25 Years of Public Health
Published on October 15, 2024
PROTECTING AND IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH has long been a part of the University of Iowa’s commitment to the state of Iowa. Efforts to control communicable diseases, track cancer and birth defects, and prevent injuries are just a small sampling of the many university-based initiatives that have helped strengthen and support public health in Iowa for more than a century.
Prior to 1999, however, the university had no unifying academic unit dedicated to public health. The formation of the College of Public Health provided that focus. In the 25 years since its founding, the college has been at the forefront of innovative developments in public health education and training, new research to expand and deepen the public health knowledge base, and community-based initiatives to promote and support better health for Iowans.
The College of Public Health also fueled new interdisciplinary partnerships with units at the university, other academic and research institutions, local and state health agencies, and community stakeholders to bolster the state’s public health infrastructure.
As the first decades of the 21st century have demonstrated, the public health challenges confronting Iowa and the world are continually evolving. New skills and knowledge are required to address increasingly complex health issues—from mental health to pandemics to the impacts of a changing climate.
The following examples highlight some of the ways College of Public Health faculty, staff, students, and alumni have responded to emerging challenges and continue the University of Iowa’s proud tradition of supporting public health in Iowa, the nation, and the world.
PREPAREDNESS
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and subsequent anthrax attacks in the U.S. profoundly changed the nation and the field of public health. Renewed interest in public health infrastructure spurred an influx of federal funding targeted at responding to terrorism threats and improving disaster preparedness.
In 2001, the college established the Iowa Center for Public Health Preparedness (ICPHP), one of 15 CDC-funded Centers for Public Health Preparedness located throughout the U.S. The ICPHP trained Iowa’s public health workforce to prepare for, promptly identify, and respond to public health threats. The center initiated a train-the-trainer program and Grand Rounds series focused on public health preparedness, sponsored a statewide conference on improving Iowa’s preparedness capacity, and established the Education and Training Advisory Committee with state-level partners. Additional grants over the years have continued to support public health workforce development.
More recently, the Disaster PrepWise program was created to help individuals and families develop tailored disaster management plans for natural disasters, fires, and other emergency situations.
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters upend the lives of millions of people each year. The state of Iowa has seen its share of extreme weather events, including tornadoes, floods, derechos, and, more recently, poor air quality due to wildfire smoke. The college offers expert advice on preparedness, health and safety measures during a disaster and recovery, and even hands-on help.
As one example, throughout the 2008 flood that affected eastern Iowa and the University of Iowa campus, CPH experts offered guidance on mold cleanup, essential protective equipment, mental health and stress, water quality, injury prevention, vector-borne illness, and other health concerns. Several CPH students distributed clean-up information in flooded neighborhoods as interns with the Johnson County Department of Public Health.
The Public Health Strike Force—a team of trained student volunteers from the UI College of Public Health—was formed more recently to support health and nonprofit organizations throughout Iowa with public health-related activities, events, and emergency response.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Before there was COVID-19, diseases like SARS, MERS, Zika, Ebola, and many others have caused global concern. In addition to new pathogens, older diseases like measles and avian influenza continue to pose challenges.
Researchers in the College of Public Health approach infectious diseases from a variety of disciplines. The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is focused on research and training in cross-cutting emerging infectious diseases, particularly those that are zoonotic. Biostatisticians develop statistical models to predict the spread of diseases, such as COVID and bird flu. Epidemiologists study vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and Leishmaniasis. Investigators in community and behavioral health study ways to increase uptake of vaccines for preventable diseases. From the field and lab to hospital and community settings, public health is working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and protect health.
Cancer
Cancer is a major burden throughout the U.S. and world. In Iowa, cancer data are collected by the State Health Registry of Iowa, also known as the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR). Since 1973, the ICR has been funded by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The center is one of 21 U.S. registries providing data, which are used in many NCI publications, national estimates, and projections of cancer burden. The ICR also produces the annual Cancer in Iowa report that includes county-specific estimates for new cancer cases and cancer death projections, the most prevalent types of cancer in Iowa, cancer survivor statistics in each county, and cancer trends in the state.
