Mock Lecture

[Transcripts are auto-generated]

Afternoon,

it is spellbound. You have made it today to have spell bound

for joining us this evening or this afternoon. Come on in.

So you are joining us today for our first mock lecture this afternoon led by Dr. Bass, so you will meet her in just a moment, I just would like to share a couple of housekeeping notes with you all. So this is a webinar function here. And so you can see us as panelists and you will see Dr. Bass, but we cannot see you so as you ask questions or interact with aftermath, you will do so in the side the chat. Okay, so this session runs from three to 345. And so sit back and enjoy the content being share and when Dr. Bass asked for participation that's mean jump right on in. So without further ado, I'm going to turn it over to Sydney. Hey girl.

Hey Miss Trina and Hello everyone. I hope you all are well rested and ready for more. Welcome to Chapter Two and power. And chapter one, there was lots of excitement. Today, you get the opportunity to step into the shoes of a Spelman night. You probably have a million questions even after yesterday that can be answered today. To kick off the day, you all have an exclusive opportunity to get a taste of what classes look like at Spelman College. Keep in mind that you may need a I'm sorry. Keep in mind that professors have a distinctive way of teaching and are very accessible to you for any help you may need, along with other opportunities outside of the classroom. Because Spelman is a liberal arts college we have four academic divisions, natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, social sciences, and art and visual culture. My major psychology was under the social sciences category, but I spent time working with others in the STEM division because of my pre med track. I also spend some time in the humanities department. Because of my minor comparative Women's Studies. Spelman Knights are remarkably diverse in both our hometowns and aspirations in life. But enough about me, I don't want to cut into your class time too much. So grab your notebooks and writing utensils so we can get started.

Noon everyone this is truly a highlight for me. I am so excited about being able to speak with you all today regarding a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I am Dr. Rosalind Gregory bass, I am Chair of the environmental and health sciences program as well as director of the health risk program. And we're going to get things started by me sharing my screen with you all.

today's talk is really going to centered around legacy driven engagement to improve global health. The reason I chose this topic is because there are many different things that I find to be so intriguing about the journey that I have had as well as the journey of many of Spelman students who have come through our gates, and who have had an opportunity to really develop their inner, inner discipline, interdisciplinary way of thinking and to think about what are the ways in which they want to impact the world. We have a song at Spelman called it's your choice to change the world and I'm sure you may have already heard it over the course of this weekend or will before it is over. But I know for me coming in as a student myself, being able to be part of the Spelman culture, the Spelman legacy impacted me in a way that not only did I feel blessed to have an opportunity to learn from all of the different professors at the institution, but I also felt a calling after I left, a calling to make a difference. And so part of my talk today is really not only to share with you key aspects of health, but also the ways in which individuals do their very best to understand what are the challenges that we are facing in our current society and in the world, and what are ways in which we can be impacted. So the picture that I have on the screen is showing you three key aspects of our talk. Not only will we have an opportunity to share a little bit about what stamin students have done, but we also will talk about the way in which the world has been impacted by key elements of our society that lead to overall ways in which we perceive our health, and the way in which we try to combat overall health disparities. And the person who I wanted to start with today is one of our own Dr. Georgia dwelling who is in the panel on the left. And she actually was our first Spelman alumna to graduate and receive her medical doctorate. She went on to my hearing Medical College, and for their had a wonderful career impacting the lives of women and children in the United States. So let's go ahead and get started. I want you to know that Spelman College is a place where we welcome you. We welcome students from all walks, all different backgrounds, all different states that they're coming from, and their varied experiences. In the classroom, especially as it relates to the STEM field, and many of our other departments, you will find that it is a space for thought provoking conversation, not just to be a one way experience, but for there to be a dual experience that we have. We also wants you to know that it is a space where you are to be challenged, not necessarily to just repeat what you learned in high school, but for you to now embark upon topics that perhaps are new, that are engaging. And that really prompts you to think about what all you could potentially do to impact the world. And then lastly, I wanted to share that Spellman is also a space for knowledge acquisition. And that knowledge that you're gaining is hopefully going to be part of your toolkit. So that whether you want to be a physician or a lawyer, a social justice advocate, or even if you're someone who wants to write the narrative of what it is that you're experiencing, as a journalist or writer, that you have the ability to take the knowledge game and transform it into your own creative work.

