Graduate student secures national public health poster presentation

Michelle Steck, a recent master’s degree graduate in epidemiology at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, was selected as one of 19 people nationwide for the Delta Omega National Honorary Society in Public Health portion of the research poster presentations at the American Public Health Association annual meeting Nov. 9-13 in Philadelphia. Steck also received the Dean’s Research Award during graduation ceremonies May 17.

“I am very happy to represent the School of Rural Public Health at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting,” Steck said. “I am very thankful for the school’s nomination and for the excellent educational foundation they have provided me.”

Steck presented her poster, which evaluates the association between pregnant women consuming fish with various birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), during the school’s National Public Health Week activities April 6-9.

Utilizing NBDPS data, Steck assessed the relationship between pregnant women consuming fish and the occurrence of birth defects. After adjusting for socio-demographic, dietary and health status indicators, she found that compared with mothers who ate fish less than once a month, mothers who ate 3 to 5 ounces of fish one to three times per month were significantly protected from various birth defects.

However, high levels of fish consumption increased the risk for a heart defect called perimembranous ventricular septal defect as well as a birth defect called amniotic band syndrome, which involves entanglement of the developing fetus in string-like fibrous bands. These findings suggest that women who are planning to become pregnant should be eating 3 to 5 ounces of fish one to three times a month to protect against birth defects, but it may confer risk to consume higher amounts.

Pregnancy Preparedness

When is the best time to start preparing for pregnancy?

Many people believe it’s when a woman is thinking of becoming pregnant. In reality, a woman should be healthy and aware of preconception health care before becoming sexually active or at least three months before conception, as studies indicate more than 50 percent of all pregnancies are unplanned.

“Women who make healthy choices before pregnancy and who maintain healthy behaviors during pregnancy increase their chances of having healthy babies,” said Jean Brender, Ph.D., R.N., professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health.

There are four steps a woman should follow toward a healthy pregnancy and child, Dr. Brender said. First, take 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid daily at least three months before becoming pregnant. Found in most cereals and vitamins, folic acid is an easy way to prevent birth defects, especially neural tube defects.

Next, stop smoking and drinking alcohol, as research indicates babies born to a female smoker during pregnancy have 30 percent greater odds of being born preterm compared to a nonsmoker. If you have medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or Hepatitis B, be sure these conditions are under control and have the proper medication. Also avoid exposures to toxic substances or potentially infectious materials at work or at home such as cleaning chemicals, solvent-based paints, and cat or rodent feces.

When visiting with a doctor before conceiving, talk about current medicines you are taking, including herbal supplements and over-the-counter medicine, Dr. Brender said. If overweight or underweight, discuss a healthy eating and fitness program, as some adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and a few types of birth defects are related to obesity.

Public Health Week

With this year’s theme of “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America,” the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health will celebrate National Public Health Week (April 6-12) throughout April with numerous presentations, a “5K Fun Run/Walk” and more.

The following is a list of scheduled events:

Prior to National Public Health Week
• City of Bryan Mayor D. Mark Conlee and City of College Station Mayor Ben White are scheduled to join Roderick E. McCallum, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs and interim dean of the HSC-School of Rural Public Health, for a proclamation signing Tuesday, March 24 at 6 p.m. at the beginning of the Bryan City Council Meeting.
• A national health exhibit will be displayed March 27-April 1 in the HSC-School of Rural Public Health Administration Building lobby (corner of Stotzer Parkway and Adriance). The Association of Schools of Public Health is partnering with the National Library of Medicine to offer a national traveling version of the exhibit, “Against the Odds: Making a Difference in Global Health.” The exhibit consists of six-foot-tall banners highlighting stories of individuals and communities making a difference in global health. The exhibit will be at the HSC-South Texas Center in McAllen beginning April 28.

Throughout National Public Health Week
• HSC-School of Rural Public Health student research posters will be exhibited in the Classroom Building.
• School students in the informatics course are learning about communicating public health issues by developing public service announcements (PSAs) for newspapers, radio, posters and flyers, and social networking media such as YouTube. Each student selected a topic from the “Healthy People 2010” project along with an audience and media, then followed guidelines for writing an effective PSA.

Saturday, April 4
• The second annual “5K Fun Run/Walk” to raise money for HSC-School of Rural Public Health student scholarships is from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Entry fee is $15, with open registration and packet pick-up beginning at 7:30 a.m. Age groups are 25 and under, 26-35, 26-45 and over 50. Awards will be given in the age groups, along with top male and female finishers. There are goodie bags, T-shirts, post-race drawings and a student/faculty poster session. The purpose of the 5K Fun Run/Walk is to raise money for HSC-School of Rural Public Health student scholarships and special projects and to provide an opportunity for the Brazos Valley to "kick start" healthy living initiatives through the run/walk. Registration is available online at http://srph.tamhsc.edu/fun-run/index.html, by campus mail to TAMU 1266 (Attn: Fun Run Committee) or in person at the HSC-School of Rural Public Health Administration Building front desk. For more information, contact Harlan Johnson at (979) 845-5790 or hjohnson@srph.tamhsc.edu
• A series of public health presentations by HSC-School of Rural Public Health faculty begin at 10:30 a.m. Catherine Hawes, Ph.D, and Charles Phillips, Ph.D., M.P.H., will speak on “Nursing Home or Assisted Living: When Is It the Correct Choice and How to Select the Best Facility.” They will be followed at 11:30 a.m. by Jean Brender, Ph.D., R.N., on “Healthy Pregnancies-Healthy Babies: What You Can Do for Yourself or for Your Daughter Now.” Mark Benden, Ph.D., concludes at 12:30 p.m. with “Is Work a Pain in the Neck? Ergonomic Tips for Healthy Computing at Home, School and Work.” A 20-30 minute question-and-answer session follows each presentation.

Monday, April 6
• A series of four 15-minute disparities grant presentations will be given starting at noon. Topics are “Measurement of Household Food Availability Among Limited Resource Families,” “Home and Community Factors Affecting Children’s Physical Activity and Healthful Eating in the Summer,” “Fathers’ Perceived Role as Health Liaisons for Childhood Obesity Prevention,” and “Multicultural Assessment Validity: A Test of Complexity, Impartiality, and Accuracy in the Case Conceptualization of African-American Male College Students.” A free lunch will be served, and an RSVP is required.

Tuesday, April 7
• The HSC-School of Rural Public Health Social and Behavioral Student Organization and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center will host a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the HSC-SRPH complex.
• Two HSC-School of Rural Public Health student groups will have public health information tables on display at the complex.

Wednesday, April 8
• HSC-School of Rural Public Health students will make presentations to Brazos Valley middle school classrooms. Included is a video, “This is Public Health,” along with associated activities.