The Chez Veterans Center at Illinois serves more than 550 military-connected students
(from left) Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, Chancellor Robert Jones and Chez’s Garrett Anderson
The University of Illinois was designated Friday as a Purple Heart university, awarded the honor because of the university’s longstanding commitment to military veterans.
“This university has a tradition unlike any other that goes far beyond just remembering those who lost their lives in service,” Chancellor Robert Jones said. “This has been a place of world-changing ideas, innovations and, sometimes just plain old hard-headed determination to help those who come home to find success in their educational hopes and to lead lives and careers of impact after they earn their degree.”
Illinois was the first university to call for compulsory military training at all land grant colleges, as part of the Morrill Act of 1862, and developed the first post-secondary disability support service program in the world for Veterans. Established by Dr. Tim Nugent, this program allowed injured World War II veterans to use their GI Bill benefits for higher education.
In 2015, UIUC opened the doors at the Chez Veterans Center to provide an open, welcoming space for all student veterans and military-connected communities.
“During my tenure as dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences, I have had many opportunities to feel proud of leading such an outstanding unit. Today, that pride deepens with this truly humbling recognition by the Military Order of the Purple Heart,” said AHS Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell.
“The commitment of this college and this university to helping wounded veterans pursue their degrees goes back more than 70 years, when Dr. Timothy Nugent established the very first support program in higher education for World War two veterans with disabilities. At a time when people in wheelchairs were not expected or encouraged to attend college and dream of careers, Dr. Nugent said, “Why not?”’
The Chez Veterans Center is the largest, most comprehensive facility of its kind in the United States, and serves more than 550 military-connected students.
“AHS continues to be the unwavering force pushing us forward to do more and to find new and better ways to open doors of access and success to the student-veterans who trust this university with their academic futures,” Chancellor Jones said.
The event was well-attended and VIPs included Matt Janes from the office of Congressman Rodney Davis; State Senator Scott Bennett; State Senator Chapin Rose; State Representative Mike Marron; State Representative Brad Halbrook, Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen, members of the Chez Veterans Center advisory board, and members of the Veterans Assistance Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs.
No controlled studies have looked at the fiber-exercise combination
Can controlled increases in fiber intake and physical activity show additive effects?
KCH Assistant Professor Jacob Allen received a grant from the Center on Health, Aging & Disability for his project, “Gastrointestinal And Metabolic Effects from a Prebiotic, Lifting, and Aerobic iNtervention (GAMEPLAN).” Allen received $30,000 from CHAD for the 18-month project, which begins July 1.
Hannah Holscher, an associate professor of Nutrition in the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, and Riley Hughes, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Holscher’s lab, are collaborators on the project.
The project is focused on the independent and combined effects of prebiotic fiber consumption and exercise on the gut microbiome and human health. Allen said he and his collaborators are pursuing these studies because “Benefits of exercise and high fiber diets have been described in isolation. However, no controlled studies have looked at the potential additive effects of fiber and exercise.”
The combination of exercise and fiber could be beneficial for the majority of Americans who don’t get the recommended dietary fiber (more than 90 percent), or adequate exercise (more than 60 percent), Allen said.
Prebiotic fibers are substrate that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit, he said. Holscher added that prebiotics can be found naturally within foods like whole grains, onions, garlic, articokes, and bananas.
“For this study, we are using a prebiotic called short chain-fructooligosaccharides (aka. sc-FOS). We chose it for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because it is known to result in the production of beneficial metabolites produced by microbes that may synergize with exercise to promote metabolic adaptations.”
Another aim of the study is to improve body composition, but Allen stressed that does not necessarily mean weight loss.
“In fact, exercise interventions are often not accompanied by significant weight loss especially early on in the intervention, or fewer than six weeks”, he said.
“However, this does not mean that the exercise is not effective in improving health. For instance, body composition changes still occur with exercise despite no weight loss. Exercise training can lead to increased muscle mass and bone mass concurrent to reductions in fat. If you are only looking at a scale, these changes tend to negate each other. However adding muscle and losing fat is still very beneficial for metabolic health. Short end of it, exercise can still be beneficial without weight loss!”
