20th anniversary conference features field’s early pioneers and looks ahead The University of South Florida College of Public Health’s annual social marketing conference continues to carry the banner for the discipline as the cadre of skilled social marketers grows and expands applications beyond health. “USF’s conference has done more to advance social marketing than any other single effort I know,” said Philip Kotler, PhD, distinguished professor of international marketing at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Kotler, who coined the term “social marketing,” joined colleagues Alan Andreasen, PhD, […]

Tampa, FL (June 18, 2010) — Extremely obese women are at greatly increased risk for hypertension in pregnancy – a potential deadly complication — compared to their normal-weight counterparts, new research by the University of South Florida shows. The findings by Dr. Hamisu Salihu and colleagues at USF Health were recently published online in the international obstetrics and gynecology journal BJOG. High blood pressure problems, known as pre-eclampsia, affect approximately 6 to 8 percent of pregnancies in the United States, typically starting after the 20th week of pregnancy, according to […]

Benefit for infants born to black women may be greatest, USF study suggests Tampa, FL (June 17, 2010) — Studies have shown fathers who are active in their children’s upbringing can significantly benefit their children’s early development, academic achievement and well being. Now, a new study by University of South Florida researchers suggests that a father’s involvement before his child is born may play an important role in preventing death during the first year of life – particularly if the infant is black. The USF team sought to evaluate whether […]

They speak out on prematurity and paternal involvement in birth outcomes Two USF College of Public Health faculty members were in the national public policy spotlight in May — speaking out on the consequences of prematurity, poor pregnancy outcomes and health disparities. Charles Mahan, MD, professor emeritus and former dean of public health, testified May 12 in Washington, DC, before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Health at a hearing focused on what happens when babies are born too early. Dr. Mahan, founder of the Lawton and Rhea Chiles Center […]

Social marketing changes with the times to promote social change Tampa, FL (May 25, 2010) — Fasten your seatbelt. Get that flu shot. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Turn off the light when you’re not in the room. Save money for your retirement. There is no limit to the behaviors and attitudes that social marketing can seek to influence. When public health, marketing and environmental science professionals from across the world gather next month for the 20th Anniversary Social Marketing in Public Health Conference, Milestones in Social Marketing: Past, Present […]

Aim is to advance collaborative research and education in Panama A two-day event focusing on global sustainability and health was hosted earlier this month by the USF College of Public Health and the USF Health International Foundation, in collaboration with Centro Internacional para el Desarrollo Sostenible (CIDES), a major international organization at the Ciudad del Saber (City of Knowledge) in Panama City, Panama. “Experts from Panama and USF gathered to tackle the thorny issues of protecting and preserving the environment, culture, and health of citizens, while facilitating responsible and sustainable […]

Frantz Jean Louis and family look ahead to their new life in Tampa, never losing sight of relatives left behind in their earthquake-ravaged homeland When Frantz Jean Louis and his 2-year-old daughter Aurelie arrived here Jan 20 from earthquake-ravaged Haiti, they had only the clothes on their backs and one small suitcase. No place to live. No idea of what was next. Three months later, Jean Louis, a Haiti native and 2009 graduate of the USF College of Public Health, has obtained a used car and a modest apartment, works […]

The University of South Florida College of Public Health is one of 37 institutions participating in a new pilot program administered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The 37 institutions were chosen from among more than 100 schools and programs of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.  They will offer the August 2010 Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam as a pre-graduation test for their students. Since the exam was first offered in 2008, the CPH credential has provided public health graduates an […]

The 100th Anniversary of the Florida Department of Health’s Tampa Laboratory was a highlight of the College of Public Health’s weeklong celebration Dr. Phil Amuso, director of the Tampa Lab, Florida Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories, speaks at the lab’s 100th Anniversary celebration. The lab has a strong partnership with the USF College of Public Health. The USF College of Public Health celebrated National Public Health Week, April 5-11, with activities ranging from a Global Health Career Night and the college’s annual awards ceremony to student-led tours of the […]

She improved Florida’s emergency response capabilities by creating Strike Teams and To Go kits. She helped found the Florida Rabies and Control and Prevention Advisory Committee. She was the first leader in a state agency to purchase hybrid vehicles for her agency. And she is now serving as the lead public health professional in the Chinese Drywall issue. These are among the many reasons Florida’s Division of Environmental Health Director Lisa Ann Conti, DVM, MPH, has been named the Florida Outstanding Woman in Public Health for 2010 by the University […]