Health and Human Services News

Faculty fan-favorites

by

As a special treat for Women’s History Month, we’re sitting down with three strong women in MCHHS. 

Sarah Bowman, clinical instructor for public health and sports medicine, in addition to Kelly Dudley and Salina Bollinger, both clinical instructors in the School of Social Work, are three fun members of our impressive MCHHS faculty.  

Let’s get to know all three of them! 

What’s been the wildest thing to happen in your classroom?  

Bowman: I teach online, so the crazy things that happen are editable! Students are video recorded when they take exams. I received an alert once because a student was in and out of the frame during her exam. Turns out, she was letting her dog in and out.  

Dudley: Watching students feel safe enough in my classroom to be vulnerable and take risks – that might be the wildest thing to happen in my classroom. I’m always inspired by the courage and passion they demonstrate. 

Bollinger: I attempted to use balloons for a group activity once. It was quite noisy and distracting, but we still managed to learn a few things. 

Where are you from?   

Bowman: Fair Grove in Springfield, Missouri. 

Dudley: You might think this is an easy answer, but I moved 12 times before turning 18 years old. I’ve lived in six states and four countries. Springfield is the longest place I’ve ever lived (12 years now) and even though I love it, I still can’t bring myself to say I’m from here. 😉 

Bollinger: Granite City, Illinois, across the river from St. Louis. I often visit family there, but Springfield has been home for 25 years now.    

What’s your favorite part about working here?  

Bowman: I enjoy interacting with my coworkers. I feel a sense of belonging and community at work. Additionally, I love advising students and helping them think about the next step.   

Dudley: Obviously the schedule. Ha! Kidding. Sort of. 

In all honesty, it’s challenging myself and others. Our society is becoming increasingly dichotomized. Having the freedom to challenge myself and my students to think beyond the prominent rhetoric around any given topic is my favorite thing. Learning to hold and – hopefully teaching others to hold – perceived contradictions is thrilling. 

Bollinger: I love spending time with students. They energize me and give me hope for the future. I also work with an incredible crew of people!   

Explore the School of Social Work

Do you have a favorite class to teach?  

Bowman: Health Literacy. I have the most expertise, experience and passion for this subject. 

Dudley: I love teaching Human Behavior in Social Environment to juniors. In that class, we learn why we are the way we are. Sitting front row and watching all the lightbulb moments as students consider different perspectives is too much fun. 

Bollinger: Social Justice is probably my favorite. I love open discussions. We learn about ourselves while learning how to support marginalized individuals, groups and communities. 

Peer into the world of public health and sports medicine

Missouri State University stands out

by

Missouri State has been ranked one of the nation’s best schools for online degrees and certificates in the healthcare field for 2023.  

Six percent of regionally accredited colleges and universities earned a ranking position.  

The recognized programs are: 

Missouri State has excelled at producing an outstanding online program for each of these areas, landing high spots on EduMed’s already selective list.  

Top features 

EduMed researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools. The data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each healthcare discipline.  

Primary data points include:  

  • Academic counseling services 
  • Career placement services 
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 
  • Tuition 
  • Percent of students receiving school-based financial aid 
  • Amount of school-based aid per student 

To be eligible, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online program in the ranking subject. Just 8% of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position. 

MCHHS Dean Dr. Mark Smith said that he’s not surprised by the high program placements. 

“We always strive to create the best learning environment for students, whether they’re in person or not,” Smith said. “It’s wonderful to see that our faculty and programs are receiving the recognition they deserve.” 

Explore MSU online degrees

What you should know about monkeypox

by

Over the last few months, news about the increase in monkeypox cases has spread around the world. Few people understand that it has been around for a long time.

“Monkeypox was first identified in 1958 with a group of research monkeys, which is why they call it monkeypox,” said Robert Niezgoda, visiting assistant professor of public health and sports medicine at Missouri State University.

“The first human case was recorded in 1970 with cases periodically after that.”

Monkeypox is considered a DNA virus and comes from the orthopox virus family. That’s the same virus family that causes smallpox.

Considered a zoonotic disease, monkeypox can be transmitted from animal to human and vice versa. Humans can spread the disease through direct contact.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are currently 19,962 confirmed monkeypox cases in the U.S., and currently 55 cases in Missouri.

Effects of monkeypox

Though very similar to smallpox, monkeypox is said to cause less severe symptoms.

“There are different strains of monkeypox, and the strain circulating is on the milder side,” Niezgoda said. “In terms of case fatality rate, it is on the low end which is a good sign.”

Most people first identify monkeypox by the rash it causes all over the body.

Other symptoms of monkeypox include:

    • Fever.
    • Chills.
    • Swollen lymph nodes.
    • Exhaustion
    • Muscle aches and backaches.

Mitigating the illness

“In May of 2020, the CDC launched an emergency response to monkeypox,” Niezgoda said.

“This includes educating the public, expanding laboratory testing and outlining prevention strategies.”

Currently, no treatments exist specifically for monkeypox. Since monkeypox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox may prevent and treat monkeypox infections.

The CDC also purchased a large amount of the monkeypox vaccine for those who may be worried about contracting the virus.

If you think you may have been exposed to the monkeypox virus, call your doctor and local health department.

Registered dietitian receives MOCAN award

by

The Missouri Council for Activity and Nutrition recently gave an award to Dr. Daniela Novotny, a registered dietitian and senior instructor in the department of public health and sports medicine at Missouri State University. This award honors a Missouri health professional who finds innovative ways to help Missourians improve nutrition and physical activity for better overall health.

Novotny created a Teaching Kitchen (TK) program for MSU employees and their families. It took place in summer 2021. The program emphasized improving behaviors that affect physical and psychological health through quality health education; the development of new skills; a supportive and safe environment; and exposure to horticulture opportunities in the local community.

Getting students involved

During the program, Novotny created and led education sessions based upon health behavior theory that focused on building nutrition knowledge and encouraging general health principles. These sessions were paired with weekly cooking classes facilitated by MSU dietetics students to increase practical skills and cooking confidence. Novotny provided guidance and mentorship to the students, which allowed them to gain experiences in nutrition education and health promotion.

Additionally, the program consisted of field trips to community sites: a vegetable garden, an urban farm, a farmer’s market tour and a food pantry. Finally, woven throughout the program were activities to emphasize social connectedness, which is associated with improved health outcomes and longevity.

“In my many years of serving as a registered dietitian, this program is at the top of my lists of successes as it allowed me to co-create an experience that addressed social, community and environmental factors related to healthy lifestyles,” Novotny said.

“We can say all day long ‘eat healthier foods and be active,’ but education alone will not bring about change. Pairing educational programs with hands-on activities that promote confidence and self-efficacy with new behaviors has a much better possible outcome.”

Novotny added that the best part about creating the program was working with her students.

“I had an amazing group of students, led by Stephanie Urich, who took on the cooking classes with enthusiasm and creativity. This was 100% a team effort, and without our students volunteering their time and effort, there would be no program. I’m honored for this award, but the true gift for me was being able to share this experience with some amazing students.”

Program outcomes

Data from the program suggested the TK led to improved health behaviors: participants reported increasing their intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains; making more meals from basic ingredients; and placing a greater emphasis on eating at home. Cooking self-efficacy, comfort in the kitchen and general well-being were also improved among participants.

Furthermore, feedback suggested that the group camaraderie and support were essential for the integration of new behaviors. By taking the initiative to implement comprehensive wellness programming, Novotny provided an environment for laughter and learning—and the encouragement to prioritize health goals amid the pandemic.