Culturally inclusive diets face regulatory barriers in long-term care facilities
KCH Assistant Professor Mina Raj received a grant from the Center on Health, Aging, and Disability for her project entitled, ““Towards the development of guidelines for inclusive foods in long-term care.”
The CHAD Pilot Grant, which is valued at for $29,646 for 18 months starting July 1, aims to find out more about resident preferences for inclusive diets from the perspectives of long-term care (LTC) personnel, and understand the practice and regulatory barriers and facilitators to promoting inclusive diets in long-term care facilities in order to ultimately develop guidelines for implementing inclusive diets in long-term care facilities.
An inclusive diet, as defined in this study, is one that considers dietary preferences that may be informed by cultural norms or traditions.
The study is important, Raj said, because, “Food is a fundamental aspect of community and is also tied to mental and physical health outcomes. For instance, eating traditional foods has been linked with promoting joy and delight among patients with dementia.”
“We have an increasingly diverse aging population, and as our health system pursues health equity and addressing health disparities, it is critical to understand how to ensure that long-term facilities promote inclusiveness and belonging,” she said. “Even though the number of racial and ethnic minority older adults living in long-term care facilities in the U.S. has increased substantially in the last few decades, these older adults are still very reluctant to reside in long-term care facilities and a primary concern is the alignment of dietary preferences and options offered in facilities. Availability of preferred foods that align with cultural norms and traditions could promote food consumption thereby reducing the risk of frailty and associated health conditions among older adults.”
Another of the study’s goals is to identify regulatory barriers to inclusive diets in LTC facilities. For example, one regulatory barrier is the vendors or grocery stores from which LTC facilities are allowed to purchase prepared meals or ingredients for cooking in the facility. The vendors may not offer inclusive diets or grocery stores may not sell produce needed to prepare meals that are traditional to certain communities, Raj said. Raj said she hopes this study can inform modification of these types of regulations and contribute to inclusion and health equity in LTC facilities..
Raj said the study will focus on long-term care facilities across Illinois, Michigan and Indiana.
Forber-Pratt’s research is focused on disability identity, inclusion, disability sport, and work related to disability activism
SHS alum Anjali Forber-Pratt named director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research
Anjali Forber-Pratt, who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Department of Speech and Hearing Science in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois, has been named as director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Forber-Pratt, most recently an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, is an elite wheelchair racer, having won two bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. She also represented Team USA in London at the 2012 Paralympic Games.
Her research is focused on disability identity, inclusion, disability sport, and work related to disability activism. Forber-Pratt holds a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences, an M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development, all from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
A two-time Paralympian and medalist in the sport of wheelchair racing, Dr. Forber-Pratt has dedicated her life to helping others recognize their potential. Globally, she is involved with disability advocacy efforts related to access to employment, education and sports. She was honored with the inaugural American Psychological Association Citizen Psychologist Award for Advancing Disability as a Human Rights and Social Justice Issue Award in 2020 and was recognized by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education as a 2018 Emerging Scholar. In 2013, she was awarded the American Association of People with Disabilities’ prestigious Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, given to emerging leaders within the national disability community. Also in 2013, she was named a Champion of Change by the White House and had an opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion with President Obama about disability policy issues.
“I am extremely honored and humbled by this appointment as well as the opportunity to serve our country,” Forber-Pratt said in a statement. “From my U of I days, I distinctly remember being explicitly taught that we had an obligation as alums to make the world a better place and to be ambassadors, especially for the broader disability community. Dr. Timothy Nugent taught us that, and my coach Adam Bleakney and others reinforced that every day—it was always more than just our athletic journey or just our academic journey. Many of us have found our own unique ways to embody that—I believe serving as Director of the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research is one way that I will continue to try to serve the broader disability community and educate others. I believe my collective training—with two degrees in Speech & Hearing Sciences as well as my PhD in education that taught me the analytic research skills—it truly is the combination of these degrees and U of I experiences and my own lived experiences as a proud disabled alum that position me well to transition into this role.”
Forber-Pratt served as principal investigator for research projects covering a range of disability issues, including training of special education teachers, experiences of students with disabilities at every education level, and identity development. She has authored 33 peer-reviewed journal articles and is the author or co-author of a number of textbook chapters.
Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Falguni Deshpande, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences.
Photo by caption
Q: Why did you pick I-Health?
A: I was unhappy in my previous major and my sister told me to meet with her previous advisor Beth (Frasca). I met up with Beth on the first day of my sophomore year and saw how welcoming the college of Applied Health Sciences is, which made me realize I wanted to transfer into this college. I knew about I-Health because my sister had majored in it, and I decided on majoring in I-Health because I was interested in expanding my knowledge about health and the ways in which our society and environment influence our health and wellbeing.
Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?
A: The (person) that had the most impact on me was my advisor Beth (Frasca). She has always been so supportive of me ever since I transferred into I-Health, and has helped me so much with figuring out my college life and also my future! She is the reason why I was able to make the switch into I-Health and is also the one who encouraged me to apply for the Health Technology master’s program at our university.
Q: What course did you most enjoy?
A: 3. CHLH 470: Technology, Health, and Aging—this class is what made me interested in the field of health technology! The professor Dr. (Tim) Hale was super amazing and I really enjoyed getting to work with a group on a project where we created a health technology product to solve a health issue.
Q: Did you enter I-Health knowing your career path, or did KCH help you decide?
A: 4. When I transferred into I-Health, my original plan was to go to medical school, but my time in I-Health made me realize how interested I was in helping serve diverse populations and also health technology! After talking with my advisor Beth and other people in I-Health, I decided that I wanted to work in the health care field for a few years before going straight to medical school.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: After I graduate, I will be spending another year at the University of Illinois pursuing a Master of Science in Health Technology. After that, I plan on finding a job in the health care field (hopefully related to health technology) and eventually apply for medical school!
Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?
A: My favorite on-campus experiences are probably when I would go and explore new parts of campus that I had never been to before! As a freshman I lived in Snyder Hall on Peabody Dr, and one time I decided to walk with some friends down the road and I saw the Krannert Art Museum! I would definitely recommend going there, along with Japan House at the Arboretum!
Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?
A: I miss attending in-person classes and the walk to/between classes. I loved getting to know new people and saying hi to them if I see them on the quad. I also miss getting to hang out with my friends and doing in-person volunteering through my service organization.
Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and during COVID?
A: The biggest change I noticed was the culture of campus. Before COVID, you would always see so many people hanging out outside on the quad, whether it be chilling with friends, playing sports, or studying. Now, many people tend to stay inside because most of their classes are online. During my entire senior year, I only had one in-person class, which was IHLT 475!
Q: What would you say to recommend I-Health to a prospective student?
A: I would tell a prospective student that the I-Health major really gives you a holistic view of health and helps expand your understanding of what health is and how it incorporates the different social determinants of health. If you plan on pursuing a career in the field of health and health care, I-Health is the perfect major for you!
Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Falguni Deshpande, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences.
Q: Why did you pick I-Health?
A: I was unhappy in my previous major and my sister told me to meet with her previous advisor Beth (Frasca). I met up with Beth on the first day of my sophomore year and saw how welcoming the college of Applied Health Sciences is, which made me realize I wanted to transfer into this college. I knew about I-Health because my sister had majored in it, and I decided on majoring in I-Health because I was interested in expanding my knowledge about health and the ways in which our society and environment influence our health and wellbeing.
Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?
A: The (person) that had the most impact on me was my advisor Beth (Frasca). She has always been so supportive of me ever since I transferred into I-Health, and has helped me so much with figuring out my college life and also my future! She is the reason why I was able to make the switch into I-Health and is also the one who encouraged me to apply for the Health Technology master’s program at our university.
Q: What course did you most enjoy?
A: 3. CHLH 470: Technology, Health, and Aging—this class is what made me interested in the field of health technology! The professor Dr. (Tim) Hale was super amazing and I really enjoyed getting to work with a group on a project where we created a health technology product to solve a health issue.
Q: Did you enter I-Health knowing your career path, or did KCH help you decide?
A: 4. When I transferred into I-Health, my original plan was to go to medical school, but my time in I-Health made me realize how interested I was in helping serve diverse populations and also health technology! After talking with my advisor Beth and other people in I-Health, I decided that I wanted to work in the health care field for a few years before going straight to medical school.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: After I graduate, I will be spending another year at the University of Illinois pursuing a Master of Science in Health Technology. After that, I plan on finding a job in the health care field (hopefully related to health technology) and eventually apply for medical school!
Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?
A: My favorite on-campus experiences are probably when I would go and explore new parts of campus that I had never been to before! As a freshman I lived in Snyder Hall on Peabody Dr, and one time I decided to walk with some friends down the road and I saw the Krannert Art Museum! I would definitely recommend going there, along with Japan House at the Arboretum!
Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?
A: I miss attending in-person classes and the walk to/between classes. I loved getting to know new people and saying hi to them if I see them on the quad. I also miss getting to hang out with my friends and doing in-person volunteering through my service organization.
Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and during COVID?
A: The biggest change I noticed was the culture of campus. Before COVID, you would always see so many people hanging out outside on the quad, whether it be chilling with friends, playing sports, or studying. Now, many people tend to stay inside because most of their classes are online. During my entire senior year, I only had one in-person class, which was IHLT 475!
Q: What would you say to recommend I-Health to a prospective student?
A: I would tell a prospective student that the I-Health major really gives you a holistic view of health and helps expand your understanding of what health is and how it incorporates the different social determinants of health. If you plan on pursuing a career in the field of health and health care, I-Health is the perfect major for you!
Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Casey Cushing, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.
Photo by caption
Q: Why did you pick KCH?
A: I picked KCH because it was a great program at a university that offered me so many benefits compared to other universities. I knew by being in this program that I would gain the basic knowledge to continue on to occupational therapy graduate programs.
Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?
A: There were multiple professors that I really enjoyed having and that made an impact on experience. Dr. (Steve) Petruzzello created such a fun and engaging learning environment and was always willing to help his students so they could be more successful. I worked as an assistant in Dr. (Kevin) Richards’ research lab for the past three years. He helped me grow as a researcher and student, always had so much confidence in me and provided me with opportunities that I could have never imagined! I’m so grateful for them and all the other professors I had along the way.
Q: What course did you most enjoy?
A: My favorite course was KIN340, which Dr. (Petruzzello) taught. I liked the content of the course, as well as the lab. The information we learned in lab was useful and my TA was amazing. I also really enjoyed this class because I was able to develop friendships with my peers.
Q: Did you enter KCH knowing your career path, or did KCH help you decide?
A: I entered KCH planning to go to occupational therapy school. However, KCH reinforced my interest in the field and provided opportunities to get more involved within the OT community.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: I will be attending (Illinois-Chicago) for a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?
A: My favorite on campus experience was being on the quad on a beautiful spring day when it is busy with students. I loved finding a good spot to hammock and relaxing with friends.
Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?
A: Because of the pandemic, I really missed in-person classes. I don’t enjoy online classes as much because it is not as easy to foster the relationships with friends, TAs, and professors that I value so much.
Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and during COVID?
A: I am definitely not socializing on campus as much as I did before COVID. I always loved walking around, seeing familiar faces, engaging in campus events, but because of the pandemic I haven’t been doing this stuff as much.
Q: What would you say to recommend KCH to a prospective student?
A: I would 100 percent recommend KCH to a prospective student. Since KCH is within a small college, you feel like you get a personalized education which is very comforting when college can be such a scary change. The professors and other students are great and it will provide you the opportunities you need to succeed in the future!
Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Emma Boat, who is graduating in May with a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology.
Q: Why did you pick SHS?
A: I chose Speech and Hearing Sciences because I love to use communication to connect with people. I want to help people who struggle to communicate to build their speech and language skills so they too can make connections and express their wants and needs.
Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?
A: Every single one of the SHS professors made an impact on me. I feel like I’ve learned from some of the most knowledgeable, passionate people in the field and I’m so grateful for every class. Jennifer Dahman has made a huge impact on me. She has so much passion and love for the field, and she finds a way to make even the driest topics meaningful. If I ever had a day when I was feeling uninspired, a class or client with Jen would always remind me of why I chose speech pathology.
Q: What course did you most enjoy?
A: My favorite course was probably Cognitive Communication Disorders, taught by Dr. Raksha Mudar. The topics were interesting, the class was discussion-based and engaging, and Dr. Mudar is so intelligent and shared so much valuable knowledge and insight with us.
