Dong-Chul Seo named fellow, president-elect of the American Academy of Health Behavior

Dong-Chul Seo, associate professor in the Department of Applied Health Science at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, has been named a fellow as well as president-elect for 2013-14 of the American Academy of Health Behavior.

"Dr. Seo is an incredible asset to the school and to Indiana University," said Mohammad Torabi, dean and chancellor's professor at the School of Public Health-Bloomington. "It is only fitting that he be selected as a fellow as well as president-elect of such a prestigious organization."

Dr. Dong-Chul Seo

Seo worked as an evaluation expert for the Korean government for 12 years before joining the IU faculty in 2004. He has 24 years of research experience in policy and socio-ecological approaches for obesity and addictive behavior. His research has been supported by 12 different grants funded by federal, state and local agencies since 2004, and he was principle investigator or co-principle investigator on 11 of the 12 grants. He has published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed journals in the past nine years. Seo has served as a grant reviewer for a number of agencies, including the National Science Foundation, as an editor for the World Journal of Methodology and as a peer reviewer for 13 journals.

"It is a great honor to be named both a fellow of the academy and to be named president-elect of the group I hold in such high esteem," Seo said. "I could not be more honored."

Seo served as American Academy of Health Behavior Research Review Committee chair in 2008-09. He joined the AAHB Board in 2010 as a delegate and is currently serving as treasurer.

After his term as president-elect, he will serve as president for 2014-15.

"Professor Seo's excellence in research in health behavior and high-quality publications in dozens of premier journals make him uniquely suited for leadership in the AAHB," said David Lohrmann, chair of the Department of Applied Health Science at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The American Academy of Health Behavior's mission is to serve as the research home for health behavior scholars and researchers whose primary commitment is to excellence in research and the application of research to improve public health. Fellow status is conferred as an indication of distinction and is based solely on merit.

Aquatics expert William Ramos named to American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council

Dr. William Ramos

William Ramos, assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, has been appointed to the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council.

"Selection for membership to serve on the council is certainly an honor for me," said Ramos, director of the IU Aquatic Institute. "I am very much looking forward to contributions that can be made as a representative of Indiana University and the School of Public Health-Bloomington to an organization that I hold in highest esteem. I feel confident that my multidisciplinary background in the area of aquatics will serve well in assisting to advance the mission of the American Red Cross through evaluating methods, techniques and current research."

Sport and food connection too strong -- and obvious -- to ignore

Spectator sports and food -- often high-calorie or low-nutrition -- have long gone hand-in-hand, yet FDA regulations geared toward calorie transparency at restaurant chains ignore this relationship. Popular fast-food restaurants soon will be required to post calorie counts, but concession stands at major sports facilities and many sports bars will not.

"The proposed menu labeling regulations, as part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, overlook sport and sport spectatorship. Stadiums and arenas aren't included," said Antonio Williams, sport and fitness marketing expert at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. "Neither are sports bars or restaurants that are not part of a chain. It's a big mistake. It's no secret that a tremendous amount of food is consumed during sporting events and that fans often are exposed to numerous food-related ads and sponsorship. It's a symbiotic relationship."

During the Super Bowl, for example, typically one third of advertisements involve food. Williams said game day also represents the second heaviest day of the year for food consumption, according to the USDA.

Dr. Antonio Williams

The regulations may overlook the relationship between food and sport, but corporate America hasn't, Williams said, pointing to major sports venues and football bowl games named for food-related corporations.

"Some research shows that companies who sell unhealthy products have marketed them effectively by tying them to images or activities that are widely viewed as pure or healthy, like sport," he said.

Williams and co-author Crystal Williams note in an upcoming article in the Loyola Consumer Law Review that the National Restaurant Association has submitted letters to the FDA arguing that applying the new regulation to concession stands in sports arenas and stadiums would fall within the intent of Congress when it adopted the Affordable Care Act.

Their article, "Hitting calories out of the ballpark: An examination of the FDA's new menu labeling laws and their impact on sport spectatorship," will appear in the March issue of the journal.

Antonio Williams, assistant professor in the school's Department of Kinesiology, can be reached at 812-855-3061 or aw22@indiana.edu. Crystal Williams is an attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis.

Study reveals sex to be pleasurable with or without use of a condom or lubricant

American men and women rated sex as highly arousing and pleasurable regardless of whether condoms and/or lubricants were used, according to a study led by Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington researchers and published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Led by Debby Herbenick and Michael Reece, co-directors of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion, researchers reviewed a nationally representative study of men and women ages 18 to 59 to assess characteristics of condom and lubricant use during participants' most recent sexual event, and the relationship of their condom and lubricant use to their ratings of sexual quality.

