College of Public Health

Whether the focus is maternal, reproductive and women’s health, the effects of the proposed ACA and Medicaid cuts on Ohioans, finding solutions to the opioid crisis, regulating tobacco products, or other important issues of our day, College of Public Health experts are creating new knowledge through research and providing timely perspective. 

Some selected examples of CPH faculty and leadership “In the News”:

7/2/17  The Intelligencer – Wheeling News Register
“OSU Vows to Combat Opioid Abuse.”  The article covers President Drake’s comments during a panel discussion about drug addiction at the Noble County Community Center.   Excerpt:  The extension is also working with the OSU Colleges of Public Health, Social Work, Nursing and Medicine to battle the opioid epidemic.
http://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2017/07/osu%E2%80%88vows-to-combat-opioid-abuse/

6/27/17  STAT (Boston Globe Health) 
“STAT forecast: Opioids could kill nearly 500,000 Americans in the next decade.”  Two-part series featured interviewed with various national experts, including Dr. William Miller, professor and chair of the division of epidemiology, College of Public Health.
https://www.statnews.com/2017/06/27/opioid-deaths-forecast/

6/23/17  WCMH-TV NBC4 Columbus
“The Fighting 126: Ohio State University leading the research to stop cancer among firefighters.”   Excerpt:  Dr. Olivo-Marsten is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the College of Public Health at OSU. She is one of the leaders of a new study targeted at finding answers about the toxins causing cancer among firefighters. “We don’t know a lot specifically in Ohio. We know, anecdotally, as we are going out to the stations and talking to people is that they feel like they are seeing a big increase in firefighters being diagnosed with cancer.”
http://nbc4i.com/2017/06/23/the-fighting-126-ohio-state-university-leading-the-research-to-stop-cancer-among-firefighters/

5/28/17  Columbus Dispatch
“Strapped for funds, Ohio coroners likely undercounting opioid epidemic.”   Excerpt:  Such undercounting can be common in an epidemic, said William Miller, chairman of the Division of Epidemiology in Ohio State’s College of Public Health.
“I would venture to say that the issue of limited resources is very real for the local health departments,” Miller said in an email. “Many have very, very small budgets and have more tasks than they can manage. I don’t have documentation for this, but I would expect that overdose deaths may be undercounted, in part, because a death may not be classified as such.”
http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170528/strapped-for-funds-ohio-coroners-likely-undercounting-opioid-epidemic

5/19/17   WCPO-TV ABC 9 Cincinnati
“Breaking Down the Local Impact of the Big Cuts Proposed to Medicaid.” The news story references “a recent study by two public health professors at The Ohio State University.”  Micah Berman, CPH faculty member, was interviewed.
http://www.wcpo.com/entertainment/cincybuzz/health-care-truth-squad-breaks-down-what-big-cuts-to-medicaid-could-mean-here

5/9/17  The Daily Beast
“Trumpcare’s Cuts Would Hit White Male Addicts Harder.”  Excerpt:  Experts say Jones is among those who will be hardest hit by the Medicaid cuts Republicans want to impose on the country. A study by Eric Seiber, a professor at the College of Public Health at Ohio State University, found those receiving drug-addiction treatment through Medicaid in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia are disproportionately white, middle-aged, male, and with a high school diploma or less education.  In other words, Trump supporters.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/trumpcares-cuts-would-hit-white-male-addicts-harder

5/8/17   WEWS-TV ABC 5 Cleveland (from AP story)
“Ohio Braces for Big Decisions under GOP Health Care Changes.” Story quotes Eric Seiber, CPH associate professor. Excerpt:  A recent Ohio State University study found that almost everyone covered through Ohio’s Medicaid expansion would have no other viable insurance option if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.  That’s roughly 712,000 people. 

“Many of these people have nothing else to turn to,” said Eric Seiber, lead author and associate professor of health services management and policy in Ohio State’s College of Public Health.  “Their choice is Medicaid or medical bankruptcy.”
http://www.news5cleveland.com/news/state/ohio-braces-for-big-decisions-under-gop-health-care-changes

4/27/17   Huffington Post
JD Vance: “Opioid Addiction is Like a Nuclear Bomb Going Off in the Family.”   Coverage of Vance’s talk and panelists’ comments – including from CPH Dean William Martin’s -- during the OSU Wexner Medical Center’s Global Brain Health and Performance Summit. 

Dr. Martin quoted in the piece.  “You can’t frame addiction as moral failure,” said Martin.  “It’s about genetics and social circumstances, and we need to look at it as a health issue.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jd-vance-opioid-addiction-is-like-a-nuclear-bomb_us_59022f2fe4b0768c2682e40e

4/24/17   U.S. News & World Report
“Regular Bedtimes – Kids – Linked to Lower Obesity Rates later.”  Coverage of and quotes from CPH Associate Professor Sarah Anderson regarding her recent published research study.

"This study provides more evidence that routines for preschool-aged children are associated with their healthy development and could reduce the likelihood that these children will be obese," said the lead author, Sarah Anderson, a professor at Ohio State's College of Public Health.
https://www.usnews.com/news/at-the-edge/articles/2017-04-24/children-with-set-meal-times-bedtimes-and-limited-screen-time-less-likely-to-be-obese-study-finds

Related, 5/10 Reuters, Daily Mail –UK, VOA, and other media
“Another Reason Bedtime Matters for Preschoolers.” Coverage of and quotes from CPH Associate Professor Sarah Anderson regarding her recent published research study.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-children-bedtime-obesity-idUSKBN1862T8

3/29/17   Columbus Monthly
"Why are There So Few Young Scientists? Average Age is on the Rise." CPH faculty member Mary Ellen Wewers among OSU faculty quoted.
http://www.columbusmonthly.com/news/20170329/why-are-there-so-few-young-scientists-average-age-in-us-on-rise

3/10/17   CBS News
"Could a 4-day Workweek be Hazardous to Health?" CPH Professor Al Dembe interviewed and quoted. Online and live broadcast.  
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-a-4-day-workweek-be-hazardous-to-health/

3/4/17   USA Today
"AmeriCorp Helps Thousands of Students. Trump Budget May Axe It." Melinda Dang, OSU student and daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, is quoted. She's applying to our 5-year combined masters degree in public health.
http://college.usatoday.com/2017/03/04/americorps-trump/

2/7/17   Associated Press
"Report: Ohio Uninsured Rate At Its Lowest." Ohio Medicaid Assessment group, including the College of Public Health, included and referenced.
 http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/02/07/report-ohio-uninsured-rate-its-lowest/97556104/ 

1/18/17   WOSU-NPR
"Experts Credit Contraceptives for Drop in Ohio's Abortion Rate." CPH faculty member Alison Norris quoted.
http://radio.wosu.org/post/experts-credit-contraceptives-drop-ohios-abortion-rate