Concentration in Child & Adolescent Health
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-Daniel Ehlman
The MPH concentration in Child & Adolescent Health (CAH) focuses on understanding the health problems and health status of children and adolescents across the globe, the nature and scope of the multiple determinants of their health status, and the range of public health programs to address the health and well-being of children and their families, in developed and developing countries.
Students participating in the CAH concentration will be assigned a faculty advisor with similar interests and will be assisted in developing an understanding in the following critical areas based on their coursework, their capstone and the seminars conducted monthly by the CAH concentration.
Competencies Gained
- The concept of child/adolescent health, and the determinants of child and adolescent health status in industrialized and resource-limited settings, including socio-economic, demographic, developmental, behavioral, cultural, political and environmental determinants.
- Current basic understanding of specific health problems of children and adolescents, including obesity and other nutritional issues, injury, infectious diseases and HIV, chronic and disabling conditions, adolescent health concerns, and others.
- The design, development, implementation and evaluation of public health programs to improve the health and well-being of children, including immunization programs, child survival strategies, primary health care, health promotion and disease prevention efforts, including those that target HIV/AIDS, and injury prevention.
Course of Study
| Students are required to complete a total of five courses for the CAH Concentration: | |||
| 380.626 | Seminar in Child Health (required for all) | 3 units | 4th term |
| One course from the following: | |||
| 380.604 | Life Course Perspectives on Health* | 4 units | 1st term [Internet - 1st term] |
| 380.641 | Prenatal & Infant Growth & Development | 3 units | 1st term (conflicts with onsite Intro. to International Health in the 1st term) |
| 380.642 | Child Health & Development | 3 units | Internet - 2nd term |
| 380.623 | Adolescent Health & Development | 3 units | Internet - 3rd term |
| One course from the following: | |||
| 221.640 | Children in Crisis | 2 units | 4th term |
| 223.680 | Global Disease Control Programs & Policies | 4 units | 4th term [Internet - 2nd term\ |
| 220.601 | Introduction to International Health | 4 units | 1st term [Internet - 4th term] |
| 223.663 | Infectious Diseases and Child Survival | 3 units | 3rd term |
| And at least two of the following courses: | |||
| 301.645 | Health Advocacy | 3 units | 4th term |
| 380.742 | Family Health, Public Health, and Policy | 3 units | 4th term |
| 380.612 | Applications in Program Monitoring and Evaluation | 4 units | 4th term |
| 380.671 | Adolescent Pregnancy -- Causes, Consequences, Interventions | 3 units | 4th term |
| 380.725 | The Social Context of Adolescent Health & Development | 3 units | 4th term |
| 380.762 | HIV Infection in Women, Children, and Adolescents | 4 units | 4th term [Internet - 4th term] |
| 222.641 | Principles of Human Nutrition* | 4 units | 1st term (conflicts with onsite Life Course Perspective in the 1st term) |
| 380.624 | Maternal and Child Health Legislation and Programs | 4 units | 2nd term |
| 380.662 | Critiquing the Research Literature in Maternal, Neonatal, & Reproductive Health | 4 units | 2nd term |
| 222.655 | Nutrition and Life Stages | 3 units | 3rd term |
| 380.611 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation | 4 units | 3rd term |
| 380.625 | Attitudes, Programs, and Policies for Children with Special Health Care Needs | 3 units | 3rd term |
| 221.645 | Large Scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs | 3 units | 4th term |
| 222.649 | International Nutrition | 3 units | 4th term |
*Also fulfills MPH core requirement.
Capstone Experience
The MPH capstone experience in Child & Adolescent Health involves the application of the skills and competencies acquired during the MPH coursework to the solution of public health practice problems confronted in efforts to improve children’s health.
The capstone experience has both a written and oral presentation component. Several options are available to complete this requirement. Students should discuss the capstone with their advisor before the beginning of the 2nd term to allow the completion of a successful capstone product by the middle of 4th term. During the monthly CAH noon seminars, we will periodically focus on capstone progress.
Students are required to register for the 2-unit MPH Capstone Course (XXX.800) in the 4th term. Students may also take an additional 1-3 units of Research Special Studies (XXX.840) for the capstone experience under the direction of concentration-affiliated faculty. (This is likely to be your MPH advisor, but alternatively can be a faculty expert who is involved in CAH.)
Students finalize and present their capstone projects in the 4th term course, Seminar in Child Health (380.626).
Faculty Concentration Directors
Andrea Ruff, MD, Associate Professor, International Health, 410-955-1633, aruff@jhsph.edu
Susan Gross, PhD, MPH, Research Associate, Population, Family & Reproductive Health, 410-614-4848, sgross@jhsph.edu