Data were from the 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, which involved the administration of an online questionnaire to a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. adults. Results showed that men and women consistently rate sex as highly arousing and pleasurable with few differences based on condom or lubricant use. More than twice as many women than men were unsure whether the condom was lubricated -- 26.6 percent vs. 11.4 percent -- or from what material it was made -- 23.6 percent vs. 8.9 percent.

"This may be because men are more likely than women to purchase condoms and to apply condoms," Herbenick said. "However, it's important for more women to become familiar with the condoms they use with their partner so that they can make choices that enhance the safety and pleasure of their sexual experiences."

Additionally, no significant differences were found in regard to men's ratings of the ease of their erections based on condom and lubricant use.

"The U.S. continues to grapple with high rates of sexually transmitted infections, HIV and unintended pregnancies," Herbenick said. "We need to understand how people make choices about the products they use, or avoid using, and how these products contribute to the safety and pleasurable aspects of their sexual experiences. This is particularly important as the products themselves evolve and become more mainstream in American society. We also need to understand what men and women know, or don't know, about the products they use so that we can better target public health education messages to individuals and groups."

Dr. Debby Herbenick

"The epidemiologic studies assessing human sexual function and behavior in the U.S. that were started 60 years ago by Kinsey are continued now by Herbenick and Reece. Gathering sexual data regarding condom use is highly relevant," said Irwin Goldstein, M.D., editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. "Understanding current condom use offers health care providers an opportunity to educate those people uncomfortable with condoms but for whom lack of use may lead to significant sexually transmitted infection health risk."

The article, "Characteristics of Condom and Lubricant Use Among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Adults Ages 18-59 In the United States" is available online and at sciencenewsroom@wiley.com. It will appear in the February issue.

The study was supported by Church & Dwight, Inc., the maker of Trojan Brand condoms and vibrators. Co-authors include Vanessa Schick, Nicole Smith and Brian Dodge, Center for Sexual Health Promotion at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington; Stephanie Sanders, The Kinsey Institute for Research on Sex, Gender and Reproduction and Department of Gender Studies, College of Arts and Sciences at IU Bloomington; and J. Dennis Fortenberry, M.D., IU School of Medicine.

Lance Armstrong's confession falls flat

Cyclist Lance Armstrong's revelations did not surprise Galen Clavio, assistant professor in the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, "for no other reason than the mountain of evidence pointing toward his having used performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career was overwhelming from the start," Clavio said.

Dr. Galen Clavio

"I am not certain what Armstrong is hoping to gain through his public confession, because thus far he has failed to appear emotionally contrite," Clavio said. "From a public relations perspective within the context of sport, I do not think his Oprah appearance has done anything positive. His performance reminds me very much of Tiger Woods' attempt at a public confession of guilt, although to Lance's credit he has been far more forthcoming and direct than Woods ever was.

"Woods seems to have been given the benefit of the doubt by both fans and media. I doubt that Armstrong will be given the same degree of latitude."

Clavio, assistant professor in the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington's Department of Kinesiology, can be reached at gclavio2@indiana.edu or 812-855-3367.

Mohammad Torabi named dean of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington

Indiana University Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Lauren Robel has announced that Mohammad R. Torabi has been appointed dean of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington.

The appointment of Torabi, Chancellor's Professor and interim dean of the school, became effective Jan. 1, subject to the approval of the IU Board of Trustees at its February meeting.

Dr. Mohammad Torabi

"The entire campus is grateful to Dean Torabi for his selfless and dedicated service as interim dean, and for the vision and judgment he has demonstrated as the school has transitioned to its new mission," Robel said. "Enormous opportunities exist for the School of Public Health-Bloomington, especially as we align its new programs with the global initiatives on campus. I am looking forward to continuing to work with Dean Torabi in achieving a bright future for this new and promising school."

Torabi served as interim dean as the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation transitioned into one of Indiana University's two new schools of public health, with the formal naming ceremony for the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington taking place in September 2012. Before that, Torabi, a noted health behavior, education and public health expert, chaired the Department of Applied Health Science.

"Given his considerable experience as chair of the Department of Applied Health Science, which houses the state's oldest Master of Public Health program, and his administrative oversight as interim dean during the transition of the School of HPER to a school of public health, Mo Torabi in my belief is an excellent choice to be the founding dean of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington," said Edwin Marshall, IU vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs and chair of the IU Public Health Coordinating Council. "In Dean Torabi we have a knowledgeable and effective leader who will guide the school forward toward full accreditation and its continued evolution as a state, national and world leader in addressing the complex public health challenges of today and tomorrow."

