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Congratulations to the Class of 2022!
In April 2022, all 12 graduating MPH candidates presented their research projects – view their project titles below! We are incredibly proud of our graduating MCAH cohort, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors!
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Graduating MCAH 2-Year Students at the Berkeley Public Health Commencement Reception (left to right): Abena Asare, Clara Yang, Xenia Mendez, Kimsa Nguyen, Lauren Dinsmore, Mo Xu, and Hannah Hecht.
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Thank you MCAH Alumni!
Earlier this year, MCAH alumni joined the Foundations of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Leadership class, taught by Dr. Barbara Laraia, PhD, MPH, RD, for an alumni panel.
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Guests included (from left to right) Ryan Farquhar (MPH '21), Natasha Borgen (MPH '20), Brittany Margot (MPH '17), Yves-Yvette Young (MPH '16), and Megan Bontempo ( MPH '18).
The leadership class consists mostly of first-year MCAH students along with MCHB trainees in the UC Berkeley Public Health Nutrition (PHN) Program. When asked about their thoughts about the panel discussion this is what students had to share:
“The alumni panel discussion broadened my understanding of what it means to be an MCAH professional. Specifically, it showed me that you do not have to work with MCAH populations directly to make a difference in the field. It was very interesting to learn about the wide array of work MCAH graduates are doing, and how they incorporate what they’ve learned in the program to their day-to-day work life.” – Rachel Harvill (expected MPH '23)
“I enjoyed learning about the journey previous MCAH students have been on. I found it to be a very inspiring and eye-opening discussion. One of the most memorable pieces of advice shared was when the group was talking about imposter syndrome and Brittany Margot shared, 'Don’t puff up, don’t shrink. Stand your sacred ground.'” – Gabriela Gonzalez (expected MPH ‘23)
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Infant Formula Shortage Resources
In light of the current formula shortage in the US, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau has important messages to share:
- Never dilute formula: Diluting infant formula with water or other liquids can be dangerous and even life-threatening for babies, leading to a serious nutritional deficit and health issues.
- Avoid homemade formula: Homemade formulas often lack or have inadequate amounts of critical nutrients. For example, babies fed homemade infant formula have been hospitalized due to hypocalcemia (low calcium).
- Use of substitute formulas is OK: For most babies, if their regular brand of formula is not currently available, it is OK to substitute with a similar version. If families have questions about which formula is acceptable, or if they are still having difficulty finding formula, they should contact their child’s pediatric provider or WIC clinic.
- Talk to your doctor: Families should consult their pediatrician if their babies or children require a specialized formula and need a recommendation for a comparable formula to use. Providers can also submit an urgent request for specialized formula to Abbott, a primary formula manufacturer. Abbott is releasing some specialty and metabolic formulas on a case-by-case basis.
- Providers can contact Abbott: Healthcare providers who provide care for children in critical need of a particular specialty formula should contact Abbott directly to request the product by calling 1-800-881-0876 or visiting their formula information and product request form.
Additional Resources:
Fact Sheet: Helping Families Find Formula During the Infant Formula Shortage (CLICK HERE for Spanish version)
Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA): Find a Milk Bank Near You
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Dr. Julianna Deardorff, Director of the Center of Excellence in MCAH at UC Berkeley, along with Dr. Ronald E. Dahl (Professor, Community Health Sciences, Berkeley Public Health) and other speakers, was featured in the "Health from the Life Course Perspective" panel as part of the Berkeley Public Health 2022 Dean's Speaker Series. Click here to view the recording.
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Dr. Ndola Prata, Professor in MCAH, presented a Berkeley Public Health Brown Bag and shared how telemedicine provides a unique opportunity to increase access to abortion care in Rwanda. Visit this link to view the recording.
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In this article about the delayed access to doula care in California, Dr. Cassondra Marshall, Assistant Professor in MCAH, shares that most private insurances do not cover doulas. This was supposed to be the year that people enrolled in Medi-cal could receive a new benefit for doula care; however, the structure of the benefit is still being determined.
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Earlier this year, Dr. Kim Harley, Associate Professor of MCAH, shared her research on the impacts of pesticides on the health of mothers and children in agricultural communities. Dr. Harley's testimonial at the legislative hearing set the stage for how the administration is addressing potential pesticide risks. Click here to read the article.
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Art in Public Health
In Spring 2022, Dr. Jaspal Sandhu, Professor of Practice in MCAH, and Dr. Somalee Banerjee, Hospital Medicine Physician at Kaiser Permanente, created a new multidisciplinary course, “The Art of Public Health.” Graduate and undergraduate students from 10 different UC Berkeley programs enrolled in the interactive and making-based course. Course learners included MCAH students: Noel Leon (expected MPH '23), Julie Grassian (expected MSW/MPH '24), Sylvia Gin (expected MSW/MPH '24), Mariah Jilles (expected MPH '23), and Alysia Swint (MPH '22). Over the course of the semester, learners explored the ways that art shapes public health practice and they debuted their final projects at their end of the semester showcase, “UNMAKING.” Visit this link to view a copy of the “UNMAKING” program.
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Annalisa Watson (expected MPH '23) served as the Creative Manager. The course was supported by Dr. Tom Janisse, Berkeley Public Health - Community Health Sciences Division, and The Wallace Center for Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health. The team is currently working with Berkeley Public Health to possibly exhibit some of the artwork at BWW for artists who are willing to loan their work, stay tuned for more details!
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Current MCAH graduate student, Julie Grassian (expected MPH/MSW ‘24), recently published a policy brief on the Effects of Childhood Parental Loss on Mental Health Outcomes. Youth struggle with finding grief resources. Policy recommendations include increasing access to comprehensive, culturally responsive mental health services within school settings. Visit this link to read more.
