The Office of Public Health Practice in the IU School of Public Health celebrated National Public Health Week this week with a series of events such as food drives and de-stressing activities.
Every year, during the first full week of April, the American Public Health Association organizes NPHW to educate people on public health issues ranging from mental wellness to health care access.
Ta-Kisha Jones, associate director of Public Health Practice in the SPH, led the team organizing IU NPHW this year. Jones said NPHW brings communities together to celebrate how people are healthier and stronger when they are united.
The APHA selected “Public Health is Where You Are” as the theme for the week.
“It's a week to celebrate not only public health professionals, but the work that is done through our public health,” Jones said. “It means that whether you're on campus or off campus, whether you’re a dentist, whether you're a person who takes out the trash, whether you're a nurse or just a student, public health is wherever you are.”
IU’s NPHW had a different theme: “Leveraging Resilience and Moving Momentum”. Jones said this theme focused on celebrating students’ and staff’s efforts to maintain the health and wellness of everyone on campus.
Jones said the team organizing IU NPHW gathered data about public health issues students are facing today, such as mental health struggles, and used university and community resources to address them.
On Monday, students could de-stress by spending time with two therapy dogs from the Monroe County Humane Society outside the SPH.
Experts discussed environmental racism and advocacy in a panel discussion Tuesday, which was the first in a three-part Juneteenth series.
The Office of Public Health Practice also set up student appreciation stations in the SPH and the Indiana Memorial Union so students could make beaded bracelets and decorate potted plants Tuesday.
Aly Lewis, an IU Student Health Center student intern who worked at the potted plant station, said she enjoyed interacting with students and telling them about public health.
“It's fun to bring joy to people’s lives throughout the day with a little potted plant while educating them,” Lewis said.
On Wednesday, SPH career coaches, and a panel of guests, discussed professionalism and inclusion in the workplace.
Rory James, director of the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion at the SPH, said during the panel students should increase their cultural and emotional intelligence because it is an important part of professional development.
“We have seen this shift where, now, in this post-pandemic workplace, we are being more in tune to accommodate and accept people of different identities,” James said.
On Thursday, students participated in a scavenger hunt promoting physical activity and learned to prepare an inexpensive, plant-based meal.
Katie Shepherd, a registered dietitian at the IU Student Health Center, led the cooking demonstration. Shepherd said NPHW helps people outside of the public health field learn about the importance of public health.
“Before COVID, people didn't really know what public health was,” Shepherd said. “These events help people have even more awareness about public health and their own health.”
Students can practice mindfulness meditation and learn self-care techniques Friday over Zoom.
The Washington County Wellness Fair will take place Saturday, the last day of IU’s NPHW. It will include free health services and wellness resources such as health screenings and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid application assistance.
Jones said the events so far have been very successful in educating people about their health.
“We’re focusing on eating right, healthy movement, and not just a sedentary lifestyle that we're accustomed to now with a lot of remote work, and combating mental health issues,” Jones said. “Finding a way to integrate it all and be holistically well is key.”