The IU Public Health Initiative, launched in 2009 to address pressing public health needs across Indiana, called for establishing the state's only schools of public health, one at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the other on the Bloomington campus.

Torabi said the transition to a school of public health marks a defining moment in the 66-year history of his school, the third largest on campus, and provides untold opportunities for addressing the public health needs of Hoosiers, particularly those living in rural communities.

"I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Provost Robel for her unwavering support of our School of Public Health-Bloomington, and President McRobbie, whose steadfast and visionary leadership has continued to inspire us all. Likewise, I would like to thank all members of the search committee for their service to our school," Torabi said. "It is an honor and privilege for me to assume this leadership position for our highly respected school.

"While much has been accomplished at the School of Public Health-Bloomington, much remains to be done. I'm confident that our world-renowned faculty, dedicated staff and loyal alums will continue working toward expansion of our mission of preventing disease, promoting health and quality of life, and health care cost containment for the citizens of Indiana and global community. This can be achieved through outstanding research, teaching and public health community engagement."

Sarita Soni, vice provost for research at IU Bloomington, chaired the search and screen committee for the internal search.

"Under Sarita Soni's deft leadership, the search committee conducted a thorough internal search for the best candidate for the deanship," Robel said. "I am very grateful to Vice Provost Soni and to all of the members of the committee for their dedication and service."

Torabi's research focus is in the area of measurement and evaluation of school and public health education programs and factors associated with health behavior. His research extends into health promotion and key factors related to individuals' decisions in the prevention of drug abuse, cancer and HIV/AIDS infection.

He has received numerous honors for his research and teaching, both from professional associations and Indiana University. Torabi is the former president and a fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior, which is a premier academy dedicated to advancing research in this field. He is a fellow and charter member of the North American Society of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance Professionals; charter fellow of the American Association of Health Education; fellow of the American School Health Association; and fellow of the Research Committee of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education and Dance.

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IU expert on aging honored by Association for Gerontology in Higher Education

Lesa Huber, clinical assistant professor in the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, has been selected to receive the Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.

Dr. Lesa Huber

Huber, an expert on the biological, psychological and social determinants of aging well, will receive the award during the association's annual meeting in February.

The mentorship award was created to recognize those who emulate Hiram J. Friedsam's excellence in mentorship. Friedsam was a professor, co-founder and director of the Center for Studies in Aging at the University of North Texas, one of the first gerontology programs in the U.S. Huber was selected for this award based on nomination letters from current and former students who wrote about the impact of Huber's mentoring on their academic and personal achievements.

Huber, working with students, is exploring the potential of new technologies to support independent living in later life. Recent research projects include National Science Foundation-funded projects that investigate privacy issues involved with home-based computer technology and ways to keep seniors safe online. She also has received Association for Gerontology in Higher Education and U.S. 

Department of Education funding to develop, implement and evaluate online gerontology curriculum. She has developed and is the director of two minors and a graduate certificate in gerontology. At IU, where she has received several teaching awards, she has developed seven online courses to educate the aging services workforce as well as current students. Her service work includes chair and elected positions at local, state and national levels.

Friedsam, who was also dean of the School of Community Service at the University of North Texas, was considered an outstanding teacher, researcher, colleague and mentor to students, faculty and administrators, according to the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.

IU Bloomington professor Julie Knapp to receive Indiana Park and Recreation Association honor

Julie Knapp, clinical assistant professor in the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington, will receive a 2012 Award of Excellence from the Indiana Park and Recreation Association, which will present the award during its state conference in Bloomington in January.

Dr. Julie Knapp

Knapp was nominated for the Educator of the Year award, which is presented to an Indiana Park and Recreation Association member who is on the teaching faculty of an Indiana institute of higher learning. The award recognizes continued support and advancement of the parks and recreation field.

Knapp, who earned master's and doctorate degrees at IU, is the career coordinator and internship coordinator for the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies. She also is the director of the Indiana University Executive Development Program for Parks and Recreational Professionals. She has served numerous leadership positions in professional organizations, currently serving as the Indiana Park and Recreation Association Certification Chair; a board member of the American Camp Association, (Indiana); and a board member of the Indiana Park and Recreation Association Foundation.

Each year, Indiana Park and Recreation Association Awards of Excellence are presented to individuals and agencies across Indiana to honor their efforts -- both personally and professionally -- in the field of parks and recreation. Winners are evaluated by their peers in the industry, based upon a scoring system for quality of the project, impact on the community and creative solutions, as well as other criteria.

For more information on the association and the Awards of Excellence program, please contact the association office at 317-573-4035 or cowens@inpra.org.

