SBS Department Newsletter
Fall2, 2024
| |
| Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
| |
|
A Message From Our Co-Chairs
We recognize that the world is posing lots of challenges for all of us right now. We also understand the anxiety that the upcoming election poses. The continued attacks on DEI and anti-racism and LGBTQIA research create more risks and stress for us all, and most especially scholars who are being explicitly targeted.
A recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said they're feeling anxious about the election. This resonates with what we are hearing from our community. The range of negative emotions that people are experiencing is broad—including feeling fear, anger, stressed out, sad, and fearful. Those emotions are all valid and understandable.
But it is important to think about how to manage these feelings so that they don’t become overwhelming. The Studio at Harvard Chan recently hosted a webinar titled “Navigating Election Anxiety: Balancing Mental Health and Political Engagement,” hosted by journalist Eugene Scott. It was a really interesting discussion that included a lot about how changes in the media landscape, especially the reliance on social media for news, has led to more polarized coverage and contributed to some of the anxiety. What we found most timely now in the final days before the election was the panel’s ideas on what we can do to protect ourselves from overwhelming negative emotions. A few of the suggestions included:
- Stop doomscrolling. Sometimes seeing that others are as concerned as you or focusing just on “bad news” from your perspective can make you feel understood. But it actually shuts out more positive perspectives and isolates you in a negative space. Take a break from your usual social media channels, and consider relying on local news, which can be more balanced and relevant to what’s happening in your community.
- Limit how much news you consume: We have all had that experience of tuning in for “breaking news,” just to find out that it’s more of the same. It’s unlikely that you’ll miss anything critical if you take breaks from the never-ending news cycles that drive anxiety.
- Process news with others: Take the time to talk about the news with those you care about. Having an opportunity to process information can reduce anxiety more than just thinking about it on your own.
- Play, Read and Vote: This basic message is—take care of yourself! Despite the seriousness of the upcoming election, take time to have a little fun, notice something beautiful or funny, and read books that make your brain think about something else. And definitely vote! There is nothing that is more central to democracy than the right to vote, and exercising that right (in every local and national election) is a key way to be heard. And when voting is a frequent habit, it can help you manage the stress of any one election.
We really like these suggestions. A few others that you might consider are:
- Do things that are meaningful to you: Even if small, doing something that adds value to your life and those around you provides connection. Bake a treat for a neighbor, visit with someone who is isolated, join in on get-out-the-vote initiatives to help your neighbors get to the polls, or call an old friend…. Meaningful connections are key to staying grounded.
- Move Your Body! When we are stressed, expending some energy can help us release all that stress. Taking a walk, exercising, gardening—just getting away from the desk (and news!) can make a big difference.
In addition to the things that you can do, we wanted to offer a few ways that we together as a department can try to address our own fears and stresses:
- We are holding open office hours throughout the fall—feel free to drop in by yourself or bring colleagues who would like to talk about these issues.
- The school is going to be holding a post-election drop-in breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 8a-10a in the Kresge cafeteria—please feel free to attend and invite others to join you.
- Please share any suggestions you have for managing in these times, and send us any ideas you may have for things that we can do in the department to be supportive.
To be sure, we know that on first blush, this might all seem like small stuff. Some might understandably ask, “Who has time to take a break when there is so much urgent work to be done, especially now?” We’ve felt this ourselves at times, but to quote Audre Lorde, “Self-care is not self-indulgence.” Whether you are a scholar of Audre Lorde, Paolo Freire, or any number of the many luminaries of social justice and health equity who inspire our field, one point is clear: We must take care of ourselves and each other in times of stress, and it is only from here that we can cultivate the hope and the stamina to keep working for a better future for all.
We appreciate all that everyone is doing to use their voice, to protect public health, and engage in the world. Please make sure that you’re taking the time to take care of yourself and each other.
Best,
Karen and Bryn
| |
 |
Bryn Austin, Interim Co-Chair
| |  |
Karen Emmons, Interim Co-Chair
| |
| | |
Fostering Student-Alum Connections
On September 27, 2024, the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences hosted an Alumni Open House as part of the school’s annual Alumni Weekend programming. Eight alumni ranging from the class of 1995 to the class of 2023 joined eight current students for an engaging afternoon of connection, reflection and discussion.
Bryn Austin, Interim Co-Chair, led an icebreaker to get every single person in the room to meet one another and share a fun fact about themself. Lu Testa and Ana Warner, both current students in the MPH-65 program presented on their summer practicum placements, and Julia Vitagliano, MPH ’23 and Katelyn Ferreira, MPH ’18 shared their work trajectories since graduating and their ties with the department over the years.
