Weekly Edition – July 5, 2011

In this week’s edition

:: Student Views – Back 2 Africa | Mengo Hospital
:: Save the Date – Public Health Forum August 11, 2011
:: Registration now open: 2011 Public Health in the Rockies Conference
:: Public Health Matters

Student Views – Back 2 Africa | Mengo Hospital

This Student View was originally published by MPH student Karrin Parker at http://luv2africa.blogspot.com/2011/06/mengo-hospital.html

Hi all as most of you know I have been working at Mengo Hospital HIV clinic in Kampala, Uganda for the summer. The more time I spend her the more I am impressed with the work that Mengo is doing in their work with addressing the HIV epidemic within their country. Mengo tests and treats patient for HIV, but their job is not so simple as that. 1st to find patients, they test patients (with the patients consent) on all of the wards of the hospital for HIV- this is where they find many of they patients. Once a patient is confirmed as having positive HIV test they are given counseling and education about HIV and referrals to the HIV clinic, or a clinic that can assist them near their homes. Once a patient is confirmed HIV + the staff makes sure to follow up with the patient and have them come to the clinic. If patients have a high CD4 count, (the white blood cells that fight opportunistic diseases) they are monitored and placed on a medication called Septran (an antibiotic that fights the opportunistic infection). HIV attacks a person’s immune system so this is very important in maintaining the health of an HIV+ person. Patients are monitored until their CD4 count drops below 350 for women and 250 for men. This actually is quite low, in the U. S. treatment would start immediately if a person was detected to have HIV. This is because of the expense of ARV treatment (it is a very expensive treatment) and due to all kinds of drug patents etc… it remains expensive, even for those most needing it.

Mengo monitors these patients every month for complications and also monitors the CD4 count. Once the CD4 count drops to the low enough level they start the ARV treatment. They give patients a lot of education and counseling before they start the ARV treatment, and continue to monitor and educate once treatment has been started. Patients are to come in initially every month and monitored for their adherence to taking the ARV’s, then every 2 months… If a patient stops taking their meds and then restarts they can become resistant to the medication, so this monitoring of adherence is very important.

Patients are also monitored for side effects, and opportunistic infections, nutrition and willingness to disclose their status to friends and family. If people disclose their status they are much more likely to maintain adherence to their drug regimen.

Continue reading online.

Save the date – Public Health Forum August 11, 2011

Please join the Colorado School of Public Health as it hosts the Summer Public Health Forum on Thursday, August 11, 2011. The summer semester forum will be held at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Education Building 2 North and South.

Oral Presentations | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | ED2 South 2201, 2206, 2306

Posters and Reception | 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ED2 Community Bridge

Please visit the Events Calendar for more details.

Registration now open: 2011 Public Health in the Rockies Conference

In Colorado and Wyoming, public health has an active role in our daily lives. Public health is in action at your local healthcare setting, with your elected officials, in your school, with your city planners, at your worksite and beyond. The theme of the 2011 Public Health in the Rockies Conference surrounds all of the services required to put public health in action, from investigation of problems to educating the community to evaluating our efforts.

Click here for more information and to register for this event.

Public Health Matters

Upcoming Events | View details about these events online
:: July 13 – Prospective Student Information Session
:: July 25 – Biostatistics for Non-Statisticians
:: July 27 – Prospective Student Information Session

In the News | Visit Public Health Newsroom
:: Medical News Today “SSRI’s And Environment Strong Autism Contributing Factors Over Genes”

Public Health Job Opportunities | View details about these opportunities online
:: Project Manager I – Denver, CO
:: Project Manager – Centennial, CO
:: Project Coordinator, Readmissions – Greenwood Village, CO
:: Environmental Health Specialist – Denver Metro
:: Membership and Development Manager – Denver Metro
:: PHD Sr. Administrator – Cheyenne, WY
:: Cancer Center Student Worker, Denver Metro
:: Quality Assurance Supervisor – Denver Metro
:: Quality Improvement Manager – Denver Metro
:: Special Needs Nurse – Longmont, CO
:: Student Assistant – Denver Metro
:: Epidemiologist – Helena, MT
:: HIV Surveillance Coordinator – Santa Fe, NM
:: Post-Doctoral Fellowship – Denver Metro
:: Senior Community Health Specialist – Colorado Springs, CO
:: Adult & Community Oral Health Coordinator – Denver Metro
:: Infection Prevention – Denver Metro