Graduate Student Internship Program

2009 Catalog of Internship Opportunities

MCAH Graduate Student Intern

Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health
Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Programs, Los Angeles, CA
Skill Areas: Data Analysis and Monitoring, Needs Assessment, Program Evaluation

Agency Information

The intern will be housed in the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Program of Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The intern will be assigned to the Research, Planning and Evaluation (REP) unit. He or she will work closely and collaboratively with MCAH Program staff and key community stakeholders and collaborators.

Purpose, goals, and objectives of internship

Los Angeles County (LAC) is the home of nearly 10 million residents and expands to an area of approximately 4,083 square miles. LAC with its large population and multicultural communities creates a unique environment and challenges in the provision of MCAH services. The LAC Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Programs strive to achieve optimal well being for all women, infants, children and adolescents and their families in LAC. To accomplish this mission, MCAH Programs conduct assessment, policy development and assurance activities on MCAH related issues, and provide leadership in planning, collaborate with public and private providers and community partners in developing and supporting comprehensive systems of preventive and primary care, and contracts with community based organizations (CBO).

The purpose of the internship is for the intern(s) to gain exposure and experience in MCAH research and evaluation related issues. The intern can choose one or more of the following tasks:

• Los Angeles County Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Survey: This survey studies over 6,500 new mothers who deliver live birth infants. The purpose of this survey is to identify potential factors, such as the lack of preconception/prenatal care, smoking, domestic violence, and others, which result in adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight or pre-term birth). The intern will help review the survey tool, conduct phone interviews, manage/analyze data, prepare the abstracts, and discuss findings with community-stakeholders to develop effective strategies in improving birth outcomes.
• L.A. Heath Overview of a Pregnant Event (HOPE) Survey: This study studies over 500 new mothers who experience a fetal or infant loss. The purpose of this study is to identify potential factors related to fetal/infant deaths. The intern will help review the survey tool, maintain fetal/infant surveillance system, analyze data, prepare the abstracts, and discuss findings with community-stakeholders to develop effective strategies in reducing infant/fetal mortality.
• Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) Approach: In response to the high infant and fetal mortality rates among African Americans, the MCAH has been taking a new approach to improve birth outcomes for African Americans. This model, PPOR, emphasizes early community engagement to identify problems and develop prevention strategies. The intern will work closely with our Black Infant Health (BIH) Program to develop a specific project based on the PPOR approach for each of the existing five BIH contractors. These duties include: conducting PPOR analysis, assisting BIH contractors in implementing their PPOR projects, providing technical support, and attending local community based meetings.
• The Los Angeles County Action Learning Collaborative (LACALC): To increase capacity at the community, MCAH will form a Los Angeles County Action Learning Collaborative in late 2008 to work closely with State, and local levels to address the impact of racism on birth outcomes and infant health in urban areas of LAC.

The intern will assist the team to develop an in-depth report describing and assessing racism and infant death in LAC, following a life-course perspective; develop and revise LAMB and LA HOPE tools to further elucidate the association between racism and adverse birth outcomes; identify existing resources, potential partners, and opportunities for collaboration to further confront racism; and to develop a framework for an online learning community to share knowledge and resources for customizing training to local communities and target audiences. With the tools and mechanisms in place, we expect that the long- term impact will be to unite, expand, and diversify the efforts to dismantle racism in all sectors interfacing with MCAH, resulting in a lasting improvement in infant health.

Data or analytic tasks and activities

Depending on the intern’s skill, experience and interest, he or she may be involved in one or more of the following projects:

• Assisting in LAMB/HOPE data management and analyses:
  • Conduct data cleaning
  • Conduct univariate analysis
  • Conduct bivariate analysis (cross-tabulations, chi-square or t-tests)
  • Conduct multivariate analysis
  • Conduct multi-level analyses
• Researching into best practices related to improving birth outcomes and other MCAH related health issues
• Researching into available data to support MCAH evaluation activities

Data or analytic skills required

• Knowledge and ability to conceptualize and operationalize in developing a data collection system (e.g. Using Microsoft Excel, or Access);
• Skills in working with statistical packages (e.g. SAS, Epi-Info, SPSS, or others) such as generating frequency and cross-tabulation;
• Skills in data management;
• Skills in analyzing and interpreting data;
• Skills in analyzing and interpreting legislation; and
• Knowledge or experience in Geographic Information System (e.g. MapInfo, ArcView or others), - desired but not required.

Supervisor

Diana Liu, the Epidemiologist for the MCAH Program, will provide mentoring and supervision for this position.

Internship begins

The starting date is negotiable.

Housing

Rental assistance can be obtained by local real estate services.

Transportation

The MCAH program is located in a high security building and can be easily accessed by several bus lines and Los Angeles Metro Subway system.

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