The state of Iowa has the second-highest and fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the U.S., with rural populations experiencing greater cancer mortality than urban ones. The Iowa Rural Cancer Collaboratory is an interdisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers with the mission to optimize cancer outcomes for rural Iowans. Through the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network, the University of Iowa aims to support community hospitals across the state in the delivery of comprehensive cancer care to rural Iowans. The network is coordinated by UI researchers and clinicians in partnership with the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.
SUBSTANCE USE AND RECOVERY
Substance use, mental health, and treatment-related behaviors are closely intertwined. Over the years, CPH researchers have studied binge and underage drinking, developed a media campaign on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and hosted a summit on alcohol policy in Iowa. In 2004, the Prevention Research Center worked with community members and officials in Keokuk County, Iowa, to develop a countywide keg registration ordinance.
In 2015, the college hosted a summit that brought more than 200 experts together to address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse and overdose epidemic plaguing eastern Iowa. In 2017, the UI Injury Prevention Research Center sponsored a statewide meeting to identify priorities for addressing the opioid epidemic in Iowa and published a subsequent report of policy and program recommendations.
More recently, researchers have examined how adults with alcohol use disorder achieve remission without obtaining professional treatment and highlighted the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer.
Mental Health
Millions of people around the globe are affected by mental illness. In the U.S., 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youths experience a mental health disorder each year.
CPH researchers have studied mental health and stress in schools, the workplace, and in rural populations. One recent study found that adolescent mental health conditions are increasing in many countries worldwide, and that growth is occurring most markedly among girls. Another grant-funded program is training graduate students to become school-based mental health services professionals in high-need areas of Iowa.
Suicide prevention has been the focus of several outreach programs, particularly those serving agricultural workers. Suicide rates in rural areas are higher than in urban settings, and farmers have been identified as a high-risk population, with suicide rates consistently above those of the general population.
The college’s Native Center for Behavioral Health develops culturally informed programs to support the behavioral health workforce in Native American and Alaska Native communities across the country.
Research, education, and outreach efforts in the college continue to work to destigmatize mental illness and reduce health inequities in accessing treatment.
TOBACCO AND VAPING
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths. In 2001, the multidisciplinary Iowa Tobacco Research Center (ITRC) was formed to research and evaluate activities in tobacco use and control.
The ITRC also operated Quitline Iowa, a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. The following year, the College of Public Health co-sponsored a conference that examined the global tobacco epidemic and approaches to tobacco control worldwide.
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has increased, especially among youth. In 2019, the Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy brought together interdisciplinary researchers from across campus with interests in e-cigarette and vaping research. The institute also hosted two public lectures and panel discussions about vaping that drew parents, school representatives, policymakers, and community members. CPH researchers also helped to develop a targeted e-cigarette health communication campaign for college students and studied the role social media plays in promoting e-cigarettes.
NUTRITION
Poor nutrition can lead to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. But eating healthfully isn’t always easy, since nutrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods as well as consumers’ knowledge, preferences, and culture.
CPH researchers have addressed these factors from a variety of angles. The Nutrition Center was established in 2005 to provide nutrition counseling and dietary assessment and to promote nutrition with a focus on the research, education, and service missions of the UI College of Public Health.
The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy implemented the Healthy LifeStars program in Iowa in 2018. Healthy LifeStars is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The program operates in schools and is conducted in part through UI student coaches. The program also hosts an annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of childhood obesity.
Other nutrition-focused projects have created interventions to make choosing healthy options easier at restaurants and school cafeterias, evaluated the Pick a Better Snack program, and studied food insecurity.
INJURY PREVENTION
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
HEALTH POLICY
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and subsequent anthrax attacks in the U.S. profoundly changed the nation and the field of public health. Renewed interest in public health infrastructure spurred an influx of federal funding targeted at responding to terrorism threats and improving disaster preparedness.
In 2001, the college established the Iowa Center for Public Health Preparedness (ICPHP), one of 15 CDC-funded Centers for Public Health Preparedness located throughout the U.S. The ICPHP trained Iowa’s public health workforce to prepare for, promptly identify, and respond to public health threats. The center initiated a train-the-trainer program and Grand Rounds series focused on public health preparedness, sponsored a statewide conference on improving Iowa’s preparedness capacity, and established the Education and Training Advisory Committee with state-level partners. Additional grants over the years have continued to support public health workforce development.
