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Professor Sacoby Wilson from the University of Maryland School of Public Health

Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium, 8/11-13

Learn, network and prepare to take action on diverse environmental and climate justice topics at the eighth UMD EJ Symposium from August 11-13, 2022. View sessions virtually (8/11-12) and/or attend in person (8/13).

Photo: Professor Sacoby Wilson, director of the Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health group at the UMD SPH.

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Illustration of pregnant Black woman with long hair holding her belly and wearing a mask with coronavirus cells in background.

Maternal Mortality Jumped During COVID-19 Pandemic

Analysis by Family Science's Marie Thoma Shows That Black and Hispanic Mothers Bore the Greatest Burden

Maryland State House building in Annapolis

Center for Health Literacy Becomes Maryland's Consumer Health Information Hub

A new Maryland law establishes the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy as the state’s Consumer Health Information Hub and will help state and local agencies provide the best and most useful health information using plain language standards.

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Explore public health

At the University of Maryland School of Public Health, we are driven by a passion to break down the barriers that keep individuals, families, communities and populations from attaining optimum health and wellness. Explore some of the ways we work to promote health, prevent disease and prolong active, high-quality lives through the topics below.

Make a difference with a degree from UMD Public Health

Mental Health
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Mental Health

Our mental health is an integral part of our overall health, yet barriers to mental health care and persistent stigma about mental illness make it difficult for everyone to achieve their best mental health. At the UMD School of Public Health, we are working to improve access to mental health care, and the quality of that care for underserved groups such as LGBTQ+ people, older adults and communities of color.

Related Programs
Through the new Sexual and Gender Diversity Learning Community program, the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center has created a training regimen researchers hope to turn into a national model that will enable health care providers to better support the mental health needs of LGBTQ+ clients.

Learn more about the PRC training
Health Literacy
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Health Literacy

Health literacy is about how people find, understand and use health information and services to decide on and take action to protect and promote health.

At the UMD School of Public Health, we aim to improve health literacy and increase health equity through clear communication strategies and techniques.

Related Programs
- Center for Health Literacy
- BS, Community Health
HealthyMe/MiSalud is a smartphone app to find and receive personalized health information aligned with health goals and personal and family histories. The Center for Health Literacy research team is developing this app for African Americans and Spanish-speaking Hispanic users.

Healthy Me/Mi Salud
Family and Child Health
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Family and Child Health

The health and well-being of our children and families is the basis for a thriving and sustainable world. At the UMD School of Public Health, we examine how childhood experiences and family dynamics influence our health throughout life, and pursue research and policies that support the well-being of all families, caregivers and children.

RELATED PROGRAMS
Educational inequities that existed before the pandemic have become even deeper and difficult to bridge. A report by the Department of Family Science provided a wake-up call and recommendations for school systems to better support student engagement and success, particularly for Black and Latino K-12 students.

Report: Pandemic Exposes Educational Inequity Challenges
Climate Change and Health
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Climate Change and Health

From exposure to extreme weather and worsening air pollution to the spread of food and water borne diseases — climate change is a health emergency. At the UMD School of Public Health, we are studying the ongoing health impacts of climate change in our communities and developing strategies to mitigate harm, promote sustainability and advocate for environmental justice.

Related Programs
Sacoby Wilson and his Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health team are empowering marginalized communities to fight for cleaner, safer conditions. Read more about how he aims to help communities liberate themselves from the toxic trauma they are experiencing every day.

Growing Justice from Grassroots Science
Physical Activity
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Physical Activity

Physical activity is essential to maintaining health throughout life. At the UMD School of Public Health, we’re studying physical activity’s role in health from the cellular to the societal level. Programs examine impacts of activity on cognitive health and preventing injury and disease as we age and the role of our built environments in supporting active lifestyles.

Related Programs
Adults should do at least 2.5 hours to 5 hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes to 2.5 hours a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Read the Physical Activity Guidelines
Health Equity
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Health Equity

Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. At the UMD School of Public Health, we conduct research, lead interventions and inform policies that remove obstacles to health and aim to improve the conditions in which all people live, learn, work and play which can impact lifelong health and well-being.

Related Programs
Building trust in the COVID-19 vaccine in underserved communities of color is an important part of ensuring an equitable vaccination rollout. The Maryland Center for Health Equity has hosted a series of webinars to address questions and concerns from African American and Latino communities.

Visit the webinar playlist
Health Care Access
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Health Care Access

Life expectancy in the US is on the decline, yet we spend more on medical care than any other nation. To promote health and well-being, the UMD School of Public Health is studying the benefits of investments in programs focused on preventing disease and care coordination in reducing health disparities and health care costs, while improving access to high-quality and affordable care for diverse populations.

Related Programs
A new $2M NIH grant (R01) to Professor Jie Chen will focus on identifying ways that public health departments and health systems can coordinate care and improve health equity for African Americans, Latinos and people who receive federal housing assistance who have risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Learn more about this research
COVID-19
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COVID-19

Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the global coronavirus pandemic was identified, UMD School of Public Health experts have been at the forefront of the response. Our contributions have included research on how COVID-19 spreads, health communication guidance to keep people safe, and dispelling vaccine misinformation. We’re also addressing the disproportionate impacts of this crisis on different groups, including families of color and LGBTQ+ people.

Related Programs
- Stop COVID Study
- SPH Experts on COVID-19
Find the latest COVID-19 information for the UMD community.

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Fearlessly Promoting Health for All

At the University of Maryland School of Public Health, we are driven by a passion to break down the societal barriers that keep individuals, families, communities and populations from optimum health and wellness everyday. Join us on a fearless journey to do public health good!

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Undergraduate and Graduate Students in the School of Public Health

The School of Public Health has extraordinary professors and faculty who are dedicated to continuous student success.

Taylor Palmer '21 Intern, PATIENTS Program, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and MPH student Read Taylor's profile

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Research and impact

Research & Innovation

SPH research is making a difference in critical areas, from climate change’s impacts on health, physical activity’s benefits to aging brains and culturally competent mental health care's role in LGBTQ+ persons' health, among others.

Explore our research centers

Student samples water for CONSERVE Center — A member of the CONSERVE research team collects water from a field site to be analyzed for its chemical, microbial and physical qualities.