JOIN PA SOPHE
FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2010

Fill out the membership application here.

Dear Health Professional/Student:

PA SOPHE is a professional association made up of a diverse membership of health education professionals and students that are working, living or attending school in Pennsylvania. The association promotes healthy behaviors, healthy communities and provides leadership in Pennsylvania through a code of ethics, following the standards for professional preparation set by National SOPHE, research and practice, professional development and outreach.  The mission for the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE mirrors the National mission.

• To provide leadership to the professional of public health in Pennsylvania and to contribute to the health of those living and working in Pennsylvania and the elimination of disparities through advance in health education theory and practice, excellence in p professional preparation and to advocate for public policies conducive to health.

The Pennsylvania Chapter works closely with National SOPHE on current and relevant health priorities.
Why Join the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE?

• Collaborate with members that work in schools, universities, medical/managed care settings, corporations, voluntary health organizations and federal, state and local government.
• Local professional development opportunities.
• Professional Code of Ethics
• Continuing Education contact hours for Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
• Opportunities for awards and professional recognition
• Professional identity
• Networking and Peer exchange
• And More!

Please consider joining the Pennsylvania Chapter of SOPHE with the attached application by April 1, 2010. Due to the tough economic times facing everyone this year, PA SOPHE Chapter membership will be FREE for 2010! JOIN TODAY!

Sincerely,
Laurie Welch

PA SOPHE Chapter President, 2010

Heads up: Good advice in an age of distraction

Have we all forgotten a basic playground principle?

Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES

Posted August 5, 2010
Originally published in the
Delaware County Daily Times

 

"Heads up!" It's one of the first commands we learn in group play and team sports. When an errant ball is about to descend on a schoolyard or playground, "Heads up!" is shouted, and everyone knows to duck and cover. It's a friendly, good-natured warning that we intuitively understand and appreciate.

Coaches, athletes, and commentators also use the expression to compliment a smart move. Or a coach may advise a team that they must collectively "play heads-up ball."

If you don't play heads-up, bad things can happen. That's why hockey players must learn to skate with their heads up - or else get whacked when trying to move up-ice.

The expression is also part of the business lexicon. The boss is famous for reminding employees to keep their heads up. From the CEO to the rank and file, nobody wants to be caught with a slumping head.

No matter what life brings each day, one is better served by keeping one's head up.

But today fewer and fewer people are heeding that sage advice. Much of our newfangled technology - including cell phones, PDAs, video game players, digital music players, and more - is drawing our attention, and our heads, downward.

At one level, this is an inconvenience or an annoyance. People performing the basic functions of life with their heads down are obstacles to the rest of us.

People checking their e-mails on BlackBerries slow down the herd as it moves through a train station. Traffic grows sluggish and cars meander as drivers peek at their iPhones. Store checkout lines grind to a halt when someone is summoned by a tone.

"Is that all, Miss?" No answer, because the head is down.

Why fret over these mundane proclivities of our fellow man? Because taking our eyes off the road of life is not without risk. People are literally missing a step (on stairways), making missteps (into traffic), or not stepping on the brake when they should be.

Most important, when the inevitable apocalypse comes, wouldn't it be nice to know what it was? Don't we want to know what took us out? And what if we had an outside chance of getting out of its way for a while?

Heads up, everyone. If your time has come, don't go out not knowing what hit you. 

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Stephen F. Gambescia is an associate professor of health services administration at Drexel University. He can be reached at sfg23@drexel.edu.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20100723_Heads_up__Good_advice_in_an_age_of_distraction.html#ixzz0vmFzhPYg

Public Health Department Would Benefit All

Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES

Posted Friday, June 21, 2010
Originally published March, 26, 2010 in the
Delaware County Daily Times

http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2010/03/26/opinion/doc4bac2845d03aa839471336.txt

Three health status and public health resources reports from reputable universities and foundations give information to support the establishment of a fully functioning public health department in Delaware County.

One report shows that residents of Delaware County have mediocre health outcomes, such as average life expectancy and self-reported health conditions, ranking 36th of the 67 counties in the state.

