Lessons Learned from a Medical Response Team 45 Days Post-Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

INTRODUCTION: Describe the lived experience of a grassroots, nongovernmental disaster medical team (DMT) through a research lens and share practical lessons learned based on the DMT's experience to support and inform future response teams. METHOD: Forty-five days after Hurricane Maria, a nongovernmental DMT provided primary medical care by means of community-based pop-up clinics and home visitations in 5 different areas of Puerto Rico. Observational data, photo images, and debriefing notes were collected and documented in the response team's daily activity log. Field notes were coded using a descriptive coding method and then categorized into 2 domains specific to public health and medical diagnosis. RESULTS: Medical aid was provided to nearly 300 (N = 296) residents. Field note observations identified exhaustion related to living conditions and the exacerbation of underlying conditions, such as reactive airway diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and depression due to the compounding effects of multiple post-disaster triggers. During home visitations, feelings of sadness and helplessness were identified secondary to natural disaster trauma and current living conditions. CONCLUSION: Our nongovernmental DMT displayed similar characteristics demonstrated by federal DMTs post-natural disaster. Several strategic lessons learned emerged from the public health intervention important to future nongovernmental DMTs.

Lessons Learned from a Medical Response Team 45 Days Post Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the lived experience of a grassroots, non-governmental disaster medical team (DMT) through a research lens and share practical lessons learned, based on the DMT's experience to support and inform future response teams. METHODS: Forty-five days after Hurricane Maria, a non-governmental DMT provided primary medical care via community based pop-up clinics and home visitations in 5 different areas of Puerto Rico. Observational data, photo images, and debriefing notes were collected and documented in the response team's daily activity log. Field notes were coded using a descriptive coding method and then categorized into 2 domains specific to public health and medical diagnosis. RESULTS: Medical aid was provided to nearly 300 (N = 296) residents. Field note observations identified exhaustion related to living conditions and the exacerbation of underlying conditions such as reactive airway diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and depression due to the compounding effects of multiple post-disaster triggers. During home visitations, feelings of sadness and helplessness were identified secondary to natural disaster trauma and current living conditions. CONCLUSION: Our non-governmental DMT displayed similar characteristics demonstrated by federal DMTs post natural disaster. A number of strategic lessons learned emerged from the public health intervention important to future non-governmental DMTs.

Integrating Diverse Study Abroad Opportunities Into Public Health Curricula: Three Distinct Strategies to Address Common Barriers.

Background: To effectively train future leaders, undergraduate public health programs must prepare students to address challenges with cross-cultural competence and a global perspective. Study abroad programming represents a high impact practice that can be applied to any number of areas and topics within the field of public health. Infusing global learning into undergraduate curriculum, increases confidence in serving culturally diverse populations and aligns with multiple public health accreditation standards. Unfortunately, barriers often prevent integration of this high impact practice into program curriculum. This manuscript provides strategies to integrate diverse study abroad programming into public health curriculum and mitigate common barriers for students and faculty. Methods: Faculty from the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health (COPH) used three strategies to improve access to global learning: Adding public health courses to established study abroad programsUtilizing academic travel companiesLeveraging existing international and university partnerships. Results: A diverse array of public health-focused study abroad programs resulted from these strategies. Starting with just 12 students in the first program, the number of undergraduate participants in short-term, faculty lead courses grew to 164 students over the span of 4 academic years. This represents a 275% increase in undergraduate students participating in public health-focused study abroad courses, and a 160% increase in the percentage of public health majors participating in study abroad coursework. The primary barriers of cost, curriculum, and academic culture were addressed throughout development of each new program. Conclusions: Infusing study abroad programs into the public health curriculum provides students with diverse opportunities to gain the skills they will need as public health practitioners. The design and implementation of the strategies that were used to successfully integrate global learning into one public health program's curriculum can help inform other schools and programs of public health on ways to increase student utilization of this high-impact practice.

Growing the IBCLC Workforce: A Florida Needs Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Florida has fewer International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) per 1,000 live births than the national average. An important strategy to support breastfeeding entails creating opportunities to prepare and train IBCLCs from underrepresented groups. However, it can be difficult for individuals to access lactation education and gain clinical experience necessary to become an IBCLC. Research aim: The Building a Better Breastfeeding Network project was a needs assessment designed to assess the interest in an IBCLC training program in Florida and perceived barriers and facilitators to completing such a program. METHODS: An online survey was distributed via email to non-IBCLC students and maternal and child healthcare workers in Florida. Microsoft Excel was used to complete descriptive analyses. RESULTS: Surveys were initiated by 1,939 eligible individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds across the state, 86% of whom responded that they would be possibly to very interested in an IBCLC training program. For those interested, cost was perceived as a potential barrier to enrolling in a program, but flexible course schedules and scholarship or financial aid availability would further attract participants. More than half were interested in working with underserved populations or in low-resource settings, but Black and Hispanic participants were significantly more likely to express interest in working in those settings. CONCLUSION: Due to the high level of interest in an IBCLC training program in Florida, a formal lactation training program may be successful in attracting diverse students, particularly if funding and program flexibility needs are met.