New programs help position Colorado as healthiest state in the nation

The Colorado School of Public Health launches new health services research and maternal and child health programs

In 2011 Colorado ranked the 9^th healthiest state in the region, a strong position but one brought down by poor rankings among key indicators of health. In an effort to address Colorado’s need for targeted improvements, the Colorado School of Public Health is launching two specializations within its master of public health program, health services research and maternal and child health.

According to the annual evaluation of the United Health Foundation, a non-profit, private foundation, Colorado ranked 9^th in overall health; but among some indicators, including children in poverty, immunization coverage, early prenatal care, and geographic disparities in mortality, Colorado couldn’t even crack the top third among states.

“Currently Colorado ranks 9^th in the nation in terms of our overall health, but we can do better,” states Colorado School of Public Health Dean David Goff, MD, PhD.  “If we are to become the healthiest state in the nation we have to do more to improve access to our health systems and address the underlying factors impacting the health of specific populations, like the health of our children and their access to care.”

Health services research will train students to understand the financial systems, organizations, technology and social factors affecting individual’s access to quality health care. Maternal and child health will provide students with a study of determinants, mechanisms and systems associated with overall health for women, children and families.  Both programs will be offered on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, a regional leader in health care education and research, and home to a nationally ranked pediatric hospital.

“Much like other schools of public health, our MPH programs aim to improve specific health outcomes by training current and future health professionals, but the value of a CSPH program is also found in our connections to the University of Colorado’s health professional schools, nationally ranked hospitals and health care systems, and partnerships with two other leading state institutions, Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado,” states Goff.

Both programs will begin enrolling students in 2013.  Applications for admission and program details are available online at http://publichealth.ucdenver.edu.