So before we get started, and even before I asked this question, I wanted to do a cuckoo. But I know because of time constraints, I want to make sure I get through all of the various topics. I want to take this time to go to the chat and just hear from you. Where are you coming from today, just so that I can gain a context about the students who we have with us. I know some of you Oh, okay, wonderful. I see the chat is filling up. Maryland, Georgia, Texas, Philadelphia, Charlotte, North cut Nigeria. Awesome, awesome, Chicago, Minnesota. And DC. That is wonderful. That is wonderful. So as you can see, in coming to Spelman, this is not just going to be you connecting with women from your home state. But you have the ability to connect with not only people across the United States, but also around the world. And that's the exact same experience that I had also. Now, my next slide that I had focused on, what were some of the challenges that you all currently see in the world? What are some global health challenges that you all may see? So just take some time to think about that. And then also be able to let me know your thoughts in the chat. I see climate change mental health. I agree. Poverty. Awesome. Awesome. food scarcity. accessibility to health care. Yes. Heart disease are number one killer in the United States. homelessness, racism. Yes. Absolutely. I so appreciate this feedback. You all are doing a phenomenal job. Capitalism. Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. So as I go back to our slide presentation, I want to be able to have you all also think about as we ponder what are the global health challenges before us. The thing that we want to also think About is, what are the things that we see, that could potentially be ways in which we can combat some of these issues. But I think before we ever get started, it's important for us to have operational definitions.

So many of the things that you all have placed into the chat really stem from our understanding of what people are seeing globally, when it comes to our health, our environments. And so we oftentimes as professors really want students to be engaged and to really think about what it is that they're saying, and what is the way in which the literature is informing what you all are communicating. And so when we just think about the term global health, there are many definitions, actually, in terms of debates even happening about what should be those ways in which we define this topic. And so Beaglehole and binita actually have a wonderful article, that they are highlighting the ways in which we can define global health. So if we had access to the mic feature, I would then ask the student to really share with me, what was Copeland's perspective, and I'll read to you all here. But he describes it as an area of study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide. This is use this is a very useful definition, with a broad focus on health improvement in health equity. However, there were some people in the literature who found it to be actually too wordy and even uninspiring. So hearing the discourse that takes place, even in the global health community about what should be used, I found this article to be a great way to engage students in this conversation. Kip push also had a definition. And as you can see here, it states those health issues that transcend national boundaries, and governments and call for actions on the global forces that determine the health of people. So as you all begin to just read both of those, why don't you let me know in the chat, which one you actually agree with more? Do you like Copeland's definition? Or did you like the simplicity of Keith Bush's definition? So as you're reading both the next you're thinking about the things that we mentioned a global health issues? And what's more, all encompassing, which one do you agree with?