The Indiana Park and Recreation Association, founded in 1916, is a state not-for-profit membership association dedicated to advancing the value of parks and recreation. Through its network of recreation and park professionals, corporations, elected officials and organizations, the association encourages the promotion of health and wellness, recreation initiatives, and conservation of natural and cultural resources.

HIV screenings for people age 15 to 65 is 'sound public health science'

Indiana University health policy expert Beth Meyerson said the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's draft recommendation that clinicians screen for HIV infection in people age 15 to 65 could play an important role in normalizing HIV screening and ultimately could save lives.

The recommendation, like one recently released for hepatitis C, is "based on sound public health science" and is designed to help identify people who need to receive treatment.

"In both cases, the diseases are stigmatized, despite our years of awareness about them, so people tend to shy away from testing for them, and providers tend not to offer testing to their patients," said Meyerson, an assistant professor at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington and co-director of the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention. "There is some evidence that some providers do not offer testing because they are concerned about upsetting their patients."

Meyerson said that normalizing HIV screening is an important part of the public health response to a disease that can be identified, treated and controlled in populations.

"The key here is testing," she said. "In the U.S., 20 percent of the people living with HIV do not know they have it. Forty percent of the people who test positive learn of their status within a year of an AIDS diagnosis, which is well into the disease process. We want people to learn about their HIV status early, so they can access treatment that will not only improve their lives but will likely save the lives of their partners. Research has shown that transmission of HIV among sexual partners is significantly decreased when the virus is under control."

The draft recommendation calls for one-time screenings of adolescents and adults with follow-up screenings determined by risk factors for contracting HIV. Some people might warrant screenings at least annually, while others might not require any more screenings. The recommendation calls for all pregnant women to be screened. People younger than 15 and older than 65 also should be screened if they are at an increased risk for infection.

Comments will be received concerning the recommendation until Dec. 17. The task force will consider the comments when crafting its final recommendation. More information about the recommendation and process is available online.

Meyerson's research interest is focused on health system flexibility to expand access for populations experiencing health inequalities, particularly for HIV, STDs and cervical cancer. One of Meyerson's current studies evaluates whether pharmacies offer opportunities for HIV testing. Meyerson leads a team of colleagues from Indiana University and Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and readiness for pharmacy-based HIV testing. This study focuses on pharmacist provided HIV testing as well as pharmacy opportunities for public health engagement with over-the-counter HIV rapid home tests.

IU School of Public Health-Bloomington recognizes outstanding alumni

The Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington will honor distinguished alumni on Friday, with honorees including a university president, a leader in epidemiology, an entrepreneur and a well-known higher education fundraiser.

"We could not be more pleased to honor these exceptional alumni," Interim Dean Mohammad Torabi said. "Their dedication and commitment in their chosen fields is a true inspiration to all of us, and we are thrilled to have them as part of the school's family."

The school has been presenting awards since 1976 to the most prestigious graduates, those who excel professionally and personally. Recipients this year are Curtis R. Simic, president emeritus of the IU Foundation; William Oleckno, professor emeritus at Northern Illinois University; Joe Chin-hsung Kao, president of National Taiwan Sport University; Laura Newton, assistant director of Visit Bloomington; Sandy Searcy, assistant commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association; and Allison Chopra, a fitness and wellness business owner.

The awards ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center at IU Bloomington. Each winner will receive a plaque and will be added to an honor wall at the School of Public Health-Bloomington, formerly the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

"Our 2012 alumni award recipients are some of the most distinguished and dedicated alumni," said Natalie Kubat, director of donor and alumni relations for the School of Public Health-Bloomington. "We are proud to be recognizing them and their accomplishments."

W.W. Patty Distinguished Alumni Award

Curtis R. Simic, president emeritus of the IU Foundation, and William Oleckno, professor emeritus at Northern Illinois University, will receive the W.W. Patty Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is the oldest and most prestigious alumni recognition bestowed by the school to a graduate who has demonstrated outstanding personal and professional achievement in his or her career. Recipients reflect the ideals set forth by the school's first dean, Willard W. Patty. Under his leadership, the school rose to national stature and produced some of the finest professionals in the fields of health, physical education and recreation.

Simic, president emeritus of the IU Foundation and national leader in development, earned a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1964. Riding in the Little 500 and serving on the IU Student Foundation while a student at IU, he continued his career by taking on positions of increasing responsibility in development, alumni and external relations in public and private institutions: Yale, the universities of Tennessee, Alabama and Oregon, and the University of California-Berkeley, where he served as vice chancellor for development and president of the University of California-Berkeley Foundation.

