Integrating service-learning into an MPH curriculum for future public health practitioners: strengthening community-campus partnerships.

Through a 3-year grant from the Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, the Virginia Commonwealth University MPH program adopted an incremental approach to implement service-learning focused on health disparities into its curriculum. We first incorporated service-learning into an elective course and then a required internship. We then worked with the Virginia Department of Health to develop a plan for first-year students to engage in additional experiential learning through a practicum. Students also were encouraged to organize community service events, such as health fairs. Service-learning was fully incorporated into the internship. The first-year student practicum, followed by the internship, has strengthened collaborations among faculty, students, and the Virginia Department of Health and expanded student service in the community. The number of student-supported community service events more than doubled. An incremental approach to incorporating service-learning led to successful implementation of the pedagogy. Service-learning benefits community partners, enriches student learning, and is well-suited for studies in public health.

Biological monitoring of uranium exposure in south central Virginia.

In May 2004, two groundwater wells in Dinwiddie County, Virginia were found to have natural uranium levels either at or above the EPA recommended limit of 30 microg/l. As a result, a stop drinking water advisory was issued until a water treatment system could be installed to remove the uranium. In response to residents' concerns, and uncertainty of exposures, affected individuals were asked to participate in a voluntary epidemiological investigation of uranium uptake and 1-year uranium retention study. This study had two primary objectives: quantification of the uranium load on the participants, as expressed by their urine uranium concentration, and retention after 1 year of no exposure. A first-morning void urine specimen, along with survey information, was collected from 156 participants in May 2004, with a second collection occurring 12 months later of 91 participants. The samples were analyzed for uranium by ICP/MS, pH, creatinine by the Jaffe method, and RBP by LIA after both collections. A reduction of one order of magnitude for the geometric mean urine uranium concentration was observed, from 0.100 microg/g creatinine to 0.011 microg/g creatinine in 1 year. Comparatively, NHANES has reported that the geometric mean for all participants, ages 6 years and older, is 0.008 microg/g creatinine, with the 95th percentile being 0.040 microg/g creatinine. None of the second round specimens showed a urine uranium concentration higher than baseline for an individual.

A pilot study of global positioning system/geographical information system measurement of residential proximity to agricultural fields and urinary organophosphate metabolite concentrations in toddlers.

This pilot study enrolled 20 children between the ages of 11 and 17 months in Imperial County, California to assess children's pesticide exposure and residential proximity to agricultural fields. We compared parental self-report of residential proximity to agricultural fields to measurements using global positioning system/geographical information system (GPS/GIS) technology, and we assessed the relationship between residential proximity to agricultural fields and a biomarker of organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure. Questionnaires were administered twice, 4 weeks apart, to determine self-reported residential proximity to agricultural fields. Urine samples were collected at each contact to measure OP metabolites. Actual residential proximity to the closest agricultural field and number of fields was within 1 mile to the west were measured using GPS/GIS. Self-report of living proximity to agricultural fields agreed with GPS/GIS measurement 75% of the time during the initial interview, compared to 66% agreement during the second interview. Presence of urinary metabolites suggests that OP exposure was ubiquitous: creatinine-adjusted total urinary dimethyl values ranged from 1.60 to 516.00 microg/g creatinine, and total diethyl ranged from 2.70 to 134.84 microg/g creatinine. No association was found between urinary OP metabolites and residential to field proximity. These results suggest that initial self-report of living proximity to agricultural fields may be more accurate than follow-up self-report. Limitations in this pilot study prevent determination of whether self-report is an accurate measure of proximity.