More recently, the Disaster PrepWise program was created to help individuals and families develop tailored disaster management plans for natural disasters, fires, and other emergency situations.
Natural disasters upend the lives of millions of people each year. The state of Iowa has seen its share of extreme weather events, including tornadoes, floods, derechos, and, more recently, poor air quality due to wildfire smoke. The college offers expert advice on preparedness, health and safety measures during a disaster and recovery, and even hands-on help.
As one example, throughout the 2008 flood that affected eastern Iowa and the University of Iowa campus, CPH experts offered guidance on mold cleanup, essential protective equipment, mental health and stress, water quality, injury prevention, vector-borne illness, and other health concerns. Several CPH students distributed clean-up information in flooded neighborhoods as interns with the Johnson County Department of Public Health.
The Public Health Strike Force—a team of trained student volunteers from the UI College of Public Health—was formed more recently to support health and nonprofit organizations throughout Iowa with public health-related activities, events, and emergency response.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Before there was COVID-19, diseases like SARS, MERS, Zika, Ebola, and many others have caused global concern. In addition to new pathogens, older diseases like measles and avian influenza continue to pose challenges.
Researchers in the College of Public Health approach infectious diseases from a variety of disciplines. The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is focused on research and training in cross-cutting emerging infectious diseases, particularly those that are zoonotic. Biostatisticians develop statistical models to predict the spread of diseases, such as COVID and bird flu. Epidemiologists study vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and Leishmaniasis. Investigators in community and behavioral health study ways to increase uptake of vaccines for preventable diseases. From the field and lab to hospital and community settings, public health is working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and protect health.
Cancer
Cancer is a major burden throughout the U.S. and world. In Iowa, cancer data are collected by the State Health Registry of Iowa, also known as the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR). Since 1973, the ICR has been funded by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The center is one of 21 U.S. registries providing data, which are used in many NCI publications, national estimates, and projections of cancer burden. The ICR also produces the annual Cancer in Iowa report that includes county-specific estimates for new cancer cases and cancer death projections, the most prevalent types of cancer in Iowa, cancer survivor statistics in each county, and cancer trends in the state.
The state of Iowa has the second-highest and fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the U.S., with rural populations experiencing greater cancer mortality than urban ones. The Iowa Rural Cancer Collaboratory is an interdisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers with the mission to optimize cancer outcomes for rural Iowans. Through the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network, the University of Iowa aims to support community hospitals across the state in the delivery of comprehensive cancer care to rural Iowans. The network is coordinated by UI researchers and clinicians in partnership with the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.
SUBSTANCE USE AND RECOVERY
Substance use, mental health, and treatment-related behaviors are closely intertwined. Over the years, CPH researchers have studied binge and underage drinking, developed a media campaign on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and hosted a summit on alcohol policy in Iowa. In 2004, the Prevention Research Center worked with community members and officials in Keokuk County, Iowa, to develop a countywide keg registration ordinance.
In 2015, the college hosted a summit that brought more than 200 experts together to address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse and overdose epidemic plaguing eastern Iowa. In 2017, the UI Injury Prevention Research Center sponsored a statewide meeting to identify priorities for addressing the opioid epidemic in Iowa and published a subsequent report of policy and program recommendations.
More recently, researchers have examined how adults with alcohol use disorder achieve remission without obtaining professional treatment and highlighted the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer.
Mental Health
Millions of people around the globe are affected by mental illness. In the U.S., 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youths experience a mental health disorder each year.
CPH researchers have studied mental health and stress in schools, the workplace, and in rural populations. One recent study found that adolescent mental health conditions are increasing in many countries worldwide, and that growth is occurring most markedly among girls. Another grant-funded program is training graduate students to become school-based mental health services professionals in high-need areas of Iowa.
Suicide prevention has been the focus of several outreach programs, particularly those serving agricultural workers. Suicide rates in rural areas are higher than in urban settings, and farmers have been identified as a high-risk population, with suicide rates consistently above those of the general population.
