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Public Health Culture


Join Leonore Okwara, MPH as she discusses public health research, initiatives, and how to engage the community in it all.

Oct 20, 2020

Glahnnia Rates is an Antimicrobial Resistance Coordinator for the State of Nevada-Office of Public Health Investigations and Epidemiology (OPHIE). She has planned, organized, and spearheaded numerous health equity, equality, and social justice centered projects to bring about awareness and change within her community.

An advocate, educator, and avid speaker for underserved communities, she actively works with health leaders to help improve public health efforts, offer better healthcare treatment for minority populations, give more equitable opportunities in higher education, as well as implement more pathways towards diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

 

In This Episode We Cover:

  • How her educational journey and community work led her to the public health field.
  • How she initially became a CHW, Community Health Worker, and how important they are to the public health field.
  • Why minority health and health equity in infectious disease and chronic disease prevention, specifically HIV/AIDS is at the heart of her work.
  • How her personal experiences with healthcare struck a chord with her and led her to wanting to make change.
  • Her current work on the health education side of public health.
  • Why reaching out to people in the community is vital.
  • What is important for creating a public health event.
  • Her strategies for managing all of her work and her public health interests.
  • The importance of partnering with a community organization when you are getting started.
  • How to get involved with community organizations and how to join their board.

 

Stand-Out Quotes:

  • “People within my community are not very aware of how to prevent chronic diseases, where to seek treatment, or how to get in touch with a healthcare provider.”
  • “They keep quiet until things get really really bad. And something could have been treatable gets out of control.”
  • “Talking about it more is a good thing.” (HIV/AIDS) 
  • On achieving health equity: “It starts a little bit at a time.”  
  • “Tell people how to leverage their power as community members and that’s how you get change.”
  • “Get people engaged and interested.  Get them talking to other people within their jobs, schools, or wherever they go for the majority of their week.”  
  • On how to choose your focus: “You have to figure out what is a priority to you and start from there.” 
  •  “There is strength in numbers so the more like minded people you find the easier it will be to get done what you need to get done.”

 

Reach Out:

 

Would you like to be a guest on the podcast? Complete the questionnaire here: https://www.publichealthresearchconsulting.com/podcast-guest-application/