Researchers at UofL’s Envirome Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Wellness, have utilized a wastewater-monitoring approach to track the presence and levels of infectious diseases, including the flu and COVID-19, to offer an early-warning system for Louisville.

“Wastewater monitoring involves tracking the presence of pathogens, such as viruses, in sewage or wastewater,” said Ted Smith, associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology and environmental medicine at UofL. “This innovative technique allows researchers to detect the early signs of disease outbreaks in a community, providing valuable insights into the potential spread of illnesses and enabling timely public health responses. Our latest wastewater report shows flu season has officially arrived. If you have not taken action already, now is the time to take steps to protect yourself and your family from getting sick.”

“To reduce the chance of severe symptoms and hospitalization, the most effective and proactive step you can take is to get vaccinated against the flu,” said Kris Bryant, associate medical director at LMPHW, professor of pediatrics at UofL and pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Norton Children’s. “To be protected during this time of spread, it is crucial to receive your flu shot as soon as possible. It’s recommended that everyone 6 months and older get their flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is both safe and highly effective.”

It typically takes about two weeks for immunity to develop after vaccination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals who were vaccinated against the flu last year were 40% to 70% less likely to be hospitalized due to flu-related illness or complications. Vaccination not only protects you but also contributes to the overall community’s well-being by reducing the spread of the virus.

For additional information on vaccination clinics and other preventive measures, visit the Louisville Metro’s Department of Public Health and Wellness .

For additional information on the Envirome Institute’s wastewater monitoring for COVID-19 in Louisville, visit the .

UofL’s Envirome Institute and the Louisville Metro’s Department of Public Health and Wellness are committed to leveraging innovative technologies and research methods to safeguard the health of our community. By monitoring wastewater, we can stay one step ahead of disease outbreaks and better protect the well-being of all residents.

High school students acted as health officials, responding to a simulated infectious disease outbreak public health crisis at the UofL Health Sciences Center on April 15. Event organizers from UofL’s School of Medicine and School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Kentucky Department for Public Health guided approximately 20 Central High School students through a series of activities to identify the source of a disease outbreak and plan a response.

Presented with a health crisis scenario, the students researched three potential diagnoses, interviewed standardized patients and participated in a “tick drag” to gather insects they suspected to be the source of infections. After determining the outbreak was caused by Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, the students designed a public health plan to curb the spread.��

The project was a pilot for a larger event to take place June 5 at Morehead State University for 32 students in the Rogers Scholars Program. It is designed to interest the students in health careers.

DeJarnett has accepted a one-year fellowship as deputy director for environmental justice data and evaluation for the . The council coordinates the federal government’s efforts to improve, preserve and protect public health and the environment. It also advises the president and develops policies on climate change, environmental justice, federal sustainability, public lands, oceans and wildlife conservation.

DeJarnett is on leave from UofL for the one-year fellowship, but she will be working remotely, so she will remain in Louisville and stay connected with her UofL colleagues.

UofL News talked with about the fellowship and what she hopes to gain from the experience that she can bring back to UofL.

UofL News: What will be your role as deputy director for environmental justice data and evaluation?

�ٱ𴳲����Ա�ٳ�:��The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has created the . Version 1.0 was , and we’re continuing to mold it with input from stakeholders across the U.S. and experts in the field. I will continue that process and engage people and experts around the tool. We are also developing an Environmental Justice Scorecard that will track government agencies’ progress on environmental justice.

I’m very excited to see how the information from these environmental justice tools will be used to identify communities across the U.S. that are disadvantaged and thereby uniquely susceptible to the health hazards of climate and environmental exposures, but ultimately how climate and environmental justice investments in these communities will benefit health.

My interest is in advancing environmental health for everyone, particularly the populations that have borne the greatest burden, that have frequently experienced these exposures and communities that may be less resilient to these health threats. I want to help equip those communities and ensure that future actions and activities and efforts to protect health do not leave certain groups behind. If marginalized communities do not benefit from these actions, then injustice continues to perpetuate.

UofL News:�� What is environmental justice?

DeJarnett: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. This goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and have equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn and work.

UofL News: What are some examples of environmental injustice?

DeJarnett: ��I have a personal example. I’m from here in Kentucky, but the greater portion of my family is from Birmingham, Alabama, where my parents and my grandparents lived in an area of environmental injustice.

Their community was home to numerous steel mills. Some still are in the neighborhood today. Also, a major interstate runs right through their community, another interstate is south of it, the airport is just south of their neighborhoods, there were hazardous waste sites and so forth. There was documented soil contamination in their community that has been remediated. But the community continues to deal with poor air quality and there are a number of health disparities present – cardiovascular disease, low birth weight and other chronic conditions.

