Students working towards their Master of Public Health at UNE complete an applied practice experience. The Applied Practice Experience (APE) is designed to integrate and apply knowledge and skills from coursework to a practical setting to strengthen public health competencies, while working with experienced public health practitioners to create two (2) high quality, scholarly final products/projects.
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Hand-Based Activity for Navigating Discomfort with extragenital STD testing using a Brief, Unconventional, Transportable Training (HAND-BUTT)
Brendan Prast and Christina DeMatteo
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia are the two most common STDs that can spread widely among populations, are highly transmissible, and rates of both have increased nationally in recent years. It is important to identify and treat gonorrhea and chlamydia infections as early as possible in at-risk populations, as they are often asymptomatic.
Healthcare providers have been traditionally taught that genitalia are the site of infection, but inoculation and infection can also involve anal and oral sites. Screening with genital-only testing misses more than half of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections among men who have sex with men, and significant proportions in heterosexual female patients. A recent study found only 50% of primary care and OB/Gyn clinicians nationally were aware of extragenital testing.
The HAND-BUTT Simulation is very brief (2-3 minutes) intervention to train interprofessional learners on rectal STD screening, while simultaneously increasing their knowledge of extragenital screening modalities. Few resources are needed; two sets of hands to simulate buttocks, a cotton-tipped swab, and a student “tester”.
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Evaluation of an Environmental Public Health Mini-Grant Project
Anne-Marie P. Coy
This program evaluation was conducted on behalf of a statewide environmental public health Agency’s mini-grant project. The purpose was to assess the grant project’s contribution to the Agency’s overall goals and to identify areas for improvement.
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Implementation of a Rapid Diagnostic Tool for Sexually Transmitted Infections in Pediatric Clinics
Kimberly A. Pough
The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has been increasing in the United States, and 2019 marked the 6th consecutive year of record high rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections. National guidelines recommend screening at least annually for sexually active adolescents and young adults; however, data demonstrate a screening rate of only about 20%. Point of care testing may address barriers to care by rapidly detecting STIs, providing same-day treatment, reducing antibiotic overuse, and reducing loss to follow up. We aimed to assess clinician attitudes about the feasibility, usefulness, effectiveness, and sustainability of POC testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia in pediatric outpatient clinics. We also aimed to understand the impact of POC testing on GC/CT antibiotic prescribing patterns in pediatric outpatient clinics.