All right, I was gonna say it looks like hip bush may be winning, but I see there are some coke Copeland fans as well. Very good. So this is a prime example for you to understand with you all being future scholars, that you too may have similar thoughts and feelings as those current public health specialists that are engaging in this conversation internationally. So when we also move on to think about what are key features of global health that the United Nations is even highlighting, so I did not want to assume that everyone knew what the United Nations was. So I wanted to be able to highlight some basic history for you. So you're walking away from this conversation really being informed about the agencies that have an impact on how we actually look at health, and look at global health. So the United Nations is, of course, an international organization founded in 1945, currently made up of 193 member states, and the UN and its work are guided by purposes and principles contained in its overall founding charter. It also states here that's evolved over the years to keep pace with the rapidly changing world. And I think you all would agree that the world is continuing to change. It also remains the one place on earth where all the world's nations can gather together, discuss common problems and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity. So I wanted to show you that there are some key principles, some defining goals, or sustainability goals that we look at as priorities for how we even think about What all 193 states are talking about on a regular basis, and what are going to be solutions around that. We have had students who have gone on to become interns with United Nations. And there are those who are foreign service workers who have become diplomats. And with that being said, I know there are some of you who want to be healthcare professionals. But then there are also some of you who want to be able to impact the world from a global perspective. So the United Nations has a division, but also another agency known as the World Health Organization also is a place where we have had Spelman women, I'm engaged in those conversations at that level. So some of you mentioned poverty in your answers in the chat. And so you can see you can give yourself a pat on the back, that is one of the Sustainable Development Goals. Some of you mentioned, hunger and food scarcity, again, right on target, one of our Sustainable Development Goals, good health and well being I even saw on the chat that there was education and literacy, which was a concern. And so again, you all are phenomenal group because you are right on target. The other thing that I wanted to be able to share with you outside of the others that are mentioned, is that, um, one key feature is social determinants of health, that we should really pay attention to our social determinants of health. And so I'm going to narrow down a little bit going from a global perspective and start even coming into more of a national perspective. Even though we look at these things internationally. I'm in the United States, our government has set aside key areas within our federal agencies that will look at what are all of the determinants that impact impact our health and wellness. And so healthy people. 2030 is actually legislation that sets aside our priorities as a nation. And you'll see that when we think of social determinants of health, there are some key things that come to mind health care access, which was mentioned earlier, neighborhood and built environment. So you can think about your surroundings, and what are those things that you found to be very good for your health? And then what are some things that you may see that actually can have a negative impact on your health, social and community contacts, economic stability, as well as education access and quality. And so social determinants can be looked upon as conditions in the environment in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age, that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risk. So when I think of the social determinants of health,

I really have to, as someone who has worked in healthcare, and also someone who is doing research, that I make sure that it's in alignment with the 355 core objectives that have been defined by this agency. And so it is important even as we begin to think about what are ways in which you can be impactful, our students in our course that we offer, use this as a way to determine what are they going to talk about at our annual health fair? What are they going to focus on when it comes to their engagement, even from a global perspective when we do our trips? And so that brings me to this point. And that is what are the ways in which Spelman women have been able to take the knowledge gained about social determinants of health, as well as global help. And the various agencies that we discussed, that would then allow them to be change agents between the agents of ages of 18 and 21. What are they putting in their toolkit in order to make a difference? And so what I wanted to do is think about or have you think about before we really even delve into this conversation about a country that we visited, I want you to let me know, what are the countries that you see is having a challenge, and if you could just put just take a minute to think about a particular country, and then a particular social determinants of health, that may be a major factor for them. So I'm just gonna stop here for a second and allow us to be able to see. I mean, I also see some some great questions here that some students have put in that I'll address so I see us over farmed land. Very good. Very good. And the US education again, yes, yes. Yeah. Anyone else? Anyone have an idea about okay. Puerto Rico poverty. Thank you. Haiti, poverty. India. India has been in the news quite a bit lately. So I'm Bangladesh, humans, this Oh, admissions team. I hope you all have the names of all these ladies. They are doing a fabulous job. Gender wealth gap. Absolutely. Absolutely. Dominican Republic. China air pollution. Very good. And we have someone who is actually on our faculty, Dr. hawan, who is an atmospheric scientist, and that's exactly what he studies very good. Awesome. Japan. Awesome. Kenya education. Oh, I have very good answers. Very good answers.

VMR military violence? Absolutely. Because violence also is an area within our Healthy People. 2020 or now it's 2030 that has been addressed as something that we need to work to eliminate. Very good, very good. All right. So let me share a little bit with you about the reason why we chose Trinidad. So Spelman College previously, before we've had the issues with the Coronavirus, and, and challenges with traveling, we would take students to Trinidad and Tobago, or we would take students to Cape Town, South Africa. And there's a focus for both of those areas. One would be for Trinidad and Tobago for our students to better understand the prevalence and incidence of diabetes mellitus in that population. As well as when we traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, we would have conversations about HIV, and how it has impacted that region. And so when it comes to our engagement with other countries, we just felt it was very important that if our students were interested in health and health care, we didn't want them just to have a local understanding, not just a state or a national understanding, but we wanted them to be able to think critically, and be able to do a comparison and contrast among the United States and other countries around the world. And so Trinidad and Tobago, help us to really better understand diabetes. And so who can tell us what diabetes is? Is there anyone who perhaps know someone with diabetes? So let me start there? Do you know someone who has diabetes?