Upon his retirement at IU, Simic received Indiana University's highest honor, the University Medal, from IU President Michael A. McRobbie and the IU Board of Trustees. In celebration of his career, friends and colleagues gave $1.3 million to establish Onward! The Curtis R. Simic Scholarship for Leaders at IU Bloomington. On Oct. 26, he will be presented IU's Distinguished Alumni Service Award, the university's highest award given only to an alumna or alumnus

Currently he is serving as consultant and mentor to the leadership of colleges and universities, both public and private, and institutionally related foundations.

Oleckno is Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University, where he developed and directed the undergraduate and graduate programs in public health from 1980 to 2003. He earned a doctorate in health and safety in 1980; a Master of Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh; and a Bachelor of Science from the IU School of Medicine, where he would later coordinate its environmental health sciences program.

His teaching, research and professional service have focused on issues in environmental health, epidemiology and disease prevention. He has worked as a consultant, research associate and practitioner in these areas.

Oleckno is currently consulting in the development of an innovative interdisciplinary doctoral program in health sciences at Northern Illinois University and also teaches on a part-time basis. He is an active member of the local Citizen Environmental Commission, where he recently developed an ordinance promoting and regulating the use of wind energy conversion systems in the city of DeKalb.

Mobley International Distinguished Alumni Award

Joe Chin-hsung Kao will receive the Mobley International Distinguished Alumni Award. Named in honor of former Dean Tony Mobley, this annual award recognizes outstanding professional achievement outside the United States.

As president of National Taiwan Sport University since 2010, Kao represents the great heights to which school alumni can rise. Kao earned his Doctor of Philosophy in human performance in 1993 after having received business degrees from universities in Taiwan.

Kao has served as honorary president on the Board of Directors for the Taiwan Society on Sport Management since 2008 and served as president for the executive committee of the Asian Association for Sport Management. Kao has presented and spoken at numerous international conferences. He also served as an exchange scholar at Beijing Sport University in 2000, 2007 and 2010, at Macau University in 2001 and at Macau University of Science and Technology in 2006.

John R. Endwright Distinguished Alumni Service Award

Laura Newton will receive the John R. Endwright Distinguished Alumni Service Award. This award recognizes alumni for outstanding service and contributions. The award is a reflection of former Dean Endwright's commitment to strong ties between the school and its graduates.

Newton, assistant director of Visit Bloomington, earned a bachelor's degree in recreation in 1987. She began her career in the meeting/hospitality industry at Visit Bloomington the following year, assisting with all areas of marketing, including tourism, motor coach, convention, sports and niche development. Newton earned the professional designation of Fellow Certified Destination Management Executive through Destination Marketing Association International in 1999. She is active in many community organizations including the IU Alumni Association, Monroe County History Center, Meals on Wheels and the Monroe County Humane Society.

Anita Aldrich Distinguished Alumni Award

Sandy Searcy, assistant commissioner for the IHSAA, will receive the Anita Aldrich Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is presented to graduates who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in professional excellence, service to the community and loyalty to Indiana University relative to the advancement of girls and women. Recipients have made a significant difference in the lives of girls and women relative to participation in sports and fitness activities as well as the pursuit of healthy lifestyles.

Searcy received a bachelor's degree in sport science in 1986 and a master's degree in sport administration and physical education in 1987. Before joining the IHSAA, she had a lengthy career as a swim coach at Bloomington High School North, where she coached the girls' team from 1984 to 1999 and the boys from 1986 to 1996. She also served as girls' athletic director and taught physical education. While still a student at IU, she coached the boys' swim team at Bloomington High School South.

At the IHSAA, Searcy is responsible for softball, boys' and girls' swimming and diving, and volleyball. Additionally, she organizes the IHSAA Student Advisory Committee and IHSAA Student Leadership Conference. She has served leadership roles in state and national sports organizations, including the National Federation of State High School Associations' National Student Leadership Planning Conference, Gymnastics Rules Committee, Softball Rules Committee and Spirit of Sport Committee.

Early Career Outstanding Alumni Award

Allison Chopra, a fitness and wellness entrepreneur, will receive the Early Career Outstanding Alumni Award. This award is given to alumni who through exceptional achievement have distinguished themselves by their professional accomplishment, community service or service to the university. The recipient must have received his or her degree from the school within the past 10 years, and be 40 years old or younger.

Chopra received a master's degree in fitness management in 2007. She is the owner and operator of Urban Fitness Studio, a private personal training studio in downtown Bloomington, and Urban Cycle Studio, a dedicated spinning studio next door. She has personal training, wellness coaching and management experience in recreational, corporate and private fitness settings.

Outside entrepreneurship, Chopra is a member of the City of Bloomington's Urban Economic Association and active leader at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington.