News & Events

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health Celebrates National Public Health Week

Public Health Community Advisory – The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health (UNMC-COPH) Student Association conducted activities on each day of National Public Health Week (NPHW), April 1-5, 2013, to celebrate the achievements and raise awareness of the field. The college kicked off the week’s events with a This is Public Health Scavenger Hunt. Teams of three to four people that included students, faculty, and staff ventured across campus taking pictures of items that represented public health.  Extra points were given for… Continue Reading

Health: The Barometer of Climate Change

Public Health in the National News – Public health, fasten your seatbelts! Climate change is going to be a bumpy ride! The earth is heating up at an unprecedented rate due to the atmospheric accumulation of waste gases from modern industry and agriculture. As the earth heats up, the lives of people everywhere are gradually and bumpily becoming more chaotic and less healthy. Globally, urban heat waves are growing hotter, more frequent, and longer. Water for agriculture, drinking, and industry is becoming scarcer as key… Continue Reading

Influenza Hits Early And Hard

Public Health in the National News – Why is the influenza (flu) season so severe this year? It should not surprise us, since this virus is very unpredictable. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine depends on the “match” between the influenza viruses in the vaccine and those spreading in the community. The 2012-2013 influenza vaccine contains most of the influenza strains circulating in the community, including the 2009 epidemic strain. The vaccine is estimated to be about 62% effective at preventing the flu, and if… Continue Reading

Health Information Exchange Important to Public Health?

Public Health in the National News – The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently announced that two Nebraska health information exchange (HIE) initiatives are recognized as national leaders for their efforts to enhance the safety and quality of health care by embracing the use of health information technology. Why is the federal government interested in HIE and what’s happening in Nebraska? Federal Government Interest in HIE The ONC was created by Executive Order in 2009 and legislatively mandated by the… Continue Reading

The Role of Public Health Training Centers in Public Health

Public Health in the National News – In October 2011, the College of Public Health (COPH) was awarded funding to launch the Great Plains Public Health Training Center (Great Plains PHTC). The purpose of the PHTC program nationally is to improve the nation’s public health system by strengthening the technical, scientific, managerial, and leadership competence of the current and future public health workforce. The program is funded through the Affordable Care Act Prevention and Public Health Fund, and is administered through the Health Resources and… Continue Reading

New Developments in the Fight to End HIV Infection

Public Health in the National News – The Food and Drug Administration approval of a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is an exciting development in the fight to end HIV infection. The public health community working to prevent new infections now has another in a wide array of tools with which to prevent HIV transmission. Clinical studies have shown those who start a PrEP regimen do not engage in behaviors that transmit HIV with any greater frequency than before using the drug. Despite this, some public… Continue Reading

Online Education and the College of Public Health

Public Health in the National News – The College of Public Health announces the launch of new online programs at the University of Nebraska. These programs will address a growing workforce demand for more public health professionals. A master of science in emergency preparedness and professional certificates in public health and emergency preparedness can now be obtained fully online through the University of Nebraska’s Online Worldwide website. All are graduate-level programs offered by the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The programs aim to strengthen the… Continue Reading