The college’s Native Center for Behavioral Health develops culturally informed programs to support the behavioral health workforce in Native American and Alaska Native communities across the country.
Research, education, and outreach efforts in the college continue to work to destigmatize mental illness and reduce health inequities in accessing treatment.
TOBACCO AND VAPING
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths. In 2001, the multidisciplinary Iowa Tobacco Research Center (ITRC) was formed to research and evaluate activities in tobacco use and control.
The ITRC also operated Quitline Iowa, a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. The following year, the College of Public Health co-sponsored a conference that examined the global tobacco epidemic and approaches to tobacco control worldwide.
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has increased, especially among youth. In 2019, the Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy brought together interdisciplinary researchers from across campus with interests in e-cigarette and vaping research. The institute also hosted two public lectures and panel discussions about vaping that drew parents, school representatives, policymakers, and community members. CPH researchers also helped to develop a targeted e-cigarette health communication campaign for college students and studied the role social media plays in promoting e-cigarettes.
NUTRITION
Poor nutrition can lead to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. But eating healthfully isn’t always easy, since nutrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods as well as consumers’ knowledge, preferences, and culture.
CPH researchers have addressed these factors from a variety of angles. The Nutrition Center was established in 2005 to provide nutrition counseling and dietary assessment and to promote nutrition with a focus on the research, education, and service missions of the UI College of Public Health.
The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy implemented the Healthy LifeStars program in Iowa in 2018. Healthy LifeStars is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The program operates in schools and is conducted in part through UI student coaches. The program also hosts an annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of childhood obesity.
Other nutrition-focused projects have created interventions to make choosing healthy options easier at restaurants and school cafeterias, evaluated the Pick a Better Snack program, and studied food insecurity.
INJURY PREVENTION
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
HEALTH POLICY
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
Before there was COVID-19, diseases like SARS, MERS, Zika, Ebola, and many others have caused global concern. In addition to new pathogens, older diseases like measles and avian influenza continue to pose challenges.
Researchers in the College of Public Health approach infectious diseases from a variety of disciplines. The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases is focused on research and training in cross-cutting emerging infectious diseases, particularly those that are zoonotic. Biostatisticians develop statistical models to predict the spread of diseases, such as COVID and bird flu. Epidemiologists study vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and Leishmaniasis. Investigators in community and behavioral health study ways to increase uptake of vaccines for preventable diseases. From the field and lab to hospital and community settings, public health is working to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and protect health.
Cancer is a major burden throughout the U.S. and world. In Iowa, cancer data are collected by the State Health Registry of Iowa, also known as the Iowa Cancer Registry (ICR). Since 1973, the ICR has been funded by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The center is one of 21 U.S. registries providing data, which are used in many NCI publications, national estimates, and projections of cancer burden. The ICR also produces the annual Cancer in Iowa report that includes county-specific estimates for new cancer cases and cancer death projections, the most prevalent types of cancer in Iowa, cancer survivor statistics in each county, and cancer trends in the state.
The state of Iowa has the second-highest and fastest-growing rate of new cancers in the U.S., with rural populations experiencing greater cancer mortality than urban ones. The Iowa Rural Cancer Collaboratory is an interdisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers with the mission to optimize cancer outcomes for rural Iowans. Through the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network, the University of Iowa aims to support community hospitals across the state in the delivery of comprehensive cancer care to rural Iowans. The network is coordinated by UI researchers and clinicians in partnership with the UI Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.
SUBSTANCE USE AND RECOVERY
Substance use, mental health, and treatment-related behaviors are closely intertwined. Over the years, CPH researchers have studied binge and underage drinking, developed a media campaign on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and hosted a summit on alcohol policy in Iowa. In 2004, the Prevention Research Center worked with community members and officials in Keokuk County, Iowa, to develop a countywide keg registration ordinance.
In 2015, the college hosted a summit that brought more than 200 experts together to address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse and overdose epidemic plaguing eastern Iowa. In 2017, the UI Injury Prevention Research Center sponsored a statewide meeting to identify priorities for addressing the opioid epidemic in Iowa and published a subsequent report of policy and program recommendations.
