As part of a 2007 summer pre-session Masters of Public Health Maternal and Child Health course at the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health in Tucson, the graduate public health students in family and child health learned about the design, successes and challenges of rural public health programs by visiting the Navajo, Hopi and Hualapai Tribal Nations in northern Arizona.
The one-week field-based course was designed to provide MCH students culturally competent knowledge and skills for working with Native American and border communities in the rural Southwest and to increase the students’ awareness and understanding of the diverse social, cultural and health practices that exist. This course provided MCH students with an opportunity to learn about different tribal and border health service provision models and approaches and the implications of these health care systems on health status.
The students met with staff from the Navajo Division of Health, Indian Health Service, the Hopi Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Program and the Hualapai Health Department. Students also helped with the school health fair at the Hualapai Elementary School.
Their field trip was part of the one-credit MCH course, "Creating Culturally Competent Health Care Systems in the Rural Southwest" taught this year by Nicky Teufel-Shone, Ron Watson, Yolanda Herrera, and Louis Teufel-Shone. The course is supported by an HRSA-funded MCH Training Grant (PI - Douglas Taren).
The family of Louis Teufel-Shone hosted the group at their home providing a traditional Navajo meal and conversation about family life in a remote part of the reservation. "They even shared a harrowing account of recently killing a mountain lion who was eating sheep," noted Dr. Nicky Teufel-Shone.
Students and faculty also found time to enjoy the wonders of northern Arizona. The group visited Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, the south rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Colorado River. For more information on the MCH program and the course contact Dr. Teufel-Shone at teufel@u.arizona.edu.
