{"id":46686,"date":"2022-11-21T07:54:43","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T12:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=46686"},"modified":"2022-11-29T11:15:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T16:15:29","slug":"utc-professor-receives-grant-to-study-states-public-health-information-delivery-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2022\/11\/utc-professor-receives-grant-to-study-states-public-health-information-delivery-system\/","title":{"rendered":"UTC professor receives grant to study state\u2019s public health information-delivery system"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Dr.

Dr. Amir Alakaam, associate professor in the UTC Department of Health and Human Performance and director of the Master of Public Health program. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

During the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noticed a glitch in the Tennessee public health system.<\/p>\n

Its network was limited, and the information it provided was out-of-date.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe CDC recognized that, \u2018OK, this needs to be updated so everyone will be prepared for the next crisis or emergency,\u2019\u201d said Dr. Amir Alakaam, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and director of its Master of Public Health<\/a><\/strong> (MPH) program.<\/p>\n

To help ensure that goal is realized, the master\u2019s program recently received a $332,500 grant from the Tennessee Department of Public Health<\/a><\/strong> for the project titled, \u201cDeveloping a Curriculum for Public Health Workforces in Tennessee,\u201d which will study the issue and develop ways to improve the state\u2019s information-delivery system.<\/p>\n

The public health curriculum developed through this project will be disseminated to health professionals and providers across the state.<\/p>\n

Alakaam said it\u2019s the first significant grant obtained by the MPH program since it began in 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I like about this grant,\u201d said Alakaam, who came to UTC in 2019. \u201cIt\u2019s not just the high amount of money; it\u2019s also great because it will recognize the important role that our MPH program plays in the state of Tennessee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with Alakaam, the research team will include two graduate students in the MPH program.<\/p>\n

The ultimate goals of the project are to develop a list of topics that cover public health issues found statewide and collect data on those topics as the basis for training materials to address the problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur program is very unique because we have two concentrations; we have chronic disease prevention and control, and we have nutrition and dietetics,\u201d said Alakaam, a member of such professional groups as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics<\/a><\/strong> and the American Public Health Association<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will be developing a set of training materials and modules on public health and nutrition that support public health professionals continuing education and development, as well as integrate evidence-based health interventions into practice that will be distributed through the Tennessee Department of Health.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the topics to be covered in the training materials are:<\/p>\n