Wow, can every Can everyone see? Can everyone see so that if they don't necessarily have it, they know someone who has it, which means that this is not a rare condition. We know that this condition is very prevalent, and it is prevalent among individuals of African descent, if we if I were to put my map up of the United States, we would see that right along the south that there is there's a very high incidence and prevalence of diabetes. And the impact of this condition and for those of you who may not be aware, it is a condition where the hormone that normally would help to metabolize glucose, it either is in very low concentration, or it's not being made at all, which separates out diabetes two from diabetes one respectively, type one, type two and type one. Individuals who are not able to have a normal blood sugar are with have that blood sugar fall within a certain range, it can put them at risk for a number of problems. They can have neurologic challenges, it can impact their vision, they can go into a coma, because of the neurologic deficits. They can also have issues surrounding kidney failure, heart problems, increased risk of atherosclerosis and so all of those things can lead to amputations or numbness and tingling in their fingers or feet. And so I too, have been impacted in that way because both my mother and father have diabetes. So we wanted to go to Trinidad to really better understand what are those things that impact this population more than any other. And that require that we took time and understanding the ranking, associated with this condition. And so what we found is that, in her world, when we look at diabetes prevalence, the percentage of population, the numbers that you're seeing, this was back in 2019, but the percentage of the population, ages 20 to 79, small Trinidad and Tobago, which is just slightly north of South America, the tail end of the Caribbean, they are ranked 42 11% of their population within the ages of 20 to 79 actually have diabetes. And so, and you can see per capita, based on the number of individuals that are in the United States, they actually are ranked above us. Which means that they are really trying very hard to understand what are those factors that impact this population? And how can they really work on the preventative in on the diagnosis in and on the treatment in to ensure that individuals will have very low mortality, and very low morbidity associated with this condition? So do we I'm not sure if we have anyone here who is from Trinidad. But if we think about the social determinants of health, what could potentially be those things that would impact outcomes for this condition? And so this is a comprehensive list of all the different social determinants of health. And you all can see some of them we've already mentioned, but it could be, are people aware of what diabetes is? Is the information being shared at the level in which they would be able to understand economics? How is that playing a role? job opportunities? Okay? How will job opportunities actually impact the ability of someone being able to receive care? our hospitals located in that area where a person lives? And how will they be able to access various clinics, especially if there is an emergent need? And then I'll just even skip down here public safety, social supports, attitudes around

the condition itself, and or conditions, attitudes towards the patient population that they're working with, what biases may exist? And then you'll see here language, any type of residential segregation media, and then right here, the big one is culture. So for those of you who don't know, or I should ask, what are the ways in which there are a diversity of individuals in Trinidad and Tobago that you think may impact the overall culture and different activities that could increase the the just could increase the overall incidence and prevalence of diabetes.

