Health professions students can increase their understanding of how social determinants impact health equity through experiential learning opportunities. Using key informant interviews with faculty and staff familiar with experiential education programs in medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and social work, we sought to…

Community-based participatory research has a long-term commitment to principles of equity and justice with decades of research showcasing the added value of power-sharing and participatory involvement of community members for achieving health, community capacity, policy, and social justice outcomes. Missing, however, has been a clear articulation…

This study examines the relationship between self-reports of being high on marijuana and perceptions about driving high or drunk. Data were collected in 2014 from an online convenience sample of adult, past 30-day marijuana and hashish users in Colorado and Washington (n = 865). Respondents were asked, "Were you high or feeling the effects of…

A growing number of organizations have launched social entrepreneurship competitions to help students develop the knowledge and skills to create sustainable solutions to the intertwined challenges of health and development. We conducted a program evaluation of the first 9 years of the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC) at the…

Disparities in asthma management are a burden on African American youth. The objective of this study is to describe and compare the discourses of asthma management disparities (AMDs) in African American adolescents in Seattle to existing youth-related asthma policies in Washington State. Adolescents participated in a three-session photovoice…

Objective: "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot is an award-winning biography engaging its readers on important topics ranging from race, science and ethics to the social determinants of health. However, the multiple pedagogic impacts of this book on the public health classroom setting have yet to be comprehensively…

Purpose: The prevalence of diabetes among Hispanics in Washington State is 30% greater than it is for non-Hispanic whites. Hispanics also have higher rates of diabetes-related complications and mortality due to the disease. Although interventions have been developed for the Hispanic community, studies in rural settings are limited. To address this…

Since 1983, the Washington State Institute for Public Policy has conducted applied research as a nonpartisan agency of the state legislature. Over the years, discussions in the state have turned toward emphasizing "evidence-based" programs and policies in decision making, and research requests of the legislature have evolved to reflect…

Provides a brief overview of musician Kurt Cobain's life and one community's response to his suicide. Comments on the apparent lack of possible copycat suicides following the suicide. Presents two perspectives, drawn from public health and the news media, regarding the role of media influence on copycat suicides. (RJM)

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services conducted a study to collect information about homeless families in the state who are relying on shelters. Information was obtained from census reports from all shelters in the state, from interviews with a parent from each of the 411 families living at the shelters, and from a review…