Master of Public Health

June 25, 2024

King County Local Food Initiative 101: Improving Local Food Access in King County

This practicum engaged with local food systems research, specifically considering how the 2024 refresh of King County’s Local Food Initiative (LFI) is related to issues of racism, food security, food access, social determinants of health, and culturally appropriate foods. Relying on literature, documentation, and data review, the student – with support from Seattle-King County Public…

Provider-Based Needs Assessment for Lactation Support in Washington State

Washington state’s rate of breastfeeding exclusivity through six months consistently remains above the national average, but falls below the Healthy People 2030 objective of 42.4%, and additional barriers to lactation support exist for low-income nursing parents and families belonging to marginalized identities. In partnership with the Washington State Lactation Collaborative (WLC), this project aimed to…

June 7, 2024

Using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to Assess Use of Local Parks in King County

There is a distinct lack of data regarding current park use in King County, WA, which complicates public health strategies to encourage physical activity among residents. Working with Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, this project piloted the…

Accessibility to WIC-Authorized Ethnic Food Stores in Washington State: Implications for Serving the Needs of Immigrant WIC-Eligible Populations

The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is one of the federal nutrition assistance programs that safeguards food security among immigrant and refugee families. At least 20% of WIC participants in Washington state are of immigrant and refugee backgrounds, but the accessibility to culturally preferred foods through WIC-authorized stores is unknown. Utilizing…

A Qualitative Exploration of Food Tourism as a Lever for Food Systems Transformation

Using qualitative research methods, food tourism stakeholders were interviewed to understand their perspectives on (1) a growing interest amongst the public in food tourism and (2) the intersection of food tourism and food systems with the potential to drive transformation. Through conversations on the importance of media, shifting consumer values, and food tourisms’ contributions to…

Drivers Influencing Animal Wellbeing and Environmental Stewardship Decision-Making Among U.S. Animal Producers: A Qualitative Analysis

Using Q-methodology and qualitative methods, this study examined the drivers and tradeoffs of priorities regarding animal wellbeing and environmental stewardship among 35 U.S. beef, pork, and broiler producers. The study found that each producer operated under a unique context of influences, capturing the subjective experiences of beef, pork, and broiler producers as they balance complex…

A Scoping Review of Consumer Perceptions of Meat Sustainability: A Focus on Animal Welfare and Environmental Impact

Addressing the rising consumer concerns over meat’s sustainability, this thesis aimed to conduct a detailed scoping review to map out over a decade of research on consumer perceptions of meat’s environmental impact and animal welfare, analyzing 512 peer-reviewed articles from 2010 to 2022. The study not only identified regional and methodological variations in research on…

June 5, 2024

Recommendations for Seattle Fresh Bucks: Produce Prescription Program Best Practices and Benefit Level Adjustments

Seattle Fresh Bucks is a produce assistance program serving over 12,000 households in the City of Seattle by providing them with a monthly $40 voucher to purchase fruits and vegetables at 30 local farmers markets, farm stands, independent grocers, and supermarkets. Operated by the City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment and informed by…

Nutrition Policy and Food Service Guidelines Recommended for Adoption by Teen Feed

As a growing body of evidence demonstrates, food transcends beyond biological needs and interplays with behavioral, social, and mental concepts of whole-person health. Community-based organizations serving minoritized populations, like Seattle’s Teen Feed, are uniquely positioned to tailor nutritional programming to the needs of their client populations, informing nutrition practices and behaviors to support health across…

December 19, 2023

What is North Korean Food?

This project involved the creation of an infographic featuring North Korean foods that are largely unknown to the rest of the world in an effort to diversify the type of information available on North Korean culture, foods, and tradition. Due to a lack of available images and information online, a freelance artist was hired to…

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