Education
MS, Towson State University, 1992
BS, Towson State University, 1985
Overview
My research interests are found at the intersection of health education, health communication and injury control. Exploring the use of new technologies to enhance patient education (computer tailoring) and using experiential teaching techniques (role-playing, simulated patients, computer learning) to enhance physician patient education skills -- all focused on enhancing injury prevention counseling messages received by parents of young children -- is just one example of how these three areas merge in actual practice. The newest technology to be tested for its impact on parents' safety practices is a web-based program and smart phone application to provide personalized and tailored information to parents of young children about a variety of injury prevention topics. The program, Safety in Seconds (SIS) 2.0, is being tested in a randomized clinical trial in pediatric emergency departments in Baltimore, MD and Little Rock, AR.
As part of both my research and practice portfolio, I direct three safety resource centers (one in a hospital (Children’s Safety Center), one is a pediatric clinic (SafetyLane), and one as a community partnership with the Baltimore City Fire Department (CARES Safety Center), a 40-foot truck outfitted with educational exhibits and low cost safety products that travel to community sites within Baltimore City. This safety center model, pioneered at Johns Hopkins in 1997, has been identified as a “success story” by the CDC. From 2009-2013, the children’s safety centers collectively served 24,745 clients, distributed 2,376 safety products, and installed or inspected 1,086 car seats.
Examples of past work include the development, implementation, and evaluation of alcohol and other drug and pediatric injury prevention curricula for physicians. In addition to SIS 2.0, my current research projects exploring the link between housing quality and pediatric injury and testing a safe sleep intervention for parents of newborns delivered in a well-child pediatric practice.
Current service programs include working with: Head Start leadership to explore how injury prevention services can be enhanced for the families they serve; BCFD leadership to explore how CARES can be used to educate older adults about their injury risks; Nurse Family Partnership leaders and the Phoenix Fire Department to explore how to integrate fire and other safety information in their home visits; Children’s Hospital Association to develop evaluation measures for use in safety resource centers.
Last but not least, I have the pleasure of directing the MSPH in health education and health communication where I conduct a three term seminar series for first year students and a monthly seminar series for second year students who are completing their field placement and final paper requirements. Professional development roles include participation on a number of professional association boards and committees, and the creation of presentations and publications, such as workshops, replication guides, and orientation guides to be used by health educators and others interested in developing their own injury prevention centers.
Honors and Awards
2017 Excellence in Public Health Practice, Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2004 Mohan Signh Award, Public Health Education and Health Promoton, American Public Health Association
1998 Early Career Award, Public Health Education and Health Promotion, American Public Health Association.
1992 Professional Development Award, Towson University, Towson, Maryland.
1985 Department of Health Science Award, Towson University, Towson, Maryland.