The afternoon wrapped up with a conversation facilitated by Alan Geller, Faculty Liaison to the MPH-65 Program in Health and Social Behavior. Alan prompted our alumni and current students to think of ways we can foster networking among students and graduates to share practicum and job opportunities. Some compelling ideas were raised such as piloting a mentorship program, creating shared interest groups, and conducting more direct outreach to alumni to host a practicum placement. A LinkedIn group has been created to set some of these ideas in motion. All alumni and current students of the SBS Department can request to join the group.
| |
Meet Some New SBS Students!
Each quarter we will introduce some new SBS students. Welcome JB, Naomi, and Gakii!
| |
John Jefferson "JB" Besa
HSB 45, '25
JB is a public health physician, internist, and educator working in a non-governmental organization and a state university in the Philippines. He is primarily interested in harnessing the power of health promotion, health communication, and behavioral economics to improve health outcomes.
| |
Naomi Ahn
HSB 45, '25
Naomi studies factors influencing the psychological development of children and adolescents, such as the impact of acculturation. Naomi has experience analyzing health trends and disparities among Asian American subgroups and is interested in exploring the intersection between physical and mental illnesses.
| |
J. Gakii Masunga
SM1, '25
Gakii is interested in analyzing data to better understand how health disparities drive disparate noncommunicable disease (NCD) outcomes in populations across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Gakii aims to generate evidence for policymakers to devise effective strategies to combat the NCD burden in SSA.
| |
A group of SBS master’s students gathered for a photo before heading to SBS 201: Society & Health.
| |
Spotlight on Experiential Learning
| |
Every Fall, Professor Alan Geller leads the second-year MPH-HSB-65 cohort in the Applied Practice and Integrative Learning Experience (SBS 965 P2). Over seven weeks, he invites alums, who were once in his students' shoes, and newly matriculated students to his classes. Geller’s strategic inclusion of alumni aims to provide soon-to-graduate students with diverse, and valuable learning opportunities.
This year, Geller organized two poster nights featuring presentations by the SBS 965 students. First-year HSB-65 students and our Interim Co-Chair, Bryn Austin, served as audience members. In these sessions, each student was given four minutes to present their summer practicum, detailing the organization they worked with, their project objectives, the main activities undertaken, and the tools or skills applied. This format encourages interaction, allowing the audience to ask questions and engage with the presentations.
Among the standout presentations was Riho Isaji, who presented her poster on "Monitoring Healthcare Quality and Outcome” (pictured above). Other projects ranged from bolstering public policy programming for children's mental health policy in Massachusetts to scaling AI in healthcare.
As a facilitator, Geller remarks "I leave these sessions so inspired by the collective work of our students and their deep commitment to public health practice and service."
| |
Dr. Cameron Wiley joins the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences as a Yerby Fellow. He received a PhD in psychological science, with a concentration in health psychology, from the University of California, Irvine. With an academic background that encompasses multiple fields (e.g., psychology, biomedicine, epidemiology), Wiley’s work examines: 1) how the regulation of emotion and stress influences cardiovascular functioning and health, 2) the physiological mechanisms (e.g., autonomic, immune) that facilitate this connection, 3) how these psychophysiological interactions differ across racial/ethnic groups to contribute to disparities in cardiovascular disease risk, and 4) the roles of emotional and social well-being factors in mitigating (or perpetuating) those disparities. As a Yerby fellow, Wiley aims to explore if and how behavioral and environmental factors differentially predict cardiovascular morbidity and mortality outcomes based on racial/ethnic background. Wiley also plans to begin developing a psychometric tool to better assess positive psychological functioning in African Americans.
| |
SBS Events
We Are One: Learnings on Community Engagement
Monday, November 4, 1pm - 1:50pm
Kresge G2/ Zoom
In this SBS Seminar session, Dr. Balsari shares key findings from the research that inspired an interdisciplinary team of graduate students from across campus to explore novel ways of knowledge dissemination. Engagement with these poor, disadvantaged, but extremely empowered women set in motion a series of projects where scientists and policy makers responded to research priorities set by the community. Hum Sab Ek (We Are One) is the rallying cry of the 3 million strong organization, SEWA, comprising street vendors, home based artisans, farmers, salt pan workers, ship breakers and construction workers, amongst many others. It is also the name of the traveling exhibit that is now invited to the World Bank in DC and the ILO in Geneva.
Register Here.
WGH Post-Election Lunch
Wed, November 6,1- 2pm
Kresge 606
Join WGH for lunchtime company to check in following the many US election results – national, state, & local, including ballot initiatives (with 10 states have abortion on the ballot, and 13 having voting rights & election laws on the ballot). There will be no formal presentation or analyses – just a chance to be with others to share responses to the results.
