Thursday, November 07, 2024
Faculty and student fellows from the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health (CISWH) at BU School of Social Work (BUSSW) presented on research and innovations in interdisciplinary education at the American Public Health Association’s 2024 Annual Meeting, held recently in Minneapolis, MN.
The CISWH team shared their expertise on a broad range of topics, including trauma-informed mental health interventions in rural Nicaragua, the benefits of using systems theory and participatory mapping to create an organizational theory of change, and lessons learned from a virtual reality simulated learning pilot for an interdisciplinary graduate-level course on the Social Determinants of Health in healthcare settings. Learn more about the presentations below.
Charting Success: Participatory Systems Mapping in Social Work Organizational Leadership and Strategic Planning
Dr. Tami Gouveia, CISWH director and Paul Farmer Professor of Practice, shared how CISWH used participatory systems mapping to develop the center’s new theory of change and strategic plan. Demonstrating the CISWH team’s successful application of systems approaches, Dr. Gouveia highlighted how social work leaders can apply systems theory to organizational leadership, as well as in developing sound interventions to address society’s most complex issues.
Global Health Interdisciplinary Partnerships for Trauma-informed Care in Nicaragua
Prof. Luz M. López, CISWH global social work director and clinical professor at BUSSW, shared the outcomes of a qualitative and quantitative study evaluating the efficacy of an interdisciplinary training program that helped social workers and other mental health professionals in Estelí, Nicaragua deliver trauma-informed care to families affected by domestic violence.
Women’s Leadership in Global Health
Ottoho Edima (DrPH’27), CISWH graduate fellow, discussed how women in global public health still face barriers that limit their leadership and career advancement opportunities. Even in states with robust funding in public health and healthcare, women experience challenges with work life balance, accessing mentorship opportunities, and unequal pay. Edima proposes that women-led mentorship programs and supportive professional networks can start to address these problems.
MyART4U
During a poster session, Emily Lamunu (PhD’27) proposed the MyART4U project, a mobile phone app that would provide people living with HIV in Uganda a tool to help manage their health more effectively. The app would be developed with culturally sensitive technology to ensure that marginalized communities get the care that they need, while also fostering social inclusion and eliminating stigma.
Collaborative Approach to Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Dental Education: Implementation of an Interprofessional Education Rotation
CISWH graduate fellow Melanie Morris (PhD’24) highlighted a new, interprofessional approach to third-year student rotations at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Implemented during the 2023-2024 academic year, dental students participated in team-based workshops alongside pharmacy, social work, and nutrition students to think critically about how diverse health disciplines can work together to provide better, more equitable outcomes for patients.
Social Work Expertise in Multidisciplinary Health Care Settings to Address Social Determinants of Health: Lessons Learned from a Virtual Reality Education Initiative
CISWH graduate fellow Zoë Richman (MSW’25) discussed the outcomes of a pilot for an interdisciplinary course that helps medical, social work, and nutrition students practice integrating the Social Determinants of Health into care collaboratively through a virtual reality simulation.