Subscribe to OHD's New YouTube Channel

The recent tech changes have required us to move to a new channel at YouTube. All of our six previsouly produced videos have stayed in place, but we have linked to them at our new channel, along with some new additions. 

Utah Health Disparities and Social Determinants

The March Utah Health Status Update focuses on health disparities and the social determinants of health.  Nationally, more and more public health efforts are looking at ways to address social determinants.  This short article is a good starting point for understanding social determinants and their relationship to health disparities.

It is also the first Utah Department of Health report to utilize an innovative graphing strategy introduced to the Utah Department of Health by Dr. M. Lelinneth B. Novilla and the Social Determinants of Health Research Team at Brigham Young University.

See the Utah Health Status Update at http://health.utah.gov/opha/publications/hsu/1303_HealthDisp.pdf  You can find this and other Utah Health Status Updates related to health disparities at: http://health.utah.gov/disparities/data.html#HSU

Social Media for Public Health Webinars

CDC NPIN presents In the Know: Social Media for Public Health
CDC NPIN invites you to participate in their upcoming webcast series, In the Know: Social Media for Public Health. The second in a series of six webcasts, In the know: LinkedIn and Slideshare for Public Health, will take place on Tuesday, March 12 at 2 p.m. EST.

Each webcast focuses on a different social media channel and will inform on how to use and integrate them strategically into public health communication plans. The webcasts are live events with presentations and interactive sections. Use hashtag #sm4ph to follow along and ask questions on Twitter. You can also submit webcast questions to info@cdcnpin.org.

Save the date and be sure to join us for the latest social media insights on topics including:
• March 12 – LinkedIn & SlideShare
• April 2 – Gaming & Mobile
• April 23 – Facebook & Image Sharing (Instagram, Pinterest & Flickr)
• May 14 – Google Plus & YouTube
• June 4, 2013 – Social Media Measurement & Evaluation

Available in Archive
• Feb. 19 – Twitter

To register for the upcoming webcast event visit http://cdcnpin.org/scripts/features/feature_itk.asp 

CensusScope Added to OHD Website

Censusscope illlustrates the increase in diversity in Utah over the past several decades, especially among children.  We have added this resource to the data section of the website.

For Me For Us Video

We now have a "For Me For Us" health video designed for general Utah audiences, without a specific racial/ethnic target population:  You can find other versions and other languages at http://health.utah.gov/disparities/community/ForMeForUs.html

One-on-One Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment Strategies in Utah

Profiles of Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment Strategies: One-on-One Assistance Through Community Health Centers in Utah
This brief provides insight into lessons learned from Medicaid and CHIP outreach and enrollment strategies that can help inform implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage expansions by profiling a successful enrollment assistance initiative among health centers in Utah. The brief is part of the "Getting Into Gear for 2014" series examining key implementation issues as states prepare for the ACA coverage expansions.

 Case Study (.pdf)   Kaiser Family Foundation

2013 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps Released

How Healthy is Your County?

Most and Least Healthy Counties Ranked in Every State
Released today, the annual County Health Rankings rate the health of nearly every county in the nation and show that much of what affects health occurs outside of the doctor’s office. 

The rankings are easier to use this year, with interactive maps and new county-level trend graphs detailing changes over time for several measures, including children in poverty, unemployment, and quality of care.

• Where does your county rank in your state? Find out at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

RWJF.org

Scholarship Opportunity from the Utah Asian Charitable Foundation (UACF)

DESCRIPTION OF SCHOLARSHIP
The mission of the Utah Asian Charitable Foundation (UACF) Scholarship is to foster future leaders for the Asian American community. The UACF offer scholarship to Asian students in Utah under two categories: 1) students with financial need, 2). students who have demonstrated strong scholarship, leadership and community services. Scholarships are range from $500 to $1500.

The 2013 UACF Scholarship will be awarded at the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce Annual Gala at 6:00 pm. on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at Salt Lake City Hilton. All scholarship winners must be present at the Gala. Winners will be notified no later than by April 12th.

 ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must be an undergraduate student at a college, university, or any other institution of higher learning within the State of Utah. Candidate must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress (as formally defined by the institution) towards the student’s program objective (degree, diploma, or certificate). Students who have received more than 2 UACF scholarships in the past are not eligible.

APPLICATION MATERIALS
A completed and signed UACF Scholarship Application with attached response to questions. Please type your response to the following requested information on a separate sheet of paper. Be concise and limit your response to a total of two pages maximum. Write a brief personal history that includes:

• Academic, professional, and personal goals.
• Reasons why you feel you are a viable candidate for this scholarship.
• Scholarly or vocational accomplishments, honors, special awards, or recognition you have received.
• Community and school involvement; include leadership positions and/or activities.
• Personal barriers/hardships you have had to overcome to achieve your educational goals.
• A copy of applicant’s college transcript.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Documentation(s) of any other expected financial assistance and/or what the applicant has already received for 2012-2013, whether the funding source is public or private.
• Most recent documentation of FINANCIAL NEED by submitting one of the following: o A copy of applicant’s Financial Aid Award letter
• A copy of applicant’s Student Aid Report
• Applicant’s and/or parents’ (dependent students) IRS Forms

Please remove all private information (social security numbers, account numbers, etc.) from documentation submitted with this application.

EXPECTATIONS
Winner of the UACF scholarship are expected to participate in at least two UACF or Asian Chamber sponsored event within a year.

Scholarship Application deadline:
Friday, March 29th, 2013
Submit the following to:(By: 5:00 p.m.)
Salt Lake County/ attn: Zee
Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce
Community Resources and Development
P. O. Box 3178
2001 South State street, S 2100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84110-3178

Job Opportunity: SLVHD Tobacco Health Educator

All job postings close at 12:01 a.m. MST on the closing date of the job announcement. For example, if the listed closing date is January 10th, then the last day you can apply is up to midnight on January 9th.

Job Title: Tobacco Health Educator
Salary: $36,672 - $42,336 Annually
Salary Grade:  22 - 24
Opening Date: 03/14/2013    Closing Date:  03/22/2013
Position Type: Full-Time    Work Hours: 40
Department: Human Services   Division:  Salt Lake Valley Health Department-2150
Section: Tobacco    Work Location:  Salt Lake County Government Center - 2001 South State Street

Important Information:   

• The mission of the Salt Lake County Health Department is to promote and protect community and environmental health. To help reach their goals and objectives, there is an exciting opportunity for a passionate Health Educator in the area of Tobacco Prevention and Education.
• Degrees in Sociology, Psychology, Parks, Recreation, Physical Education or Exercise & Sports Science will not be considered for this position. The Consumer Health emphasis of the Health Promotion and Education degree from the University of Utah will also not be considered.
• A background check may be required. 
• This recruitment may also be used to hire additional Health Educator positions with different areas of expertise, such as Tobacco, Injury Prevention, Cardiovascular, Dental Health, Cancer, Healthy Lifestyles, STD/HIV, and others. Applicants should list all related work experience.

JOB SUMMARY
Assesses, develops, promotes, implements, and evaluates health promotion, risk reduction, and outreach programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Health Education, Health Science, Public Health, Community Health, or Behavioral Science and Health with an emphasis in Health Education, or other closely related degree; OR an equivalent combination of related education and experience.
• It is mandatory all new hires receive the Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis) vaccine before beginning employment.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license at the time of hire and reliable means of transportation. 
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) preferred.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and implements health promotion, risk reduction, and outreach programs.
• Assesses health education needs and priorities of various populations using appropriate assessment tools.
• Collects data and evaluates the effectiveness and impact of health education programs.
• Creates marketing and educational materials, and promotes events through various communication methods.
• Conducts training and/or presentations for individuals and the general public. Provides linkages to community resources.
• Develops and prepares required reports and documents.
• Collaborates with internal and community agencies to accomplish stated objectives.
• Acts as a representative of the agency and program.
• May recruit and train volunteers.