Another report shows that our state government cannot be counted on to secure and manage money from their own budgets or the federal government to give basic health promotion and disease prevention services. Pennsylvania ranked 47th among the states in per-person dollars secured from federal government money available in disease control and health promotion. Similarly, the state budgets a low amount of per-person dollars to public health efforts ranking 39th among states.

Amidst these two reports, findings from a public-health assessment of Delaware County, commissioned by Delco public officials, show serious gaps in basic public-health services, lack of coordination of public-health services and information, and an overall inability to manage basic services to match a county this size. All surrounding counties in southeastern Pennsylvania have their own public-health departments.

It’s understandable that at a time of economic hardship residents and budget planners are loath to fund additional government initiatives. Additionally, those with a “less government the better” posture may be thinking this is yet another entitlement for which they may not benefit. This is not true, as public-health services coming from a dedicated county department are true public goods with benefits shared by all residents. Three guiding functions of a public-health department are assessment, policy development, and assurance.

A guiding rationale of public health is that those at the local level are in the best position to determine what needs exists for the people (assessment). Why risk judgment from Harrisburg or Washington when our residents are better situated and acutely aware of public-health needs?

With our own public-health department, we could determine the information and services that are efficient and effective. Most successful public policy initiatives initially come from local municipalities and counties whose legislators generally bypass partisan politics and get to work on reasonable and responsible public health measures. Why wait for state legislators to intervene?

For example, cigarette vending machines were pulled from municipalities and counties well before state legislators could fathom this youth risk reduction measure. Drivers are asked to put down hand-held communication devices in some local towns, while the state legislators diddle with what is a common-sense law that clearly reduces risk of death and injury on our roads.

We are aware now more than ever of the need for quick emergency response to natural and human-caused catastrophes and threats. Public health and safety assurance is best handled, even if initially, at the local level.

Emergency medical, public health, and health education specialists have retooled their knowledge and skills to assure that public-health information and services are delivered in a timely manner.

Some critical of public-health departments claim they serve only the select few who need a “safety net.” Public-health actions and benefits are all around us — a county health department has proved to be worthwhile for all residents. Public-health services the population needs range from preventing and controlling infectious diseases or ensuring safe food handing and distribution, to individual needs such as maternal and child health care or violence-prevention programs, to risk reduction guidance such as barriers for outdoor pools or poison control hotlines.

Balancing public sector budgets and arguing the merits of legislative bills can be tiring for all involved. Citizens at any level truly do not wish ill health to others. Let’s hope the discussions and debate in this are civil and stately.

A great Roman statesman, Marcus Tullius Cicero, often reminded his Senate: “Ollis salus populi supreme lex esto — The safety (health) of the people shall be the highest law.”

Stephen F. Gambescia, resident of Havertown, is associate professor of health services administration at Drexel University.

Council Should Be Able To Ban Cell Phones While Driving

Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES
Posted November 4, 2008

Three Philadelphia Council Members have introduceda bill inSeptember to ban the use of hand-held cell phones and dissuade drivers from text messaging and using PDAs to go to the Internet.

This important public safety measure should be well-received and supported by other Council members and hopefully will receive little resistance from some of Pennsylvania’s administrative and legal bodies.

This local motor vehicle restriction should be supported given its common sense and well-supported, safety risk-reduction rationale; and when a full understanding of local public health and safety authority is considered, it should overstep possible state agency roadblocks.

Click here for the full story.

Stressing Prevention

Stephen Gambescia, PhD, MEd, MBA, CHES
Posted June 26, 2008

In his article Stressing Prevention, Dr. Gambescia discusses the role of health educators in Pennsylvania. Published in ThePatriot News AS I SEE IT column June 26, 2008, Dr. Gambescia makes the case for professionally prepared health educators to be included in the "Prescription for Pennsylvania," certainly one of the most ambitious health care reform plans proposed by any state.

"One health care provider that is missing from the health care team, if we are serious about this change of culture to disease prevention and wellness, is the professionally prepared health educator...Unfortunately, the state Health Department and county health departments, as well as other organizations, use far too few, if any, professionally prepared health educators."

Click here to read more.