By applying the focus and persistence he practices at the table‑tennis table to his Alzheimer’s research, PhD student Xizhi Xu is already making his mark at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health.
The Kentucky Injury-Free Academy (KIFA), a statewide initiative led by the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC), concluded its first cycle in September with a virtual showcase that highlighted the progress of multidisciplinary teams working to prevent violence in their communities.
What started as a broad introduction to the many disciplines of well-being soon grew into a purposeful public health career path defined by mentorship, community engagement, and purpose.
When emergency departments across central Kentucky began seeing an increase in suspected drug overdoses in September, the state’s overdose alert system detected the spike and triggered its alert dissemination process. The alert system, called the Kentucky Drug Overdose Alert System, or KDOAS, combines information from hospital and emergency medical services data so public health officials can detect overdose spikes and distribute warnings to local health departments, first responders, and community organizations.
A partnership between the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health and UK HealthCare is giving public health students a front-row seat to the real-world challenges Kentuckians face outside of hospital walls. It’s also helping the health care system respond to new federal and state regulations requiring screening for social drivers of health.