We have similar experiences right here in Louisville in Rubbertown, which at its height, had 11 to 13 chemical manufacturers in a community that’s largely populated by low-wealth individuals and people of color. Another example is in southeastern Louisiana in an area known as cancer alley.

Flint, Michigan’s water crisis and formerly redlined communities that have warmer surface temperatures, poorer air quality and are more flood prone are other examples.

You have places where there are large industrial exposures, hazardous waste sites or other environmental toxins that people are being exposed to and we often find that those happen to certain segments of our population. It could be on tribal lands; it could be communities of low wealth.

UofL News: What do you hope to contribute to the council’s mission?

DeJarnett: My interest overall is to contribute to the advancement of environmental justice for the advancement of public health. I am super excited that I may be able to contribute to actions, activities, resources and tools that could contribute to improved health across our nation, particularly for communities that bear a heavier burden and that have higher risk.

I hope to be able to make a difference for communities like that of my family in Birmingham and Rubbertown here in Louisville, in Mossville, Louisiana and all across the nation. These and other communities have not always been given a voice in their exposure to environmental burdens and are not able to – nor should they have to – just up and move.

We all deserve clean air to breathe, we all deserve safe water to drink, and I hope to contribute to activities that support upholding those rights.

UofL News: What in your previous experience makes this a perfect position for you?

DeJarnett: At UofL, I was doing research on climate change and health and was looking at extreme heat exposure and cardiovascular disease risk as well as poor air quality and cardiovascular disease risk. In addition, I was examining environmental health disparities.

Before I came to UofL, I worked at two national nonprofits, the American Public Health Association and the National Environmental Health Association. There I did a lot of work building partnerships and facilitating opportunities for multiple people to weigh in with their expertise and contribute to an end product.

I have appreciated opportunities to build consensus among national leaders and to identify emerging trends and share environmental health resources.

In this role I’ll need to work between agencies and be able to put on multiple hats and speak to multiple audiences. I love opportunities to try to meet people where they are, find what we have in common, what values we share and how can we move from there with shared vision.

UofL News: How will this experience be helpful to you and the mission of the Envirome Institute once you return to UofL?

DeJarnett: I will get a national picture of the current state of environmental justice research and data that exists and a deeper understanding of the gaps in knowledge in environmental health and environmental injustice across the U.S. This will help me understand where academic research may be able to fill those gaps.

In addition, this opportunity will expose me to environmental justice data tools that our communities can utilize to inform local action.

Our center is committed to human health, to improving, advancing and protecting health in our communities. Environmental justice is a key aspect of health in our community. Plus, I’ll get a lot of experience with data and analysis, and that always benefits in environmental epidemiologist.

I love being at the University of Louisville. I love the expansion and direction that’s happening right here within the Envirome Institute, so I’m grateful for the support to have this life-bridging opportunity and to be able to bring that back here.

To better understand the psychological factors underlying this commitment to individual prevention measures, a team of psychology researchers led by Michael Cunningham at the University of Louisville surveyed several groups of people about their attitudes and responses. The studies, published in in April, revealed associations between individuals’ response to prevention measures and their belief in the credibility of science, control and coping mechanisms and political orientation.

Cunningham and colleagues at UofL, York College in Pennsylvania and FifthTheory, a digital assessment and survey solutions company in Chicago, conducted a series of three online surveys to delve deeper into the psychological determinants of COVID-19 prevention behaviors.

The first study of the series surveyed students, faculty and staff at two higher education institutions in the U.S. The researchers compared respondents’ assessments on the a measure of acceptance of responsibility and adherence to prevention measures, with additional questions to determine respondents’ belief in the credibility of science, political orientation and beliefs about the virus and the degree to which preventing an infection was within an individual’s control.

It showed that those who attributed COVID-19 safety to personal effort rather than inherent ability or outside forces, who had a progressive political orientation and who believed in the credibility of science were more likely to embrace COVID-19 prevention actions such as wearing masks, social distancing and vaccination.

The study began before the COVID-19 vaccine was available, but once the Pfizer vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in December 2020, the team added questions to the survey about willingness to take the vaccine. This gave them insight into attitudes both before and after respondents were confident a vaccine would be a reality.

“The attitudes about the pandemic may differ depending on what you think the solutions are going to be, so issues of sensitization and denial and repression may come in to play slightly differently when you think there is a solution versus when you don’t,” Cunningham said. “We were thinking a vaccine would come but we didn’t all know when it was going to hit, so when it did in December of 2020, that changed the equation quite a bit.”

