Below, I have listed some notable projects completed during my MPH program that I have produced either independently or with a group. If available, I have also provided data visualizations, datasets, coding examples, and other materials pertaining to each project.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions about the projects. Thank you for browsing!
MPH Capstone
Systematic Review
“One Health Approaches in Providing Joint Human and Animal Health Services in Developing and Rural Regions: A Systematic Review.”
(August 2021) Jacqueline De La Cruz
This systematic literature review aims to assess existing evidence for the organizational feasibility of co-locating human and animal health services in developing countries. This project was conducted in part to fulfill my internship with the University of Florida International Center and the Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund. The findings from this review were presented on Public Health Day, 2021.
Program Planning
Social Media Project for the UF Health Counseling and Wellness Center
(January – April 2021) Isabella Alfonso, Jacqueline De La Cruz, Megan Jones, and Anna Villagomez in partnership with Dan Ypsilanti
Using the results of our needs assessment (Quality of Life Status in Minority Students), we pursued a planning and evaluation project with the UF Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC). We aimed to address the top three concerns among students: (1) mental health, (2) stress, and (3) access to mental health and wellness resources. In our approach, we applied the Community Readiness Stage Theory to both the student body and the UF CWC to assess their readiness to address the students’ concerns. We also applied the 4P’s of Social Marketing to guide our approach and decisions about designing health communication materials. Our overall goal was to promote engagement around mental health and wellness through the use of social media.
Mental Health Awareness Campaign: Misery Loves Compassion
(December 2020) Jacqueline De La Cruz, Tyrus Fleetwood, Wonjin Kim, Bianca Macias, and Anna Villagomez
Designed a mental health campaign to focus on the personal and relational aspects of stigma surrounding mental health. We created various health communications materials (i.e., infographic, podcast, PSA, and social media toolkit) to target undergraduate students. The primary reason for pursuing to address the topic of mental health and stigma is the belief that there is a strong culture of stigma towards mental health that plays a notable role in students’ ability to seek help or counseling even though we have high mental health awareness.
Campaign Website | Infographic | Podcast | TikTok PSA | Social Media Toolkit
Quality-of-Life Status in Minority Students: A Needs Assessment for the College of Public Health & Health Professions at the University of Florida
(August 2020) Isabella Alfonso, Jacqueline De La Cruz, Megan Jones, and Anna Villagomez
This study examined the needs of college students related to their Quality of Life (QOL), with a specific focus on identifying disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. The study was composed of 41 Likert-style questions that were modeled based on previously validated QOL studies and administered to students (n=33) , and survey data were reported in the aggregate as counts and frequencies. There was evidence of an underlying need to expand current mental health resources, specifically with improving resources for stress and anxiety management to prevent risk factors and to improve health outcomes throughout the life course. Frequencies were calculated and utilized to compare participants’ responses. This needs assessment would serve well in future research at the University of Florida, specifically in regards to meeting the unmet needs of the student population, particularly minority students.
Analysis & Reports
Problem Analysis: Preeclampsia in the United States
(April 2021) Jacqueline De La Cruz
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive pregnancy condition that affects both mother and fetus and usually develops after the 20th week of pregnancy, or soon after delivery, in a previously normotensive woman. Worldwide, PE affects between 5% to 7% of pregnancies and is one of the top six leading causes of maternal mortality in the United States. If left unmanaged, PE can bring about adverse short- and long-term maternal, fetal, and infant outcomes. This problem analysis provides a synopsis of the epidemiology of preeclampsia, an examination of determinants using McLeroy’s Social-Ecological Model, and recommendations for taking action based on evidence-based interventions.
Major Health-Related Challenges of Malaria in Nepal
(November 2020) Shreejana Bhattarai and Jacqueline De La Cruz
Malaria is a severe and often life-threatening disease, causing illnesses and deaths and affects development in malaria-endemic countries due to the economic burden. Although it is preventable and curable, it continues to be one of the significant causes of mortality worldwide. Nepal is one of the malaria-endemic countries in South Asia. Malaria was a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Nepal during the early 20th century, with nearly half of the population suffering from the disease. In this report, we provide a thematic discussion of significant health-related challenges (i.e., health systems and delivery, climate change, land use, health behaviors, migration, maternal and reproductive health, gender and women’s empowerment, the burden of non-communicable diseases, and the demographic transition) of malaria in Nepal.
The Association Between Physical Activity and Hypertension Among Minority Adults in the U.S.
(April 2020) Rebecca Campbell, Jacqueline De La Cruz, Valentina Fandino, Leili Moradi, and Brianna Scott
Understanding and addressing factors that contribute to the leading cause of death in Americans is vital to confronting the epidemic that is cardiovascular disease and hypertension. To understand the risk factors of hypertension, we consider the lifestyle factors that play a role important, specifically physical activity. Limited existing evidence supports the findings that moderate-intensity activities provide almost all the benefits of physical activity and reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. We perform a secondary data analysis of data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and aim to answer the research question “Does participating in light/moderate-intensity activity and the length of participation affect preventing the development of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in U.S. adults?”
Jacqueline De La Cruz 