Department of Community and Family Health
USF Health · College of Public Health

Welcome to the Department of Community and Family Health at the University of South Florida!

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We’d like to welcome you to our website and to share some important information about the department.

The Department’s mission includes education, research and service to enhance the health promotion and disease prevention status of individuals, families, and communities.  Our programs assist individuals in developing leadership in the health science disciplines that meet the needs of diverse populations.

The Faculty members in our department are dedicated to excellence in teaching and mentorship of students, innovation in research, and a commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.  We have three research centers housed in the department and several other federally funded research programs.

The concentrations offered in our department for the MPH and MSPH degrees are behavioral health, maternal and child health, public health education, and socio-health sciences.  We also offer both the Ph.D. and the Dr.PH. degrees, and several graduate certificate programs and dual degree programs.

Please explore our site and discover the many opportunities that await you in the Department of Community and Family Health.   If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

Julie Baldwin, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Community and Family Health

 
Research Centers

The Lawton and Rhea Chiles Center for Health Mothers and Babies

The Harrell Center for the Study of Domestic Violence

Florida Prevention Research Center at the University of South Florida
 
COMMUNTIY AND FAMILY HEALTH SPOTLIGHT
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Stephanie Marhefka

Dr. Stephanie Marhefka joined the Department of Community and Family Health in 2007 and has since been working closely with students and faculty in the area of sexual health. She has a strong passion for understanding and addressing the psychological and behavioral needs of people living with HIV. Click here to learn more about Dr. Marhefka.

 

 

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Melissa Mercado-Crespo

Melissa Cristal Mercado-Crespo has served in the non-profit, public and private sectors as an epidemiologist researcher and communications specialist.  She is currently pursuing a Doctor in Philosophy (PhD) degree in Public Health at the University of South Florida (USF), where she aims to continue her specialization in youth violence research and prevention. Click here to learn more about Melissa.  

 

 
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY HEALTH NEWS

November 19, 2009

Dr. Ellen Daley from the Department of Community and Family Health recently participated in two national meetings related to her research in HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer and several other types of cancers.


On October 14th, Dr. Daley was one of four invited speakers to review theimpact of HPV within a clinical setting to the National Meeting of Nurse Practitioners of Women’s Health in Providence, RI.

On October 21st, Dr. Daley was invited to present her research during public commentary at the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the hearings on the HPV vaccine for males. The vaccine was approved for males ages 9-26 by the ACIP as a permissive vaccine against genital warts. Additional data will be required for the vaccine to be approved for cancer prevention in males. Dr. Daley’s research addressing the psycho-social impact of HPV in males (funded by the National Cancer Institute, 1R01CA123346) was presented at the ACIP meeting.

 


Dr. Eric Buhi, assistant professor in Community and Family Health, and Colleagues Publish Article
Buhi, E. R., Daley, E. M., Fuhrmann, H. J., Smith, S. A. (2009). An Observational Study of How Young People Search for Online Sexual Health Information. Journal of American College Health, 58(2), 101-111.

Data summarized in this paper were collected with funding support from the University of South Florida Internal Awards Program.

 


Dr. Russ Kirby and Colleagues Publish Papers
Salemi, Jason L., Marie Pierre, Jean Paul Tanner, Jennifer L. Kornosky, Kimberlea W. Hauser, Russell S. Kirby, Jane D. Carver, "Maternal Nativity as a Risk Factor for Gastroschisis: A Population-Based Study", Birth DefectsResearch Part A, 85, 11 (November 2009), 890-896.

Collins, Julianne S., Mark A. Canfield, Kay Pearson, Russell S. Kirby, Amy P. Case, Cara T. Mai, Judy Major, Joe Mulinare, for the National Birth Defects Prevention Network, “Public Health Projects for Preventing the Recurrence of Neural Tube Defects in the United States”, Birth Defects Research Part A, 85, 11 (November 2009), 935-938.

 

DR. CAROL BRYANT ATTENDS MEETING IN PERU
Dr. Carol Bryant recently attended the Pan American Health Organization’s CARMEN network biennial meeting in Lima, Peru. CARMEN is a PAHO initiative to improve the health status of populations in the Americas by reducing risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases. Over 130 participants from 35 countries participated in the conference. The majority were public health leaders responsible for chronic disease and risk factor prevention and control programs in their respective countries.