After the vaccine received authorization, responses to the survey shifted slightly, showing that individuals had become less committed to personal carefulness and health-consciousness to avoid the illness and less likely to believe that becoming ill from the virus was due to fate or luck.

The second study in the series addressed work-related attitudes related to the pandemic. The researchers surveyed adults across the U.S. and found that an intention to be vaccinated corresponded to a willingness to work, less emotional distress and greater focus on customer experience.

The third study documented the personal attributes and motives of individuals who volunteered to help administer vaccines in Kentucky. Nearly 60% of those individuals were motivated by a desire to help others, whereas almost 40% said they volunteered so they could receive the vaccine themselves. Compared to the general population, the survey found the volunteers more likely to be older, to have higher levels of education, to believe in the credibility of science, vote liberal and attribute COVID-19 protection to personal effort.

The results of these studies led the researchers to propose a COVID-19 mindset hierarchy model that ranks individuals in terms of their response to pandemic. The model goes from the most basic level 1, acceptance vs. denial of COVID-19, to the most mature level 5, in which individuals become involved in community-based eradication efforts. The knowledge base incorporated in the model is useful in shaping health safety messaging going forward, not only with COVID, but with monkeypox and other plagues that have not yet emerged.

Cunningham and his team are planning additional research to further understand the psychological impact of the pandemic and related losses, to validate the COVID-19 mindset hierarchy and to examine the relation of COVID behaviors to more general health care related topics, such as support for a single-payer system.

“I am an immigrant and so is my family, and I can relate to finding your place in another country,” Osezua said.

Osezua, who will graduate Dec. 17 with a PhD in Public Health Sciences with a specialization in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, learned through her volunteer work about high drop-out rates among refugee high school and college students. She also discovered there wasn’t much research on youth who have overcome extraordinary circumstances, like living through wars and fleeing their home countries. It was then that Osezua decided to dive into a research study on the meaning of well-being among local refugee youth from the African Great Lakes region.

“Physical, social and mental health, along with culture are embedded in well-being,” Osezua said. “Refugee youth are not only balancing the stress of learning a new language and seeking employment, but also dealing with factors like racism in a new country.”

She learned from surveys and interviews that although youth hope to find a safe place in the United States, the hardships they experience once they get here often re-open old wounds. Her analysis provided insight on how access to education, employment and health services are key to helping youth feel secure. Freedom to achieve goals and be happy was another important part of her findings.

Throughout her research, Osezua collaborated with the Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Lead to Empower Initiative and the Louisville Metro Office for Globalization. This fall she was invited to present her research on refugee mental health wellness in African refugees, in commemoration of the Office for Globalization’s Welcoming Month 2021. She continues to speak to groups throughout Louisville and is using her research to advocate for refugee services.

“We need more collaboration throughout the community. One of my recommendations is to train those who serve refugees and immigrants to better understand the pre-immigration process,” she said.

When she graduates, she will receive the John Binford Memorial Award, which is presented to a doctorate degree graduate who excels in scholarship and has contributed to other areas within the discipline such as leadership, teaching or service.

Osezua earned a MPH from UofL in 2015 and credits the strength of the UofL community in helping bring her goal of achieving a PhD to fruition.

“Some people said no one really cares about research within the refugee and immigrant population, but all faculty were supportive of me – they are willing to support students in their dreams,” she said.

“It was the first time I’d joined in with local youth activism,” said Barnette, a public health major with a focus in religious studies.

On one project, the committee distributed climate surveys to determine whether Brown and Black students felt comfortable in school libraries, and if that comfort level correlated with students not checking out books or printing homework assignments. Another topic addressed an issue among some schools with hall pass use. The surveys, says Barnette, revealed not all students had access to menstrual supplies and may have to wait in the restroom for a friend or family member to bring needed items. This information helped school leaders understand that students weren’t intentionally abusing hall pass privileges.

Reasoning and critical thinking were ingrained in her upbringing, says Barnette.

“My parents taught me to share my opinions, we debated back and forth. After a discussion, you could conclude that you were wrong, but they never told anyone their opinions were wrong,” she said.

That open-minded approach helped fuel her passion in social justice work – and the inspiration of her grandmother who, after retiring from work around the world in the United Nations, bought a mansion in Tennessee, converting it into a homeless shelter for men and women.

“In the late 80s and early 90s when HIV and AIDS were surging, my grandmother took in those diagnosed with HIV and AIDS and partnered with churches to try and bridge the gap between the LGBT and church communities to beat the pandemic. My mom witnessed this growing up and the work has influenced me,” she said.