Drop by and stay for as long as you like. A variety of lunch options will be served!
Audience-Centered Advocacy: Toward a New Model of Narrative Change
Tues, November 12, 1pm - 1:50pm
Kresge 200 and Zoom
Join Harmony Labs experts Riki Conrey and Elsie Iwase for a discussion on how to bring an audience lens to narrative intervention efforts. The discussion will include a deep dive into the Harmony Labs’ values-based audience framework and how to meet audiences where they’re at in media culture. Lunch will be served.
This event is presented in collaboration with the Harvard Chan School's Health Communication Concentration and the Stanford Health Equity Media Fellowship.*
Register Here
The Chester Pierce Symposium
Tues, November 12, 8:30 am - 5 pm
Joseph Martin Conference Center, Rotunda
The Chester Pierce Symposium is an annual event organized by the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Chester Pierce left a lasting impact on the fields of psychiatry and social justice and is remembered as a pioneering advocate for mental health and civil rights. This symposium seeks to honor Dr. Pierce's legacy in civil rights, social justice, and mental health and emphasizes his belief in the "lesser virtues" such as gentleness, kindness, cheerfulness, joy, and gratefulness.
The theme for the 2024 symposium is "Well-Being in the Face of Adversity." This year’s symposium is envisioned with the objective of exploring how individuals, institutions, and communities can foster resilience amidst adversity.
In addition to a keynote lecture, the symposium will also include three panels that will bring together leading academics, corporate and community leaders, and activists to address this objective, and engage in active discussions throughout the day.
For more information and registration, please click here.
Fannie Lou Hamer's America: Film Screening
November 20, 5:30 - 7pm
Jonathan M. Mann Conference Room (FXB Building, 7th Floor).
In keeping with this fall's event theme revolving around the politics of gender & health: social, economic, and democratic challenges, the WGH Concentration is hosting a post-election film screening of Fannie Lou Hamer’s America to highlight the political and humanitarian impact of this extraordinary Mississippi civil rights activist. Through public speeches, interviews, and archival footage, the film offers a profound insight into Hamer's tireless fight for racial and gender justice.
This event is co-sponsored by the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. Dinner and refreshments will be provided. All are welcome!
| |
|
Christy Denckla. 2024 Mentoring Award, in recognition of excellence in mentoring an SM2 student. Harvard Chan School of Public Health, SM2 Epidemiology, Thesis Symposium 2024.
2024-2025 “Impact of Relaxed Pandemic-Era TANF Work Requirements on Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Perinatal Health.” Rapid Response Award, UC Berkeley RWJF Work-Health Hub. Site PI: Rita Hamad
Kubzansky, L. Optimism and Dementia-Related Health Outcomes
NIH Grant R01AG085375
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are a leading cause of death. Based on prior work finding that optimism is related to longevity and health in aging, this project will extensively examine associations of optimism with less cognitive decline over time, and may identify new targets for interventions to improve cognitive health and eventually reduce risk of ADRD.
Thriving from Work: Assessment and Impact of Older Worker Preferences Study
Harvard Education and Research Center Pilot Project Grant
Maren Wright Voss, Trainee and Susan Peters, Principal Investigator
This project builds on existing survey tools to pilot a valid measurement approach to understanding older workers’ preferences as predictors of thriving from work and retention, and focuses on understanding worker preferences that can be addressed through workplace programs, policies, and practices.
Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2024 – 202
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U48DP006785
Principal Investigators: Steven Gortmaker, PhD and Angie Cradock, ScD, MPE
This project will address significant gaps in translating evidence-based healthful eating and physical activity interventions into practice and key health promotion and disease prevention objectives in Healthy People 2030. Our implementation research project focuses on improving healthful eating and physical activity behaviors (HEPA) among children (0-5 years) in early childhood education settings.
| |
| Denckla, CA, Hillcoat, A. September 26th, 2024. A critical examination of childhood bereavement measurement strategies: Implications and opportunities for population-level studies. Symposium oral presentation. 40th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies. Boston, MA.