Very good religious beliefs, eating in terms of the different types of food, good gender, socioeconomic status, the language is very good. So for Trinidad and Tobago, for those of you who may not be aware, there is a large indo Trinidadian population and Afro Trinidadian population, Afro Trinidadian population, so you have other nationalities that are represented as well. But when we think about religion, when we think about food, all of those things play a major role. Culture also is impacting various celebratory events and how food plays a role in that. And so most physicians will tell you that when they're working with diabetic patients, one of the top things that they discuss is, what type of dietary changes need to be made. And how compliant will a patient be if their culture does not necessarily match the recommendations. And I'm sure there are those of you who may have family members that struggle with this, when they're having, perhaps maybe a culture of eating soul food, and then being able to try trying to match that with a diabetic diet. Sometimes there are challenges that may exist. And so how we communicate those things and educate others will have an impact on how well a person does. And I love that someone said belief in science or medicine. That is correct, because not everyone may believe in certain types of treatments, they may believe in using more natural Pathak or alternative therapies in order to be able to make sure that they improve their overall health and wellness. And we've mentioned access as well as economics. So what I'm going to do, as we get ready to wind down and I want to make sure that I have time to have a summary is to ask instead of what you want to do when you grow up, or what career you want to have. I rather ask the question, Where do you see yourself making a difference? What big world problem do you see yourself solving. I have pictures here of our students who are in Trinidad, understanding key aspects of diabetic treatment as they speak to the neurologist who do studies on patients better trying to understand the way in which they test for neurologic deficits among diabetic patients. And then also the way in which these students had the ability to even think from a government perspective by meeting minister dahlias, saying so the Minister of Health and how he was able to talk with them about policy development. And so many of them had a chance to learn about ways in which they can impact laws in order to improve overall access to care. And so I want to just take a quick moment to see what are the ways in which you all really wants to be impactful? And so Oh, it's just a lot of great things here. I don't know if I can keep up so much in the chat. But I will see here, let me take one, um, children's mental health, race equity and equality and representation health education. Awesome. Awesome.

This is outstanding environmental justice. I love it. Legal reform to prevent people of color, oh, it was moving too fast. I couldn't catch it all. But this is how I want you to think as a future scholar, I want you to think about what are the ways that you can be impactful, not necessarily just focusing on a career. But what do you need in your toolkit to answer the problems or to help solve the problems that you have listed in the check? What are the ways that you can think globally? What are the ways that you can think locally? And what knowledge Do you need to have? How do you define the topics that you're talking about such as we did with global health, and such as we did, as we were thinking about the social determinants of health, so that you can have an interdisciplinary perspective around being a change agent. So with that being said, it is 336. And the only thing that I want to be able to leave with you today is for you to see if I stopped for you to take time to go to our website that is able to really educate you on and this is for those students who may think about going into the healthcare field that we really want you to think about what are the ways in which you can do that. And if you go to your browser and you put in Spelman College health careers, you have the ability to navigate that Space until look at all of the different careers within that area that you can consider. But also, we even have students who are choosing to actually major in health science and even go into law school and become social justice advocates in that way, they were able to gain information around the sciences, so that they can use that knowledge to make sure that their policies that they create are going to be relevant. And so when you come to the space after putting in Spelman College health careers, and I can put the link in the chat too. Here is a site called health professional careers, that really gives you an idea of all of these different fields, they're still even more outside of this, but it could be in the business side, it could be from a clinical side, it could be from a public health side. And if you know you're passionate about one area or the other, and you know that you want to be able to connect with some of our partner institutions, please know that we have early acceptance programs for you even as a first year student, where you're able to go into these fields and be committed to these various institutions early on. And so with that, I just want to thank each of you for your time and attention. I want to be able to make sure that I let you know that if you need to get in contact with me for any other questions. I am at our bass@spelman.edu and I'll put that in.

And that way you'll be able to contact me so I'm going to turn it back over to miss Fisher but again, thank you all I wish you the very best filming gave me the best four years of my life. I loved it. And I'm and I wouldn't trade it for anything and neither would my sister neither would my daughter and neither neither would my cousin who all are Spelman women. Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, Dr. Bass. Thank you so much. I love her, y'all. I hope y'all come to Spelman and have the privilege of sitting in one of her classrooms or being advised by her through the Health Careers program. So this ends our first mock lecture series. We do have two more scheduled throughout this program. They actually happen tomorrow. But right now we are at we're going to close out this session. Our next session. That's my alarm for the session. So the next session is what to expect after you accept so this panel will feature representatives from housing from student live from Career Planning and Development, our health services program and the Office of Undergraduate Studies. And then office is important because they host our new student orientation. So get your parents parents, if you hear you stay here, students log on. So we're going to just take a brief short break. And we're going to start promptly at four o'clock. So you're going to use the same link you use to get here to this lecture to come to and attend the what to expect after you accept panel starting at four o'clock. So we will see you then and thank you so much for joining us this evening or this afternoon and thank you Dr. Bass.