Laura
Iannopollo
Applied Practice Experience
During the Fall 2024 semester, I completed my Applied Practice Experience (PHC 6945) with the Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County. My primary focus during this internship was completing an assessment of each park throughout the county as part of the Age-Friendly Initiative - Trust for America's Health. The Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT) was utilized to collect data about the park and their surrounding neighborhood. The information collected was then compiled in Excel to generate qualitative data for the Local Park Assessment and to present findings and additional information to the local government, community leaders, and other decision-makers. Pictures were also taken of the parks and included in the report to demonstrate quality features or areas that need improvement. Authoring the county’s first report, Local Park Assessment 2024, it was created to make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Department, county officials, and community stakeholders for improvements. The abstract for this project was selected for the 2025 NACCHO360 conference in Anaheim, California.
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In addition, a Healthy Parks brochure was created as an informational resource. The brochure is intended to supply community leaders, advocates, and county residents with information about the benefits of utilizing public parks to live active, healthy lives. The brochure provides links to additional resources for further information on multiple factors influencing the community’s health. Translation is provided in Spanish and Korean.
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Please see the products below for further details.
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Santa Rosa County, FL
Local Parks Assessment 2024
The Local Park Assessment includes information pertaining to 26 public parks through the county, located in Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, Navarre, and Pace.
MPH Program Competencies Addressed:
C-2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
C-4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice
C-7 Assess population needs, assets and capabilities that affect communities' health
GH 3. Determine disease trends and the impact of specific country demographics and other major factors on influencing patterns of morbidity, mortality, and disability in a defined population.
GH 4. Evaluate national and international public health system capacity, including legal, ethical, and cultural factors in responding to public health humanitarian crises.
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Healthy Parks Santa Rosa
The informational brochure, also translated into Korean and Spanish, is intended to help educate the community on what it means to have healthy parks for the promotion of physical activity and for the improvement of overall quality life in the community.
English
Spanish
Korean
MPH Program Competencies Addressed:
GH 3. Determine disease trends and the impact of specific country demographics and other major factors on influencing patterns of morbidity, mortality, and disability in a defined population.
GH 4. Evaluate national and international public health system capacity, including legal, ethical, and cultural factors in responding to public health humanitarian crises.
Course Description
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This Applied Public Health Practice Experience provides students with an applied, scholarly, and mutually beneficial experience in a public health practice setting. It is completed under the supervision of an approved preceptor and a faculty member teaching in the UWF MPH program. The student will work on a problem related to management, development, or administration of a program in public health or related to research in public health. This experience reinforces academic course work, meet community or agency needs, and provide the student with an opportunity to integrate and apply relevant MPH program competencies consistent with current accreditation standards.