More recently, researchers have examined how adults with alcohol use disorder achieve remission without obtaining professional treatment and highlighted the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer.
Mental Health
Millions of people around the globe are affected by mental illness. In the U.S., 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youths experience a mental health disorder each year.
CPH researchers have studied mental health and stress in schools, the workplace, and in rural populations. One recent study found that adolescent mental health conditions are increasing in many countries worldwide, and that growth is occurring most markedly among girls. Another grant-funded program is training graduate students to become school-based mental health services professionals in high-need areas of Iowa.
Suicide prevention has been the focus of several outreach programs, particularly those serving agricultural workers. Suicide rates in rural areas are higher than in urban settings, and farmers have been identified as a high-risk population, with suicide rates consistently above those of the general population.
The college’s Native Center for Behavioral Health develops culturally informed programs to support the behavioral health workforce in Native American and Alaska Native communities across the country.
Research, education, and outreach efforts in the college continue to work to destigmatize mental illness and reduce health inequities in accessing treatment.
TOBACCO AND VAPING
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths. In 2001, the multidisciplinary Iowa Tobacco Research Center (ITRC) was formed to research and evaluate activities in tobacco use and control.
The ITRC also operated Quitline Iowa, a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. The following year, the College of Public Health co-sponsored a conference that examined the global tobacco epidemic and approaches to tobacco control worldwide.
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has increased, especially among youth. In 2019, the Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy brought together interdisciplinary researchers from across campus with interests in e-cigarette and vaping research. The institute also hosted two public lectures and panel discussions about vaping that drew parents, school representatives, policymakers, and community members. CPH researchers also helped to develop a targeted e-cigarette health communication campaign for college students and studied the role social media plays in promoting e-cigarettes.
NUTRITION
Poor nutrition can lead to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. But eating healthfully isn’t always easy, since nutrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods as well as consumers’ knowledge, preferences, and culture.
CPH researchers have addressed these factors from a variety of angles. The Nutrition Center was established in 2005 to provide nutrition counseling and dietary assessment and to promote nutrition with a focus on the research, education, and service missions of the UI College of Public Health.
The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy implemented the Healthy LifeStars program in Iowa in 2018. Healthy LifeStars is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The program operates in schools and is conducted in part through UI student coaches. The program also hosts an annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of childhood obesity.
Other nutrition-focused projects have created interventions to make choosing healthy options easier at restaurants and school cafeterias, evaluated the Pick a Better Snack program, and studied food insecurity.
INJURY PREVENTION
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
HEALTH POLICY
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
Substance use, mental health, and treatment-related behaviors are closely intertwined. Over the years, CPH researchers have studied binge and underage drinking, developed a media campaign on the risks of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and hosted a summit on alcohol policy in Iowa. In 2004, the Prevention Research Center worked with community members and officials in Keokuk County, Iowa, to develop a countywide keg registration ordinance.
In 2015, the college hosted a summit that brought more than 200 experts together to address the heroin and prescription opioid abuse and overdose epidemic plaguing eastern Iowa. In 2017, the UI Injury Prevention Research Center sponsored a statewide meeting to identify priorities for addressing the opioid epidemic in Iowa and published a subsequent report of policy and program recommendations.
More recently, researchers have examined how adults with alcohol use disorder achieve remission without obtaining professional treatment and highlighted the connection between alcohol consumption and cancer.
Millions of people around the globe are affected by mental illness. In the U.S., 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youths experience a mental health disorder each year.
CPH researchers have studied mental health and stress in schools, the workplace, and in rural populations. One recent study found that adolescent mental health conditions are increasing in many countries worldwide, and that growth is occurring most markedly among girls. Another grant-funded program is training graduate students to become school-based mental health services professionals in high-need areas of Iowa.
Suicide prevention has been the focus of several outreach programs, particularly those serving agricultural workers. Suicide rates in rural areas are higher than in urban settings, and farmers have been identified as a high-risk population, with suicide rates consistently above those of the general population.
The college’s Native Center for Behavioral Health develops culturally informed programs to support the behavioral health workforce in Native American and Alaska Native communities across the country.
