

need to act, and the skills I need to accomplish my job. I’ve had tens of

interns and I haven’t had one that’s better prepared than the ones that come

from BYU.”

The most important thing that Arredondo’s education gave him was “The

vision that public health is a career where we lift people up as a group.”

He said, “If I didn’t have that vision, then my job would have been done

differently, I would have achieved different results, and I would not have

been able to meet the needs as I have so far.”

“

“Public health

is a career

where we lift

people up as a

group”

“

23

Publications

Abbott, B. W., Chaston, J. M., Bush, J., Sloan, C. D., Poole, B. D., Greenhalgh, M., Clair, S. I. S., Moon, H.,

Gudmundsen, J. E., Gottfredson, S., Errigo, I. M., Lemmon, S. (2020). Making sense of the research on

COVID-19 and school reopenings (22). Provo, Utah, USA: Brigham Young University. http://rgdoi.net/10.13140/

RG.2.2.24052.17285

Barnes, M. D., Hanson, C. L., Novilla, M. L. L. B., Magnusson, B. M., Crandall, A., Bradford, G. (2020).

Family-Centered Health Promotion: Perspectives for Engaging Families and Achieving Better Health Outcomes.

Family-Centered Health Promotion: Perspectives for Engaging Families and Achieving Better Health Outcomes, 57.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0046958020923537

Bennion, N. R., Spruance, L. A., Maddock, J. E. (2020). Do youth consume more calories than they expended

in youth sports leagues? An observational study of physical activity, snacks, and beverages. American Journal of

Health Behavior, 44(2).

Berki, T., Piko, B. F., Page, R. M. (2020). Sport commitment profiles of adolescent athletes: Relation between

health and psychological behaviour. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 20(3), 1392 - 1401. http://www.

efsupit.ro/

Callahan, Z. Y., Smith, T. K., Ingersoll, C., Gardner, R., Korgenski, E. K., Sloan, C. D. (2020). Comparative

Seasonal Respiratory Virus Epidemic Timing in Utah. 12(3).

Choi, H., Thacker, E. L., Longstreth, W. T., Elkind, M. S., Boehme, A. K. (2020). Cognitive decline in older adults

with epilepsy: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Epilepsia, Epub. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33227164/

Christensen, S. R., Pilling, E. B., Eyring, J. B., Dickerson, G., Sloan, C. D., Magnusson, B. M. (2020). Political and

personal reactions to COVID-19 during initial weeks of social distancing in the United States. 15(9), e0239693.

Coleman, N. C., Burnett, R. T., Higbee, J. D., Lefler, J. S., Merrill, R. M., Ezzati, M., Marshall, J. D., Kim, S.-Y.,

Bechle, M., Robinson, A., Pope, C. A. (2020). Cancer mortality risk, fine particulate air pollution, and smoking in a

large, representative cohort of US adults. Cancer Causes & Control, 31(8), 767-776.

Crandall, A., Broadbent, E., Stanfill, M., Magnusson, B. M., Novilla, M. L. L. B., Hanson, C. L., Barnes,

M. D. (2020). The Influence of Adverse and Advantageous Childhood Experiences during Adolescence on

Young Adult Health. Child Abuse and Neglect, 108. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/

S0145213420302994?casa_token=Vomr68M6asUAAAAA:vaOWAVTC3OSfrvcrgqGL82Y4xrfHMV-e7UN8T0-

B1FKyHtqVkHG-O20jULuBl813r3BMdCo

Crandall, A., Davis, E. A., Bradford, G. C., Magnusson, B. M., Hanson, C. L., Barnes, M. D.,

Novilla, M. L. L. B., Bean, R. A. (2020). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a Framework for Understanding

Adolescent Depressive Symptoms over Time. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(2), 273-

281. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-019-01577-4?wt_mc=Internal.Event.1.SEM.

ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst&utm_source=ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst&utm_medium=email&utm_content=AA_

en_06082018&ArticleAuthorOnlineFirst_20190924

Crandall, A., Weiss-Laxer, N., Broadbent, E., Holmes, E. K., Magnusson, B. M., Okano, L., Jerica, B., Barnes,

M. D., Hanson, C. L., Jones, B. L., Novilla, M. L. L. B. (2020). The Family Health Scale: Reliability and

Validity of a Short- and Long-Form. Frontiers in Public Health, 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/

fpubh.2020.587125/full

24

Davis, E. A., Ou, J. Y., Chausow, C., Verdeja, M. A., Divver, E., Johnston, J. D., Beard, J. D. (2020). Associations

Between School Characteristics and Classroom Radon Concentrations in Utah’s Public Schools: A Project

Completed by University Environmental Health Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and

Public Health, 17(16), 5839.

Drewes, M. R., Jones, J., Christiansen, E. N., Wilson, J. P., Allen, B., Sloan, C. D. (2020). Geospatial and Temporal

Associations between Increases in Opioid Deaths, Socioeconomics, and Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections in

the Northeast United States 2012-2017.. 18(1).

Errigo, I. M., Abbott, B. W., Mendoza, D. L., Chaney, R. A., Freeman, A., Glenn, J. D., Howe, P. D., Carter, T.,

Martin, R., Mitchell, L., Johnston, J. D., Holmes, H., Tran, T., Frei, R. J., Follett, A., Bratsman, S., Lange, L., Wilson,

D., Stacey, A., Sayedi, S. S. (2020). Human health and economic costs of air pollution in Utah (8).

Errigo, I. M., Abbott, B. W., Mendoza, D. L., Mitchell, L., Sayedi, S. S., Glenn, J., Kelly, K. E., Beard, J. D.,

Bratsman, S., Carter, T., Chaney, R. A., Follett, A., Freeman, A., Frei, R. J., Greenhalgh, M., Holmes, H. A., Howe,

P. D., Johnston, J. D., Lange, L., Martin, R., Stacey, A., Tran, T., Wilson, D. (2020). Human Health and Economic

Costs of Air Pollution in Utah: An Expert Assessment. Atmosphere, 11(11), 1238. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-

4433/11/11/1238

Gajeelee, A., Chaumont, C., Glenn, J. (2020). New Leadership for Global Health. Stanford Social Innovation

Review.

Gale, S. D., Erickson, L. D., Thacker, E. L., Mitchell, E. L., Brown, B. L., Hedges, D. W. (2020). Toxoplasma gondii

Seropositivity and Serointensity and Cognitive Function in Adults. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Gamboa, E., Broadbent, E., Quintana, M., Callaway, S., Donoso, P., Linehan, M., Wibowo, L., Santika, O., West, J.

H., Hall, P. C., Crookston, B. T. (2020). Interpersonal communication campaign promoting knowledge, attitude,

intention, and consumption of iron folic acid tablets and iron rich foods among pregnant Indonesian women. 29(3),

545-551.

Glenn, J. D., Bluth, M., Christianson, M., Pressley, J., Taylor, A., Macfarlane, G. S., Chaney, R. A. (2020).

Considering the Potential Health Impacts of Electric Scooters: An Analysis of User Reported Behaviors in Provo,

Utah. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17), 6344. www.mdpi.com/journal/

ijerph

Glenn, J., Chaumont, C., Villalobos Dintrans, Pablo (2020). Public health leadership in the times of COVID-19:

a comparative case study of three countries. International Journal of Public Leadership, Vol. ahead-of-print (No.

ahead-of-print).

Glenn, J., Kamara, K., Umar, Z. A., Chahine, T., Daulaire, N., Bossert, T. (2020). Applied systems thinking: A

viable approach to identify leverage points for accelerating progress towards ending neglected tropical diseases.