Her grandmother also became a preacher and began to understand more about how religious beliefs affect individual health choices. Barnette is building on this through her UofL studies, exploring the intersection of public health and religion.

“We are so diverse in the United States, and I’ve learned for change to happen, we have to look on an individual level of what each person needs and the impact on the community to then create better health for everyone,” she said.

She is now a health operations program manager at Apple, . UofL News recently caught up with Spicer to reflect back on her time at SPHIS and to learn her advice for future public health leaders.��

UofL News: How did you get interested in this field?

Spicer: When I first started at UofL, I was in the Speed School, interested in pursuing a degree in bioengineering. I decided early on that I was more interested in the biology aspect of the degree and switched my major to focus on cellular and molecular biology. Throughout my program, I learned that I wanted to work in the health field but knew that medicine was not for me. It was not until my junior year that I learned about SPHIS and the MPH degree. Once I learned about it, I knew that was what I wanted to study. I was drawn to the idea of being able to focus on the health of a population and incorporating scientific methods to encourage safe and healthy environments at a population level.��

UofL News: What positions did you hold during and/or prior to SPHIS?��

Spicer: Throughout my undergraduate time at UofL, my primary roles were in scientific labs. I worked as a lab tech in a psychology lab and a biology lab. During my master’s program at SPHIS, I transitioned to non-profit and government jobs, working with the YMCA and Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health & Wellness. I completed my practicum with the National Park Service, focusing on public safety in the Cape Cod National Seashore.

UofL News: What did you do after SPHIS?

Spicer: I started at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as an epidemiologist supporting the School-Based Healthcare program. It was there that I learned a love for healthcare administration. From there, I worked at Kaiser Permanente as a data analyst and program manager before landing in my current role at Apple where I have been for the past four years.��

UofL News: In what ways do you think your SPHIS degree aided you in securing past positions and prepared you for your current role?

Spicer: What I value most from my time at SPHIS, aside from the relationships that I made and deep knowledge base, was the introduction to the idea that public health extends into a wide range of opportunities in the workforce.��

UofL News: Help us give readers an idea of what you do day-to-day.��

Spicer: In my role, I focus on healthcare operations and administration in a corporate wellness setting. Every day looks different for me, but I work with clinicians and operations management every day to define and implement programs that support wellness for Apple employees and their families.

UofL News: What advice would you give new students just beginning their public health journey?

Spicer: Explore non-traditional public health options as our degree and expertise translates extremely well into so many, potentially nonobvious settings.

UofL News: What advice would you give a student getting ready to graduate with a public health degree?

Spicer: It may take time to understand and identify where you want to go with your career and degree and that’s ok! Learn from all of the opportunities you are given as you may identify areas of interest outside of your specific MPH concentration.��

UofL News: Anything else you would like to add?

Spicer: The field of public health is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our local, national and international communities. I’m honored to be a member of the SPHIS alumni and to contribute to the field in any small way that I can!

Interview conducted and story written by Paige Wills, communications and marketing manager at SPHIS.

A year later, VG began casually uploading videos to YouTube. His new hobby started with reviews of movies��– he��watched what he liked, filmed his reaction and posted the clips for the world to see. The new youtuber was getting a modest number of views, built a small fanbase and shifted the “” channel’s focus to cover another interest – video games.��

His YouTube page is more than just a hobby, however. It has also helped him build his English-speaking skills and improved his confidence.

VG is the only English-speaking person in his household and has noticed an improvement in his second language through creating content and interacting with his growing audience.

“I have to take care of everybody,” said VG. “I’ve got to be in charge of bills and other things.��YouTube gives me an opportunity to communicate with other people and spread positive vibes.”��

VG uploaded a video titled “,” in October of 2018. The next day, he woke up to 4,000 views. The day after – 40,000. Suddenly, it skyrocketed. That video has now been viewed more than 4 million times and, as his most-watched video, it’s what VG credits as the catalyst to his channel’s success.

“I didn’t expect it to blow up,” said VG. “I was just playing games and having fun with my fans. [When the video blew up] I was so happy. I just do it for fun, but that was a crazy opportunity.”

Suddenly, VG’s hobby became something he could monetize. Over a short period of time, the YouTube creator has amassed 583,000 subscribers on his main channel “HelloItsVG”, and has set up a second “vlog” channel with 18,000 subscribers under the name “” for the content that doesn’t fit the niche of his main channel.