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The Wallace Center Award recipient, Rachel Harvill (expected MPH ‘23), reflects on the state of equity in maternal and child health after attending Stanford's Maternal and Child Health Research Institute symposium in October. The conference highlighted how data-driven technology is being used to improve the early identification of risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Click here to read her reflection.
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Alison Gemmill (MPH '11) is featured as a study author in a recent article on World Bank Blogs. The article, titled, “Excess under-five mortality due to COVID-19 related economic downturn” discusses the higher rates of under-5 mortality (U5M) in lower-income countries compared to high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The economic toll of the pandemic has left an effect on children’s health, regardless of whether they acquired COVID-19. For example, indirect effects include malnutrition, delayed immunizations, and closed health clinics. Click here to read the full article.
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For Mental Health Awareness Month, David Orellana Delgado (YEDI/LEAP Fellow) wrote about his experience as an undergraduate research assistant with the Fuerte Program, a primary and secondary school-based prevention program created to support the health and well-being of recently-immigrated Latinx newcomer students in the San Francisco Unified School District. Click here to read more.
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Congratulations to the Class of 2022!
Warmest congratulations to the Class of 2022 MCHB LEAP undergraduate trainees at UC Berkeley:
- Breanna Chacon (Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, YEDI/LEAP Fellow '22)
- Sophie Manoukian (Bachelor of Arts in Public Health, LEAP Peer Ambassador '22)
- Verania Valdez (Bachelor of Arts in Public Health, LEAP Peer Ambassador '22)
- Cordelia Varona (Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Science, YEDI/LEAP Fellow '22)
Never stop learning, exploring, growing, and challenging yourself to be your best. We are excited to hear more about your future accomplishments in MCAH and beyond!
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Dr. Sylvia Guendelman, Professor Emerita of MCAH, and Betsy Pleasants (DrPH(c), MPH '19) are cited in a Mother Jones article on abortion and pregnancy disinformation, "The Disinformation Campaign Behind a Top Pregnancy Website" – click here to read the article.
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COVID-19 numbers have been on the rise in California, especially in the Bay Area. Twelve Bay Area Health Officers are urging people to take the proper precautions. The current subvariant BA.2 - also referred to as “stealth” Omicron - while highly transmissible, has been found to be less likely to result in serious infection. Based on existing data, the vaccines and booster continue to be protective against the BA.2 subvariant. See the CDC guidelines for the latest booster eligibility.
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A study from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) found evidence supporting the importance of COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women. Conducted in eight Latin American countries, data showed one in three pregnant women who had COVID-19 did not receive critical care, despite having access to an intensive care unit.
Lead authors of the study are calling for collaborative efforts in order to address the inequitable global distribution of vaccines, with pregnant women having some of the lowest rates. Click here to read the full article.
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2022 MCAH Alumni Networking Event
Fall 2022, In-Person Event
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The 2022 Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Alumni Networking Event is planned for Fall 2022 - stay tuned for more information!
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Protecting, Strengthening, & Expanding Abortion Care in California
Friday, May 27, 2022 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM PST
Zoom
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The UCLA Bixby Center on Population and Reproductive Health invites you to join a conversation with top representatives from five of California’s most prominent abortion advocacy organizations.
For more information, please contact the Bixby Program Assistant, Frankie Guevara (fguevara@g.ucla.edu).
Visit tinyurl.com/uclabixbyabortion to register now for the Zoom link!
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The MCH Job Board serves as a resource for current and former MCH students across the nation as well as others looking for maternal and child health job opportunities and postdoctoral fellowships as well as those who want to post such opportunities. New opportunities are posted as they are received, and will be removed weekly based on the noted deadlines or a month after the posting date.
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Recent select publications from MCAH faculty, postdocs, and alumni:
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Explanatory Factors for the Variation in HIV Prevalence between Regions of Côte d’Ivoire: An Ecological Study. Essis E, Iba B, Konan L, Konan E, Aka J, and Prata N. Health, May 2022.
Toward Integration of Life Course Intervention and Youth Participatory Action Research. Ozer EJ, Sprague Martinez L, Abraczinskas M, Villa B, & Prata N. Pediatrics, May 2022.
The Critical Value of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) to Graduate Training in Public Health: A Framework to Guide Education, Research and Practice. Deardorff J, Tissue MM, Elliott P, Handler A, Vamos C, Bonilla Z, Turchi R, Obeng CS, Liu J, & Grason H. Maternal and child health journal, May 2022.
Effects of prenatal exposure to maternal COVID-19 and perinatal care on neonatal outcome: results from the INTERCOVID Multinational Cohort Study. Giuliani F, Oros D, Gunier RB, Deantoni S, Rauch S, Casale R, Nieto R, Bertino E, Rego A, Menis C, Gravet MG, Candiani M, Deruelle P, García-May PK, Mhatre M, Ado Usman M, Abd-Elsalam S, Etuk S, Napolitano R, Liu B, … Eskenazi B, Villar J. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, April 2022.
Prenatal exposure to insecticides and child cardiometabolic risk factors in the VHEMBE birth cohort. Kim J, Yang S, Moodie EE, Obida M, Bornman R, Eskenazi B, & Chevrier J. Environmental epidemiology, February 2022.
All in the Family: A Qualitative Study of the Early Experiences of Adults with Younger Onset Type 2 Diabetes. Gopalan A, Blatchins MA, Xu KK, Altschuler A, Marshall CJ, Hessler DM, Fernandez A, & Grant RW. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, March 2022.
Associations between infant growth and pubertal onset timing in a multiethnic prospective cohort of girls. Aghaee S, Quesenberry CP Jr, Deardorff J, Kushi LH, Greenspan LC, Ferrara A, & Kubo A. BMC pediatrics, March 2022
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