The USF Health-Panama Program and COPH alumni delivered eight posters and oral presentations at the 15^th National Conference for the Advancement of Science. Presented by the Panamanian Society for the Advancement of Science, the conference was held at the City of Knowledge in Panama Oct. 15-18. The conference was inaugurated by the president of the Republic of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, and presided by Dr. Jorge Motta Borrel, Secretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Panama and recipient of USF’s 2014 President’s Global Leadership Award.

 

 

“Scientific advances by Panamanian and international researchers presenting at this important national conference are what helps in the development of public policies, which help our populations maintain good health and better their quality of life,” Varela said.

The National Conference for the Advancement of Science is the largest scientific conference in Panama. This year’s event featured 17 international guest lectures, 10 symposia, 10 round-table discussions, 162 oral presentations, 208 scientific posters, and two hands-on scientific workshops with researchers of every discipline from engineering to health. Public health, a key component of the conference, was mostly represented by USF Panama alumni, graduate students, faculty and collaborators.

 

A USF Health project, “Perceptions of Primary Care Delivery in the 24 de Diciembre Health Centre, July 2014,” was named Best Research Poster. The project was developed and implemented during a joint global health practicum with medical students from the University of Southern California, lead by CFH faculty Dr. Arlene Calvo, for the sixth consecutive year. Calvo teaches the Global Health Practicum, a course offered in collaboration between USC and USF-Panama.

“The type of work we are doing through our field experiences and courses provides a platform for research and hands-on learning that is invaluable,” Calvo said. “Through one of our summer classes that provide community experience in Panama, students were able to develop and implement research, learn about current international policy, disseminate results at an international conference, and even win an award of excellence. We couldn’t be more proud of the work we are doing with our students in the field and the long-term potential of the projects they develop.”

 

Presentations at the 15^th National Conference on Science and Technology of The Panamanian Association for the Advancement of Science, Facing Challenges for the Advancement of Science. City of Knowledge, Panama, October 2014.

Basie K., Cantonwine S., Esparza Y., Wong A., Calvo A.E., Rebollón A., Hess-Holtz M.  NUTRITION AND WATER MANAGEMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOL SETTINGS: 24 DE DICIEMBRE CASE STUDY AND INTERVENTION (oral presentation).

Kim A., Yeh J., Calvo A.E., Rebollón A., Hess-Holtz M., Alguero L., Cousineau M. PERCEPTIONS OF PRIMARY CARE DELIVERY IN THE 24 DE DICIEMBRE HEALTH CENTRE, JULY 2014 (poster, Best Research Poster award).

Moehlman J., Park J., Tohid A., Tsukuda T., Yamashita W., Calvo A.E., Rebollón A., Hess-Holtz M., Alguero L., Cousineau M. DENGUE, POVERTY, AND WATER MANAGEMENT (poster).

Calvo A., Alguero L., VegaS., RebollónA., Hess-HoltzM. MEASURING IMPACT OF A TRAIN-THE-TRAINER STRATEGY FOR HEATH EDUCATION IN A RURAL PANAMANIAN INDIGENOUS POPULATION (poster).

López Castillo H., Rebollón A. SECULAR TRENDS OF THE MASCULINITY INDEX IN THE AMERICAS (poster).

Vega N.,CalvoA., Baldwin J., SultanD., IzurietaR. CONOCIMIENTOS Y PRÁCTICAS EN EL CONSUMO DE AGUA POTABLE E HIGIENE EN MUJERES NGÄBE-BUGLÉ (poster).

Chang L.R., Gabster A.M., Castro M., Hembling J. (2014, October).  EMPODERAMIENTO DE LA MUJER Y FACTORES DE RIESGO ASOCIADOS AL GÉNERO PARA LA INFECCIÓN POR VIH: ANÁLISIS SECUNDARIO ENASSER 2009 (poster).

Vamos C.A., Calvo A.E., Daley E.M., Giuliano A.R., López Castillo H. COGNITIVE, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS RELATED TO CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING AND HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS AMONG INNER-CITY WOMEN IN PANAMA (poster).

 

  — About USF Health-Panama  —

USF Health-Panama is located in the City of Knowledge, an international complex of organizations dedicated to education, research and innovation. The City of Knowledge also hosts regional offices of the United Nations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Pan American Health Organization, the Peace Corps, Save the Children and many other international organizations. The USF Health and Education International Foundation exists to increase collaboration in education, research and patient care between the faculty and students of USF and of academic and research institutions in Panama, as well as other health professionals and organizations throughout Latin America.

For more information about opportunities for international field experiences and other programs in Panama, contact Cristienn Joudanne (cjoudaan@health.usf.edu), director of the Panama Initiative and International Programs, in the College of Public Health Office of International Programs.

 

Story by Arturo Rebollón with contributions by Humberto López Castillo, Arlene Calvo and Gladys Bernett, USF College of Public Health.