Research, education, and outreach efforts in the college continue to work to destigmatize mental illness and reduce health inequities in accessing treatment.
TOBACCO AND VAPING
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths. In 2001, the multidisciplinary Iowa Tobacco Research Center (ITRC) was formed to research and evaluate activities in tobacco use and control.
The ITRC also operated Quitline Iowa, a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. The following year, the College of Public Health co-sponsored a conference that examined the global tobacco epidemic and approaches to tobacco control worldwide.
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has increased, especially among youth. In 2019, the Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy brought together interdisciplinary researchers from across campus with interests in e-cigarette and vaping research. The institute also hosted two public lectures and panel discussions about vaping that drew parents, school representatives, policymakers, and community members. CPH researchers also helped to develop a targeted e-cigarette health communication campaign for college students and studied the role social media plays in promoting e-cigarettes.
NUTRITION
Poor nutrition can lead to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. But eating healthfully isn’t always easy, since nutrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods as well as consumers’ knowledge, preferences, and culture.
CPH researchers have addressed these factors from a variety of angles. The Nutrition Center was established in 2005 to provide nutrition counseling and dietary assessment and to promote nutrition with a focus on the research, education, and service missions of the UI College of Public Health.
The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy implemented the Healthy LifeStars program in Iowa in 2018. Healthy LifeStars is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The program operates in schools and is conducted in part through UI student coaches. The program also hosts an annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of childhood obesity.
Other nutrition-focused projects have created interventions to make choosing healthy options easier at restaurants and school cafeterias, evaluated the Pick a Better Snack program, and studied food insecurity.
INJURY PREVENTION
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
HEALTH POLICY
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States, accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths. In 2001, the multidisciplinary Iowa Tobacco Research Center (ITRC) was formed to research and evaluate activities in tobacco use and control.
The ITRC also operated Quitline Iowa, a toll-free, statewide smoking cessation telephone counseling hotline. The following year, the College of Public Health co-sponsored a conference that examined the global tobacco epidemic and approaches to tobacco control worldwide.
In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices has increased, especially among youth. In 2019, the Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy brought together interdisciplinary researchers from across campus with interests in e-cigarette and vaping research. The institute also hosted two public lectures and panel discussions about vaping that drew parents, school representatives, policymakers, and community members. CPH researchers also helped to develop a targeted e-cigarette health communication campaign for college students and studied the role social media plays in promoting e-cigarettes.
Poor nutrition can lead to diet-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. But eating healthfully isn’t always easy, since nutrition is influenced by a variety of factors, including access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods as well as consumers’ knowledge, preferences, and culture.
CPH researchers have addressed these factors from a variety of angles. The Nutrition Center was established in 2005 to provide nutrition counseling and dietary assessment and to promote nutrition with a focus on the research, education, and service missions of the UI College of Public Health.
The Iowa Institute of Public Health Research and Policy implemented the Healthy LifeStars program in Iowa in 2018. Healthy LifeStars is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood obesity through education, awareness, and changed habits to influence future generations of healthy children. The program operates in schools and is conducted in part through UI student coaches. The program also hosts an annual conference on nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of childhood obesity.
Other nutrition-focused projects have created interventions to make choosing healthy options easier at restaurants and school cafeterias, evaluated the Pick a Better Snack program, and studied food insecurity.
INJURY PREVENTION
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
HEALTH POLICY
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
In the United States, preventable injuries rank as the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. Several centers in the college are focused on injury prevention and occupational safety. Together, they address injury and violence prevention, rural and occupational injuries, road traffic safety, ergonomics, mental health, wellness, and more.
The UI Injury Prevention Research Center prevents injuries through interdisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the center brings together the academic, practice, and policy communities to reduce the burden of traumatic injuries and violence.
The Healthier Workforce Center (HWC) of the Midwest provides free and low-cost resources and education for employers and practitioners to support worker well-being. The HWC is one of ten Total Worker Health Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety provides graduate training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational health and safety. The center is supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Health care in the United States is complex, with major changes and reforms in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance taking place in the past 25 years. To better understand the changing health care landscape, the college co-sponsored the Rebalancing Health Care in the Heartland series of forums from 2006 to 2015. These nonpartisan conferences, led by the UI Health Sciences Policy Council, provided a forum for Iowa health care leaders and policymakers to discuss state and federal health care delivery, reform, and innovation.