Health Research Policy and Systems, 18(1). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85086008177

Hanson, C., Allen, E., Fullmer, M., O’Brien, R., Dearden, K., Garn, J., Rachmi, C., Glenn, J. D., West, J. H.,

Crookston, B. T., Hall, P. C. (2020). Improved WASH-related knowledge and behaviors in Indonesian mothers.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(10), 372. 2039 LSB

Legend: Royal Blue and Bold denotes BYU Public Health Faculty, Navy Blue and Underlined denotes BYU Student

25

Hanson, C., Allen, E., Fullmer, M., O’brien, R., Dearden, K., Garn, J., Rachmi, C. N., Glenn, J., West, J.,

Crookston, B., Hall, P. (2020). A national communication campaign in Indonesia is associated with improved

WASH-related knowledge and behaviors in Indonesian mothers. International Journal of Environmental Research

and Public Health, 17(10). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85085468586

Ijaz, M., Ahmad, S. R., Akram, M. M., Nadeem, F. A., Khan, W. U., Thygerson, S. M. (2020). Cross-Sectional

Survey of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Workers Practicing Traditional Methods of Underground Coal Mining.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 18.

Ijaz, M., Akram, M., Ahmad, S. R., Mirza, K., Nadeem, F. A., Thygerson, S. M. (2020). Risk factors associated with

the prevalence of upper and lower back pain in male underground coal miners in Punjab, Pakistan. International

Journal on Environmental Research and Public Health, 17, 14.

Johnston, J. D., Hawks, M. E., Johnston, H. B., Johnson, L. A., Beard, J. D. (2020). Comparison of liquefied

petroleum gas cookstoves and wood cooking fires on PM2.5 trends in brick workers’ homes in Nepal. International

Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5681), 16.

Meeks, L., Heit, P., Page, R. M., Ward, P. (2020). Comprehensive School Health: Totally Awesome Strategies for

Teaching Health (9th edition). (9th Edition978-0-07-802863-2, 800 pages plus 62 pages of Appendix and a Glossary

of 37 pages). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education. 1114 East 2500 North

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Explaining the inverse association between altitude and obesity. Journal of Obesity. https://

doi.org/10.1155/2020/1946723

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Fundamental Mathematics for Epidemiology Study (137).

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Insufficient sleep correlates with the natural environment, health behaviors, and selected

causes of death. Medical & Clinical Research, 5(10), 329-337.

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Is life expectancy really better at higher altitude living? An ecologic study involving US

counties. Public Health and Healthcare. http://sciaeon.org/articles/Is-Life-Expectancy-Really-Better-at-Higher-

Altitude-Living-An-Ecologic-Study-Involving-US-Counties.pdf

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Physical inactivity’s relationship with demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors in the

United States. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 17(4), 412-422.

Merrill, R. M. (2020). Why is high altitude living associated with lower premature death and better quality of life?

An ecologic study involving US counties. OSP Journal of Health Care and Medicine. https://www.ospublishers.

com/Why-is-High-Altitude-Living-Associated-with-Lower-Premature-Death-and-Better-Quality-of-Life-An-

Ecologic-Study-Involving-US-Counties.html

26

Publications

Merrill, R. M., Fructos, A., Lyon, J., Clark, R. (2020). The role of Latter-day Saint Charities towards the

establishment of needed national neonatal resuscitation programs in resource poor countries. Journal of

International Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3509

Merrill, R. M., Frutos, A. (2020). Ecological evidence for lower risk of lymphoma with greater exposure to

sunlight and higher altitude. High Altitude Medicine and Biology, 21(1), 37-44.

Merrill, R. M., Roy, N., Pierce, J., Sundar, K. (2020). Impact of voice, cough, and diurnal breathing problems on

quality of life in obstructive sleep apnea. Do they matter?. Archives of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery,

4(2).

Merrill, R. M., Roy, N., Pierce, J., Sundar, K. (2020). Voice, Cough, and Diurnal Dyspnea Problems and Quality

of Life in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients. Annals of Epidemiology, 49, 75. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.

annepidem.2020.06.024

Merrill, R. M., Williams, E., Fuhriman, H. (2020). Risk behaviors correlate with higher prevalence of Pap, HPV,

and HIV screening among women in the United States. Journal of Women’s Health.

