What is a Predisposition to Health Risks?
Genetics, quality of health care, the environment affecting women during pregnancy as well as a woman's behavior while pregnant can work in unison to predispose a child to certain health risks. Smoking cigarettes during pregnancy, for example, has been linked to low birth weight. Lower weight at birth, in turn, may increase inflammatory processes in adulthood, which are associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes according to a 2009 study at the University of Manchester, England.
Community Outreach and Education Core (COEC)
The Center's Community Outreach and Education Core (COEC) focuses on environmental health education and includes educational outreach to precollege, college, and graduate students, as well as community members. The team works to translate Center scientists' aquatic-model research on neurobehavioral, reproductive, and developmental toxicology to targeted communities. In a number of ways, environmental health science is used to inform members of the community about the relationship between the environment and diseases in children.
The Core works to accurately translate Center-generated environmental health science, i.e. bench, clinical and community based, to inform communities about the relationship between the environment and diseases in children. Reciprocally, the Core works to bring environmental health concerns of the community to the attention of Center researchers to encourage collaborative projects to improve the public's health. The Core also uses a community-based participatory research/action (CBPR) approach to address environmental injustices that disproportionally affect minority and economically disadvantaged communities.
To accomplish the Core's goals, the team focuses on three target populations that influence children's environmental health:
- Precollege life science teachers
- Nursing faculty and students, and nurses in practice
- Communities differentially impacted by environmental injustices
The team aims to achieve a professional competency level in environmental health among precollege teachers and nursing faculty, students and nurses in specialty practices and environmental health literacy for communities that need this information to influence community action.
There is collaboration between this Core and the Integrative Health Sciences Facilty Core's Community Research Unit to facilitate bi-directional communication between the community and researchers through outreach and education activities and to train Center members and communities regarding community-based participatory engagement that is integral to all research and outreach activities.
The Community Outreach and Education Core also participates in Career Development of fellows and Center members regarding CBPR and outreach and education.
For more information about the Community Outreach and Education Core, contact Dr. Jeanne Hewitt at (414) 229-5463 or jbhewitt@uwm.edu.