The college prepares graduates for positions as health care administrators with a comprehensive understanding of patient-centered health care as well as the skills needed to navigate complex administrative and management systems. It also prepares researchers to study how health care policies affect costs, coverage, access, quality, and outcomes.
The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) provides nonpartisan, research-based analysis and information on the challenges, needs, and opportunities facing rural communities. Within RUPRI, the Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis conducts original research on access to health care services, Medicare policies, development of rural delivery systems, and public health. The center’s mission is to provide timely analysis to federal and state health policy makers, based on the best available research.
CLINICAL TRIALS
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people.
The Preventive Intervention Center (PIC) has conducted health research and clinical trials to ensure medical treatments are safe and effective. Over the years, the center participated in research studies aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and diabetes. PIC also has tested new, investigational medications, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, dietary supplements, vaccines, and exercise and nutritional programs.
The Clinical Trials Statistical & Data Management Center (CTSDMC) provides statistical and data management support for multicenter clinical trials. The center has collaborated with researchers at the University of Iowa and at more than 100 other academic institutions, nationally and internationally. In each of its projects, the CTSDMC provides innovative leadership in study design, data collection, data management, project management, clinical site monitoring, quality management, safety monitoring, and statistical design and analysis. The center has contributed to numerous studies, including research on migraines, strokes, chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, neurological diseases, and Parkinson’s Disease.
Certain groups of people, such as older adults, youth, people with disabilities, refugee populations, migrant agricultural workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lower incomes, often face barriers that put them at a higher risk for poor health outcomes.
College research focused on an aging population includes fall prevention, age-friendly workplaces, nursing home staffing, aging in place, caregiving, and deprescribing medication. Other research has concentrated on topics in child and adolescent health, including teen driving, protecting young workers on the job, and preventing interpersonal violence and bullying.
Refugee populations have increased in Iowa in recent years, and there are often gaps in access to resources as these groups transition to a new place with a different language and culture. Projects based in the college have focused on providing mental well-being support to refugee communities, increasing access to health care, and improving maternal health and birth outcomes.
CPH researchers also collaborated on a 2018 report that summarized the findings of a survey about the health of LGTBQ+ individuals in Iowa. The survey identified strengths as well as problem areas, such as unmet mental health needs, high levels of binge drinking, low perceived knowledge of LGBTQ+ health issues among health care providers, and ongoing experiences of discrimination.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Covid-19
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country with significant risk for injuries and death. The college is home to two centers dedicated to improving the health and safety of agricultural workers and their families.
The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (GPCAH) conducts research, education, and outreach to prevent occupational injury and illness among agricultural workers. The center serves the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin—the states that constitute America’s most agriculturally intensive region.
Iowa’s Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH) is a collaborative effort between four Iowa institutions: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. I-CASH works to improve the health and safety of the agricultural population by developing statewide prevention and educational initiatives.
Perhaps no other recent event has impacted the field of public health as dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic has. In the College of Public Health, faculty, staff, and students immediately applied their skills and expertise to reduce the spread of the virus, keep people safe, and help inform the public.
Early in the pandemic, health providers nationwide struggled to overcome a critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CPH experts played a critical part in evaluating the safety of PPE that had been manufactured from novel components, decontaminated using new technologies, or produced by volunteers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, CPH researchers tracked COVID-19 case and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties nationwide. Their data showed that COVID case and death rates were higher in rural counties than in urban counties.
Dozens of CPH students worked as contact tracers at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa City. To better assess the impact of the pandemic on employee work arrangements, health, and well-being, investigators conducted a series of surveys that collected data from more than 10,000 University of Iowa employees. CPH faculty advised the university on safely returning to in-person activities. Researchers also studied ways to increase vaccine uptake, support mental health, model the spread of disease, reduce transmission in indoor spaces, and much more. The knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic continue to inform public health practice and education today.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 issue of Iowa Public Health Magazine