Miller, J. R., Cheung, A., Novilla, K., Crandall, A. (2020). Childhood Experiences and Adult Health: The

Moderating Effects of Temperament. Heliyon, 6(5). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/

S2405844020307726

Moffat, R. A., Yentes, C. T., Crookston, B. T., West, J. H. (2020). Patient Perceptions about Professional Dental

Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 6(1), 15-23.

Moucheraud, C., Sarma, H., Ha, T. T., Ahmed, T., Epstein, A., Glenn, J., Hanh, H. H., Huong, T. T., Luies, S. K.,

Moitry, A. N., Nhung, D. P., Payán, D. D., Rahman, M., Tariqujjaman, M., Thuy, T. T., Tuan, T., Bossert, T. J., Kruk,

M. E. (2020). Can complex programs be sustained? A mixed methods sustainability evaluation of a national infant

and young child feeding program in Bangladesh and Vietnam. BMC Public Health, 20(1). https://api.elsevier.com/

content/abstract/scopus_id/85090507174


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Mulugeta, H., Bediru, W., Ashuro, Z., Thygerson, S. M. (2020). Fall injury and socio-demographic characteristics

among households in Ethiopia. Indian Journal of Public Health Research and Development, 11(12), 8.

Mulugeta, H., Tefera, Y., Abegaz, T., Thygerson, S. M. (2020). Unintentional injuries and socio-demographic

factors among households in Ethiopia. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2020, 7.

Novilla, K., Broadbent, E., Glade, R., Crandall, A. (2020). Supporting and Engaging Families: An Examination

of Publicly-Funded Health Promotion Programs in the Intermountain West, USA. Frontiers in Public Health, 8.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7593609/

Olsen, G., Wright, G. A., West, J. H. (2020). Observing the Impact of Engineering Curriculum on 6th Grade

Student Attitudes Towards Engineering as they Engage in Building Electric Bikes. The Business Review, 28(1), 7.

Packer, J. M., Belevedere, L. M., Dannenberg, A. L., Barnes, M. D. (2020). Review of Health Impact Assessments

Informing Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Prevention and Control Policies. Journal of Drug Abuse, 6(3), 17.

https://drugabuse.imedpub.com/review-of-health-impact-assessments-informing-alcohol-tobacco-and-marijuanaprevention-and-control-policies.php?aid=28503

Raman, R., Brennan, J., Ndi, D., Sloan, C. D., Markus, T. M., Schaffner, W., Talbot, H. K. (2020). Marked

Reduction of Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Associated with Conjugate

Pneumococcal Vaccines.

Redelfs, A. H., Perez, D. A., Whigham, L. D. (2020). Commit to Be Fit by Rappahannock County Public Schools:

Evaluation Report for School Year 2019-2020. Provo, UT.

Redelfs, A. H., Perez, D. A., Whigham, L. D. (2020). FRESH by Fauquier County Public Schools: Evaluation

Report for School Year 2019-2020. Provo, UT.

Reich, A. J., Claunch, K. D., Verdeja, M. A., Dungan, M. T., Anderson, S., Clayton, C. K., Goates, M. C., Thacker,

E. L. (2020). What does “successful aging” mean to you? – systematic review and cross-cultural comparison of

lay perspectives of older adults in 13 countries, 2010-2020. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 35(4), 455-478.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33064233/

Reimann, Z., Miller, J. R., Dahle, K., Hooper, A. P., Young, A. M., Goates, M. C., Magnusson, B. M., Crandall,

A. (2020). Executive functions and health behaviors associated with the leading causes of death in the United

States: A systematic review. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(2), 186-196. https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/

kB5HFY7KGAfQTKHRnnCN/full

Rosas-Salazar, C., Sloan, C. D., Gebretsadik, T., Miller, E. K., Anderson, L. J., Carroll, K. N., Hartert, T. V. (2020).

Urine Levels of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Are Associated with the Severity of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in

Infancy., 17 (11, 1489-1493): Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Roy, N., Merrill, R. M., Pierce, J., Sundar, K. (2020). Evidence of possible irritable larynx syndrome in obstructive

sleep apnea: An epidemiologic approach. Journal of Voice, S0892-1997(20).

Sloan, C. D. (2020). An epidemiologist’s view on personal liberty and mask-wearing. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret

News. https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2020/5/27/21272184/covid-19-mask-wearing-pandemic-libertyreopening-choice-epidemiologist

Sloan, C. D., Chandrasekhar, R., Mitchel, E., Ndi, D., Miller, L., Thomas, A., Bennett, N. M., Chai, S., Spencer, M.,

Eckel, S., Spina, N., Monroe, M., Anderson, E. J., Lynfield, R., Yousey-Hindes, K., Bargsten, M., Zansky, S., Lung,

K., Schroeder, M., Cummings, C., Garg, S., Schaffner, W., Lindegren, M. L. (2020). Spatial and temporal clustering

of patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza in the United States. 31, 100387.


28

Publications

Smyth, N. S., Graham, R., Johnston, J. D., Sloan, C. D., Beard, J. D. (2020). 3241.0 Association between

temperature inversions and emergency department visits for depression in Salt Lake County, Utah [abstract]. Online:

The American Public Health Association 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting and Expo, Online, October 24-28, 2020.

https://apha.confex.com/apha/2020/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/474750

Spruance, L. A., Clason, S., Burton, J. H., Myers, L., O’Malley, K., Johnson, C. C. (2020). Diet Quality is Lower

among Adolescents who Skip Lunch. American Journal of Health Promotion.

Spruance, L. A., Vaterlaus, J. Mitchell, Haines, A., Walker, J. (2020). Please bring a healthy snack”: An exploratory

study on parent experiences with post-game snacks and beverages in youth sports. Journal of Parks and Recreation

Administration.

Starkweather, C., Guarino, A., Bennion, N., Cottam, M., McGhie, J., Deaden, K., Santika, O., Jusril, H., Hall, P. C.,

Crookston, B. T., Linehan, M., Torres, S., Bennett, C., West, J. H. (2020). An interpersonal nutrition campaign

and maternal knowledge and childhood feeding practices: a case study from mothers in rural Indonesia. Archives of

Public Health, 78(62).

Stokes, N. M., Spruance, L. A. (2020). Processing and promoting local produce as part of farm to school

programs: Perspectives of school nutrition staff. Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 15(6), 778-793.

Suemoto, C. K., Gibbons, L. E., Thacker, E. L., Jackson, J. D., Satizabal, C. L., Bettcher, B. M., Launer, L., Phillips,

C., White, L. R., Power, M. C. (2020). Incident prolonged QT interval in midlife and late-life cognitive performance.

PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0229519. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32097438

Tamene, A., Mulugeta, H., Ashenafi, T., Thygerson, S. M. (2020). Musculoskeletal Disorders and Associated

Factors among Vehicle Repair Workers in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Environmental and Public

Health, 2020, 11.

Thygerson, S. M. (2020). International Education, Research and Service Opportunities for Students and Faculty

in Higher Learning Institutions. In Thomas P. Fuller (Ed.), International Occupational Hygiene: Building Pathways

and Networks (12). Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Taylor and Francis Group.

Weingarten, S. E., Dearden, K. A., Crookston, B. T., Penny, M. E., Behrman, J. R., Humphries, D. L. (2020). Are

Household Expenditures on Food Groups Associated with Children’s Future Heights in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and

Vietnam?. 17(13).

Weiss-Laxer, N., Crandall, A., Hughes, M. E., Riley, A. E. (2020). Families as a cornerstone in 21st century public

health: recommendations for research, education, policy and practice. Frontiers in Public Health, 8. https://www.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7530559/

Weiss-Laxer, N., Crandall, A., Okano, L., Riley, A. W. (2020). Building a Foundation for Family Health

Measurement in National Surveys: A Modified Delphi Expert Process. Maternal and Child Health Journal. https://

link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10995-019-02870-w

Wright, G. A., Olsen, G., West, J. H., Crookston, B. T., Walsh, T. (2020). Building Electric Bikes to Promote

Student Interest in Public Health and Engineering. Technology Engineering Teacher, 79(8), 7.

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