Q: Did you enter SHS knowing your career path, or did SHS help you decide?
A: I came into SHS knowing I want to be a Speech-Language Pathologist, but my experiences in SHS, both within the classroom and in different clinical settings, exposed me to the diverse settings and roles within the field. All these experiences helped me learn what I’m most passionate about and where I want to take my career.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: I hope to work with kids in a private practice or school setting in Chicago.
Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?
A: Right before COVID, my roommate and I went to a basketball game against Maryland. It was such a blast feeling the energy and cheering on the Illini, and it really made us feel like a part of the university!
Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?
A: The thing I miss most is being in class with my cohort. We are a small cohort of about 30 students, so we all became really close before the pandemic. We all would’ve loved to have one more class together in-person before graduation, but I’m thankful for the time we had before the pandemic.
Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and post-COVID?
A: Before COVID, campus was always lively and energetic. People were always out and the energy was so fun. Immediately after COVID, campus lost that energy and became more isolated. Slowly but surely, campus has returned to its pre-COVID state.
Q: What would you say to recommend SHS to a prospective student?
A: When I entered the SHS department, I was coming from a different school and didn’t know anyone in the department. I immediately felt welcomed by the faculty and my new classmates. After just a few weeks, I felt comfortable and supported. In SHS, we all have different interests and goals, but with a shared love of speech and language. It’s a community of kind, open-minded, passionate people, so it’s been a special experience. I would highly recommend SHS to anyone who’s open-minded, ready to work hard and learn, and is interested in the field.
Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Sam Tinaglia, a Recreation, Sport and Tourism major with a concentration in sport. Sam will graduate as a Bronze Tablet Scholar this month.
Sam Tinaglia
Q: Why did you pick RST?
A: When I first came to UIUC, I started as a journalism major, but then was recruited to go on Dr. Michael Raycraft’s RST 180 Hall of Fame Class Trip. I enjoyed the trip and meeting other RST students and faculty so much that I eventually transferred into the RST program my sophomore year. I have always loved sports and knew I wanted to work in the sports industry and I felt RST was the major that could help me reach my goals. As I finish my undergraduate degree, I feel I made the right choice as the RST curriculum has thought me many valuable skills for the future.
Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?
A: Dr. Kim Shinew, Dr. Michael Raycraft, Dr. Sharon Zou, Dr. Bill Stewart, Robyn Deterding, and Don Hardin have left a lasting impact on me from my time in RST.
Q: What course did you most enjoy?
A: RST 180 with Dr. Raycraft was my favorite course as that class is one of a kind. As a group of about 20 individuals, we jumped on a big orange Illinois coach bus and traveled to recreation, sports, and tourism destinations in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. We saw the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, the Lake Placid Olympic facilities, the Woodstock Concert Grounds and Museum, the National Football League Hall of Fame, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which were just a few of our many fantastic stops. This class was like no other I’ve ever taken in my years of schooling and I would take it again in a heartbeat.
Q: Did you enter RST knowing your career path, or did RST help you decide?
A: I entered RST knowing I wanted to work in sports, so I went the sports concentration route. But as I was taking classes in RST, I learned to love the recreation and tourism concentrations too. I think the parts of R, S, and T can be intermixed, and after finishing the course work, I can say I would love to work in any of the RST fields.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: After I graduate I hope to start up my online master’s degree with RST and get more experience in the RST field as I intern with the Niles Park District in Athletics.
Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?
A: My favorite on-campus experience at Illinois was working with the Fighting Illini Marketing Team within the athletic department. For that opportunity, we handed out promotional materials before athletic events at UIUC and helped with in-game promotions too. Being able to work in person at various Illini sporting events was a fantastic experience and I’ll miss it when I graduate.
Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?
A: I have been schooling from home since March of 2020, so ever since the pandemic started. The thing I miss most is going in person to classes and interacting with other students and professors. You don’t realize something was so great until you can’t experience it anymore, and that was me at Illinois. I really enjoyed school and, sadly, it’s (technically) over.
Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre- and during COVID?
A: (I) haven’t been back since March 2020, I wouldn’t know.
Q: What would you say to recommend RST to a prospective student?