Job Opportunity: Part-time Spanish speaking Health Educator at SLVHD

Salt Lake County Health Department, BeWise Program has opened recruitment for a part-time Spanish speaking health educator. 

POSITION LOGISTICS:

Compensation (depending on experience/qualifications): $10.97 - $12.74

Part Time: 20-30 hours/week without benefits

Hours: Varies, must be available Tuesdays and Thursdays 8-5pm, some evenings and weekends

Supervisor: Darrin Sluga, Community Development Director (dsluga@slco.org)

Applications must be received by 5:00 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013

START DATE: ASAP

TO APPLY:Send cover letter and resume to Alysia Ducuara at aducuara@slco.org or fax to (385) 468-4096

BACKGROUND: The BeWise program offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings and cardiovascular disease examinations to mid and low-income, underinsured, or uninsured women ages 50-64 years old. It is designed to provide these women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to improve their diet, physical activity, and other life habits to prevent, delay or control cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions.

SCOPE OF WORK:Women that participate in the BeWise program have several additional measurements taken during their annual breast and cervical exam. Measurements include: height, weight, BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, and A1C (if they are diabetic). After the initial exam, the client meets with a lifestyle coach and together, they work to develop a healthier lifestyle plan for the client. The purpose of this position will be to provide lifestyle coaching for women in the BeWise program both face-to-face in the clinic and follow-up via telephone. Staff will also be asked to provide classes on nutrition or physical activity for the participants in the BeWise program.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Junior or Senior student in one of the following areas: Public Health, Community Health, Health Education and/or Health Promotion. Bachelor’s degree or higher preferred
• Must be a fluent Spanish speaker (approx. 60% clientele are Spanish speaking)
• Must be able to effectively communicate with a diverse group of women ages 50 – 64
• Must be comfortable leading nutrition and beginner level exercise classes
• Must have a reliable means of transportation (to go to office, clinics, and classes)

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Provide lifestyle coaching in improving health behaviors
• Assist women in setting SMART goals as part of the lifestyle coaching session
• Working knowledge of the Health Belief Model, Transtheoretical Model, Ecological Model
• Communicate effectively face-to-face and via telephone Provide basic health information and referral to supplemental resources
• Enter client information into a computer database
• Provide classes on basic nutrition and beginner level exercise to BeWise participants

Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity: The Potential Impact of the Affordable Care Act

One of the key goals of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to reduce the number of uninsured through a Medicaid expansion and the creation of health insurance exchange marketplaces with advance premium tax credits to help moderate-income individuals pay for this coverage. Given that people of color are at disproportionate risk of being uninsured and having low incomes, the ACA coverage expansions could particularly benefit communities of color and advance efforts to eliminate disparities. The Family Kaiser Family Foundation has developed a brief that provides an overview of health coverage by race and ethnicity today to provide greater insight into the potential impacts of the ACA coverage expansions for people of color.

Find a copy of the brief at: http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/8423.pdf

Food and beverage companies ranked by nutrition

Report reveals nutrition practices of top 25 food and beverage companies

The world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers must do more to increase
access to nutritious products and positively exercise their influence on consumer choice and behavior, says the first edition of the global Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) report and rankings.

The report assesses the nutrition-related commitments, performance and disclosure practices of 25 of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers as measured against international guidelines, norms and accepted best practices. 

To read a summary of the top 25 company rankings go to: http://www.accesstonutrition.org/sites/www.accesstonutrition.org/files/atni_press_release_march11_final_0.pdf

State Estimates of the Low-Income Uninsured Not Eligible for the ACA Medicaid Expansion

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will expand access to affordable health insurance for millions of Americans, however, a significant number will be excluded from the Medicaid expansion due to their immigration status. This brief provides the first state-specific estimates of the number of uninsured, low-income adults, that will potentially be excluded from the Medicaid expansion because of their immigration status. 

The brief concludes that safety-net health care providers are likely to continue to be key providers for this population after health reform, and the need for safety-net care will not be spread evenly across states. The capacity of safety-net providers to fill this gap will need to be assessed.