Rita Hamad, invited speaker, Society for Epidemiologic Research, SERDigital webinar, “Quasi-experimental approaches in epidemiology”; November 13, 2024
Krieger N. Introduction to: “Walter Lear History Session: Building the Worlds That Kill Us – Examining US History through a public health lens.” Session co-organized by Krieger, American Public Health Association 152nd Annual Meeting and Expo, Minneapolis, MN, October 27, 2024
Kubzansky LD. Social Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Chronic Distress and Trajectories of Risk. Minnesota Demography and Aging Seminar. Minnesota Population Center University of Minnesota, Sept 16, 2024, Minneapolis MN
Kamini Mallick, Rebekka Lee, Trang Nguyen Dafforn, Tiffany Vassell, Karen Emmons. Collaborative Catalyst: Building Relationships and Trust Between Community and Research through Collective Ideation. APHA | Oral Presentation | Minneapolis, MN | October 29, 2024
Melinda Mastan, Sushmita Das, Sheetal Rajan. Associations between Maternal and Child Minimum Dietary Diversity in Urban Informal Settlements of Mumbai. Rapid Fire Presentation | Online, Colombo, Sri Lanka | December 3, 2024. Conference: Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia: Connecting the Dots Across System (IFPRI)
Taylor Robinson, Gary Adamkiewicz, Jarvis Chen, Susan Redline. Associations of Objective Indoor Temperature and Parent-Reported Thermal Discomfort with Sleep Health Outcomes in an Urban Sample of School-aged Children |
Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Medicine 2024 Retreat| Poster Presentation | Boston, MA | October 15, 2024
Smith, CL. “Liberation Medicine and Abolitionist Health,” workshop presentation, Health Autonomy Convergence Northeast (HACNE), 10/20/24, Marlboro, Vermont
| |
| *tBolhuis, K, *tEspinosa Dice AL, Jansen PW, Tiemeier H, Denckla CA. Neurocognition and academic achievement among bereaved children in the Generation R Cohort. Scientific Reports. 2024, doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-72178-5.
*t contributed equally to the work
Jackson K, Chiang YA, Hamad R. “The association of increased SNAP benefits during COVID-19 with food insufficiency and anxiety among US adults: a quasi-experimental study.” Public Health Nutrition 27(1): e186, 2024.
Kotlar, B, Dawson, K, Odayar, V, Mason, E, Tiemeier, H. (2024). “How Am I Going to Do It?” Understanding the Challenges of Assuming Care of a Child Born During their Mothers’ Incarceration. Health Equity, 8(1), 731–737. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2024.0098
Krieger N. Analyzing structural racism and its health impacts: it’s about time. Am J Epidemiol 2024:kwae392. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwae392. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39367706
Qiu X, Yazdi MD, Wang C, Kosheleva A, Wu H, Vokonas PS, Spiro A, Laurent LC, DeHoff P, Kubzansky LD, Weisskopf MG, Baccarelli AA, Schwartz JD. Extracellular microRNAs associated with psychiatric symptoms in the Normative Aging Study. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 178:270-277, 2024.
Rabin BA, Smith JD, Dressler EV, Cohen DJ, Lee RM, Goodman MS, D’Angelo H, Norton WE, Oh AY. Designing for data sharing: Considerations for advancing health equity in data management and dissemination. Translational Behavioral Medicine. 2024 Sep 27:ibae049.
SBS Faculty member, Margareta Matache, along with FXB co-authors Stephanie Martinez-Fernandez, Edita Rigova, Aqil Arif Merchant, Keisha Bush, and Jacqueline Bhabha, published a report on Measuring anti-Romani discrimination in Canada. Read the report: Confronting Major and Everyday Discrimination: Romani Experiences in Canada’s Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area.
Okuzono, S.S., Burrows, K., Shiba, K., Yazawa, A., Hikichi, H., Aida, J., Kondo, K. and Kawachi, I., “Pre-disaster income inequality and post-disaster mental health: A natural experiment from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.” 2024, Health & Place, 90, p.103363.
Ramanadhan S, Cruz J, Weese M, Rivard M, Kirk S, Eisenkraft A, Peterson K, Kirk J, Whitaker A, Nwamuo C, & Rosas, S. Differing conceptual maps of skills for using evidence-based interventions held by community-based organization practitioners and academics: A multi-dimensional scaling comparison. Translational Behavioral Medicine. In press.
Sabbath EL, Lovejoy MC, Schneider DK, DeHorn G, Diaz-Linhart Y, Peters SE. Engaging low-wage workers in health and wellbeing survey research: Strategies from five occupational studies. American Journal of Public Health. (2024; in press; accepted September 18, 2024).
The 6th edition of Health Behavior: Theory, Research, and Practice, edited by Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness Director Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, is now available! This essential public health text explores the latest health behavior theories and applications, including culture's role in health, evidence-based interventions, and the impact of e-health and social media. Contributors with ties to the SBS Department include Dr. Shoba Ramanadhan, Dr. Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, Dr. Jessica Cohen, Dr. Zinzi Bailey, Dr. Rebeka Nagler, Dr. Rachel Shelton, Dr. Sarah Piombo, and Dr. Racquel Kelly Kohler. Learn more here.
| |
|
|
|
|
