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PORTLAND, Maine

David Line Denali and Mary-Katherine Smith present at National Rural Health Association conference

David Line Denali, Ph.D., M.P.H., LMSW, EMT, and Mary-Katherine Smith, DrPH, M.P.H., MCHES, adjunct professors for the Graduate Programs in Public Health, gave two presentations at the National Rural Health Association Multicultural Multiracial Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Their first presentation,"The Use of Social Media with Native American Populations to Impact Health,” focused on the use of social media by members of a Native American Indian tribe to assess the potential impact and reachability of a social media health campaign with this population. Focus groups were conducted to determine the usage, frequency, accessibility and preferences among tribal members regarding social media.

The second presentation, "Water Scarcity as an Emergency Preparedness Issue in the Rural US/Mexico Border Region,” focused on water scarcity as a public health disparity impacting all determinants of health.

Due to dependency on agriculture, the rural US/Mexico border region relies more heavily on water than most other areas. The study discussed demographics and the potential impact of water scarcity along the US/Mexico border. It examined past and present levels of preparedness for emergencies and all hazards along the border regions, the importance of updating Emergency Response Plans, and ethical issues associated with developing preparedness plans to include water shortage and water scarcity for a rural and minority population.  

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.