While all states will need to develop strategies for meeting the health care needs of these adults, the challenges will be particularly difficult for safety-net providers in states with large numbers of immigrants who will not be eligible for Medicaid. 

Read entire RWJF report with state-by-state analysis at: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2013/rwjf404825

Bridging the Gap Medical Interpreter Training

The Bureau of Epidemiology will be offering a 5-day “Bridging the Gap” medical interpreter training course in May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2013.  This training will be held at the Department of Workforce Service (1385 State St) - in Salt Lake City, Utah. Classes will begin promptly at 8:00 am and will continue until 5:00 pm.

There will be no registration fee to attend this training and the course materials will be provided to you free of charge.  However, participants will be expected to attend the course in its entirety.  In addition to being fluent in English, all applicants MUST be fluent in a second language and must be willing to act as medical interpreters.  Priority will be given to applicants who work within the refugee health, Tuberculosis control, HIV, STD & Hepatitis prevention setting. Participants who miss any portion of the training will be required to leave the course materials and the training.

All participants who attend the entire forty-hour training and successfully complete the final exam will receive a certificate of completion.  If you have staff whom you think could benefit from this course, please complete an application and return it by April 19, 2013.  Enrollment is limited to 20 participants, so, it is critical that only those persons willing to commit to the entire forty-hour course apply.

For copies of the application or questions concerning this course, contact Jelena Pasalic, UDOH, at jpasalic@utah.gov  or at (801) 538-6977. We look forward to seeing your applications.

Find a food desert near you

Want to know where you can't buy fresh, healthful food? The USDA has the map for you.

The feds' new Food Access Research Atlas lets you find out just where it's difficult to buy broccoli or bananas in counties across the U.S. The atlas, which is a big upgrade from the USDA's two-year-old Food Desert Locator, is intended as a tool for state policymakers, local planners, and nonprofit groups concerned about food access.

"People can get a more detailed picture of exactly what challenges they encounter in getting to the grocery store," says Paula Dutko, an economist for the USDA Economic Research Service who helped craft the atlas.

Dutko and her crew added in data on whether households have vehicles, because that can make a huge difference in grocery shopping. And they added more choices for distance from a store, including 20 miles for rural areas, instead of just 10.

Access by bus or train isn't on the map, Dutko says, because there isn't national data.

By Nancy Shute at npr.org

Funding Opportunity: Adolescent Health

The Office of Adolescent Health announces the availability of Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) HHS Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) funds for competitively awarded grants for the development and implementation of programs for expectant and parenting teens, women, fathers, and their families. The Pregnancy Assistance Fund grant programs are designed to strengthen access to and completion of secondary and postsecondary education; improve health outcomes for mothers and children; improve pregnancy planning and spacing and reduce  the likelihood of repeat teen pregnancies; increase parenting skills for mothers, fathers, and their families, decrease intimate partner violence;  strengthen co-parenting relationships and marriage where appropriate; and raise awareness of available resources among expectant and parenting teens. 

States or tribes are eligible to apply. For specifics about eligibility please refer to the complete funding announcement which can be accessed by entering the FOA number (AH-SP1-13-001) or CFDA number (93.500) on the Grants.gov search page: www.grants.gov/search/basic.do.

Poll: Parents Less Likely to Recognize Children as Obese

A poll conducted by National Public Radio (NPR), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) shows a large a gap between parents’ perceptions of their children’s weight and expert definitions. According to their parents, 15 percent of children are a little or very overweight, while national data suggest more than twice as many, or 32 percent of all children, are overweight or obese. In addition, only 20 percent of children in households that participated in this poll had a parent who was concerned that his or her child will be overweight as an adult. However, it is estimated that 69 percent of adults are overweight, including 36 percent who are obese and an additional 6 percent who have “extreme obesity.” Together, these results indicate that parents may underestimate their children’s current risk for being overweight or obese, and how that risk could continue to impact them as adults.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Childhood Obesity Weekly Policy Update