Though the hobby-turned-job can be quite time consuming, it hasn’t hindered the second-year public health student from studying or building friendships on UofL’s campus.

Learning those time-management skills should come in handy for VG to achieve his longer-term goals��– expanding his audience, garnering more attention for the gaming industry in general and going to medical school.��

Some UofL faculty have served on the Mayor’s task force for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness project. Other faculty and students are helping with check-in and screenings, administering vaccines, assisting with volunteer supervision and training, and observing individuals post-vaccine to ensure they have no adverse reactions.

“I’m helping because I have a commitment to service,” said Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing student Matt Livers. “I believe we have an opportunity to turn the tide on this pandemic and I would much rather be doing something than waiting for something to happen.”

Livers says this experience will help him gain extra experience in giving vaccines, along with serving as a resource for those who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Educating the public, he says, is key to community acceptance and willingness to become vaccinated.

This isn’t the first time nursing and other health professions students and faculty have provided help for a drive-thru vaccination clinic in Louisville. In 2009, thousands of doses of the H1N1 “swine” flu vaccine were administered by UofL faculty and students at Cardinal Stadium.

Health professions students and faculty will help staff the COVID-19 vaccination drive-thru event through February, or as long as the city’s health department continues the effort. ­­­The health department’s mass vaccination site is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is offering the Moderna vaccine by appointment only. It is first focused on the Tier 1a group, as mandated by the federal government. Frequently asked questions and answers about the mass vaccination site can be found��.

UofL News: Can you provide a brief synopsis about this new book?

Patel: The book makes an effort to broaden the COVID-19 pandemic’s potential impact on different sectors worldwide, particularly in India. It intends to prepare all critical areas like economics, public health, education, digital strategies,��psychology and telemedicine, by providing insights through valuable research and opinions of authors worldwide. This way, it will offer a single author’s perspective and the richness of research qualities from multiple experts.

UofL News: How did you get involved as co-editor?��

Patel: The lead editor reached out to me with a proposal for the book. I accepted and reviewed all potential papers for conceptual work and originality. I then provided feedback to the shortlisted papers, which qualified the first pass inclusion criteria. We also developed the editor’s note, table of contents, book summary and preface. Additionally, we reached out actively to experts in the field with the book’s impact report for the potential foreword and sponsorships. I also applied for a couple of book grants and reached out to potential N.G.O.’s involved in COVID-19 work. We finally received a foreword and book sponsorship from India professor, , Padma Shri Award winner and renowned economist.

UofL News: How did you become interested in this field of study?��

Patel: During my final year of dental school, I took a public health dentistry course, through which my interest developed. I continued to explore by earning a Master’s degree in Public Health (M.P.H.) and publishing my research work in several journals. I was honored to graduate with an Academic Excellence Award. Additionally, I got the opportunity to work in the corporate world through Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical company, which introduced me to health management as a feasibility specialist in clinical trial optimization. I’ve continued my interest by undertaking doctoral coursework at UofL through a merit-based scholarship.

UofL News: Tell us how you landed at the University of Louisville.

Patel: I hold a Bachelor’s in Dental Surgery (B.D.S), and was accepted at NYU for an M.P.H Epidemiology major. I completed one semester, continued working as a graduate assistant for the NYU Tobacco SEED lab and completed one publication with the lab. I then wanted to pursue general public health rather than a specific major and NYU wasn’t offering it at the time. I accepted a transfer student offer with a merit-based scholarship to Long Island University’s M.P.H. program.

At LIU, I graduated with Alpha Eta honors, the Academic Excellence Award and worked as a GRA. I have one publication in a reputable pedagogy journal through that position. Over this period, I explored health management in oncology as a feasibility specialist intern (clinical trial designing) at a top pharmaceutical company. This led me to study health management and systems science as a doctoral degree at UofL. I thank the faculty who interviewed me, Drs. Johnson, Creel and Jennings. Without the golden opportunity of acceptance, it wouldn’t have been possible to be part of this wonderful academic environment at UofL.

UofL News: What are your future career goals?��

Patel: I’m yet to decide as I am in the second year of my coursework. However, I would love to continue working in academia or a health policy research-intensive position in the industry like my previous position as a feasibility specialist or a Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) professional.

UofL News: Anything else you’d like to share?��

Patel: You can now find the book on ! It wouldn’t have been possible if the University of Louisville and my department had not been so supportive. In these uncertain times, I cannot give enough thanks to the university for making sure graduate research assistants and students receive the resources we need. The people of UofL are welcoming, wonderful, and I cannot trade being part of UofL for anything in the world.��