A: If you love and want to work in recreational activities, sports, and/or the tourism industry, RST is the place for you. Also, if you just want to get a good, well-rounded college experience in a smaller tight-knit college within a large university, RST would be a great home for you.
Authors Recommend Ways to Improve Latinas’ Perinatal Mental Health During COVID-19 Crisis. (Image provided)
Authors recommend culturally appropriate communication while providing anxiety resources
Experiencing anxiety during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications, and Latinas today face many stressors related to COVID-19 as well as pre-existing racism and intolerance. A new commentary from KCH Assistant Professor Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo in Women’s Health Issues recommends ways for clinical practice, research, and policy to better support the mental health of pregnant and postpartum Latinas.
The commentary was published in Women’s Health Issues, the official journal of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, which is based at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
Lara-Cinisomo and colleagues explain that high rates of COVID-19 cases and pandemic-related job losses in Latino communities can exacerbate the ongoing immigrant and minority-related stressors affecting perinatal Latinas. They note that research has found a relationship between immigration policies and anxiety in Latinas, and that some communities report fearing deportation more than COVID-19.
The authors’ recommendations for clinical practice include using culturally appropriate communication—both one-on-one and over social media—to provide information about anxiety symptoms and resources. To allow for research into the combined effects of psychosocial, cultural, sociopolitical, and socioeconomic stressors, they suggest that the National Institutes of Health and other funders direct grants to investigators who have records of working with Latino communities; they also highlight the importance of examining different subgroups of Latinas, rather than treating them as a monolith.
The commentary’s policy recommendations include suggestions for improving health care as well as stressors in the larger environment. Lara-Cinisomo and her colleagues urge policymakers to direct additional funding toward bilingual and diversity-trained professionals, and toward increasing access to telemedicine and language services. They also advise officials to improve workplace health and safety (noting that structural racism leaves both Black and Latino workers disproportionately likely to work in jobs with high risks of COVID-19 exposure), halt deportations, and reunite families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“As the Biden-Harris administration begins implementing its policy priorities, we urge all elected officials to provide much-needed resources to clinicians working directly with perinatal Latinas, researchers working to understand the effects of the pandemic on these women, and the perinatal Latinas who are fighting to keep themselves and their families safe on all fronts,” the authors conclude. “Improving mental health for perinatal and postpartum Latinas has long been an important public health priority, and COVID-19 has made it even more pressing,” said Amita Vyas, Editor-in-Chief of Women’s Health Issues and associate professor of prevention and community health at Milken Institute SPH. “This commentary helps move the work forward by offering concrete recommendations for clinicians, researchers, funders, and elected officials.”
“Recommendations for clinical practice, research, and policy to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety symptoms in immigrant and U.S.-born Latina mothers” has been published online as an article in press and will appear in a future issue of Women’s Health Issues.
Freshmen are entering college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with new AHS students about campus life, why they decided to come to campus—or stay home—and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Todd Marshall, a Recreation, Sport and Tourism major with a concentration in sport.
Q: Are you on campus?
A: I do not live on campus, but I grew up in Champaign so I live at my house off campus.
Q: What made you decide to be on campus?
A: It was a cheaper option to stay home especially with classes being mostly online. Although I am still able to attend my in-person classes since I live close.
Q: What challenges have you found in navigating campus?
A: I’ve been on campus quite a lot and navigating is not very difficult to me.
Q: Have often are you in a classroom, as opposed to taking remote classes?
A: Two days a week I go to in-person classes, (but) only the Spring semester, though. I spend much more time on computer classes than in-person.
Q: What challenges are you discovering with remote classes?
A: Deadlines often conflict or get mixed up with each other. I have not had very many technology barriers, other than having to pay for services teachers use.
Q: Tell me what you think about the COVID testing process. Has it been easy to find a testing site?
A: I believe the university is doing a great job providing testing and access to students health history through the app. The U of I has taken this opportunity to actually demonstrate their innovation and commitment to student safety, and as a student that is very valuable.
Q: What are the differences between your high school remote learning experience, and here at Illinois?
A: Not much is different, other than more Zoom calls with university classes.
Q: What is the one thing you can’t wait to do when you get to campus?
