Choose a faculty advisor whose area of interest and research covers the topic that you want to pursue.  Professors are not always available in a particular quarter so you may want to have more than one professor in mind that you would like to work with.

Students may work with a Global Health affiliated faculty member or seek pre-approval to work with a non-affiliated UC San Diego Faculty member.

• Faculty sponsor/instructor must have a UCSD faculty title. If the mentor is not from UCSD s/he has to be from an appropriately accredited institution.

When meeting with potential faculty instructors, it is important to discuss the nature of the project, frequency of contact, prerequisite knowledge needed, and the means of evaluation with the faculty instructor prior to enrollment in this course.

Can I work with a faculty member not on this list?

• If there is a mentor who is not part of our affiliated faculty that a student would like to work with please submit the following information to ma-globalhealth@ucsd.edu to get approval:
  
  • Proposal: Professor title, info, contact, website, reason you would like to work with the professor and what you plan on working on for your experience.
  • Students seeking academic credit for an off-campus internship/research experience should consult with the Academic Internship Program for options.

Internships (GLBH 297) - If found through AIP database: Submit learning agreement though AIP's Internlink.

GLBH 299. Independent Research

Meet with the faculty member you plan to work with to discuss the terms of your independent research and come to an agreement of the work that will be completed. 

You will need the following information to submit your request:

• the nature of the project
• frequency of contact
• prerequisite knowledge needed
• Means of evaluation (10 page paper required or equivalent assignment)

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Once approved

Complete the Easy Special Studies Request form. 

A message will be sent to your UC San Diego email once you have been approved. 

This is an independent research course so students will need to develop a schedule to devote around 10-12 hours per week towards their research (the standard for a 4 unit course). Your faculty advisor serves as a mentor but this is a self-sought after course and you will be responsible for seeking out the majority of materials and resources. 

Your faculty advisor will help you finalize your paper topic, give you feedback on the paper/poster over the quarter, and guide you on appropriate readings and resources. They provide feedback on the draft and consultation through the writing process. Students will meet with their faculty advisor a minimum of 3 times per quarter.

At the end of the quarter, you will submit a 10-page Research Paper or Project to your faculty advisor.

Your faculty advisor will then assign you a grade at the end of the quarter (you may want to send them a reminder during week 10 or finals week).

You do not need to submit a copy of your final paper to the Global Health Program office. 

Students in GLBH 197 will need to complete AIP's guidelines.

Research Poster:

Abstract and poster session resources can be found here.

• Abstracts are submitted in March.
• Posters are due by the end of April (research does not need to be complete)
• Poster presentations at Horizons will take place in May.

Writing Resources:

• Developing a research poster
• Creating a scholarly poster in powerpoint (template included)
• Writing an abstract

The librarian is an excellent resource for funding materials.

The Writing Hub supports all writers on campus – every writer, any project – and promotes writing as a tool for learning.

They offer:

• One-on-one writing tutoring by appointment, 6 days/week
• Supportive, in-depth conversations about writing, the writing process, and writing skills
• Help with every stage in the writing process
• Walk-in tutoring (Monday-Thursday 5pm-7pm, and same-day appointments by availability)
• Questions? Contact the Writing Hub (writinghub@ucsd.edu)

Daniel Hayek, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Distraction osteogenesis: An exploration of the intersection of extreme auxological elective surgery and medical tourism in pursuit of increased linear skeletal dimensions

Recent technological advances have resulted in a new form of extreme elective surgery named cosmetic limb lengthening (CLL). These procedures are carried out at specialized clinics in several countries and have built out a substantial online following to expand their clientele through social media outreach and advertisement. CLL involves complex invasive surgery with various risks, prolonged recovery with rehabilitation, substantial post-operative complications, and is extremely expensive with little to no insurance coverage available. Media marketing coupled with online forum activity has fed a narrative of this surgery being an option for those with the proper economic means who qualify for surgery. However, to qualify as a candidate there are significant mental health concerns being largely ignored. Such a radical procedure that requires high levels of not only financial and time investment, but also pain tolerance, is indicative of symptoms of body dysmorphia. Unfortunately, many of the most prominent clinics take a lackadaisical approach to screening clientele for this chronic condition and have taken to naming those in search of surgically altering their adult height as merely suffering from height dysphoria. This study involved a literature review of the available academic information on these procedures and their consequences. In addition systematic searches into various popular online social platforms were conducted to analyze themes of social interaction. This procedure has a documented history of complications and its growing popularity is placing patients in need of mental treatment at greater risk of peril and permanent harm. The results of this study point towards the increasing popularity of the procedure amongst young men while simultaneously indicating that awareness over the extreme risks and associated mental health issues remain low. While this procedure remains legal and available to those of adequate financial means who pass for surgical qualification, its invasive nature and high risks should raise larger societal questions about the negotiation of bodily agency and the permissibility of permanent extreme elective surgery. Further research at the academic level is warranted to explore the disturbing links between the mental health of young men and the growing prevalence of this procedure. 

Melissa Bittencourt Jaeger, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Factors Associated with HIV Testing among Young Adult Probationers in Southern California

The transition period from incarceration to community reentry is a critical time when individuals face numerous challenges, including housing instability and disrupted sexual networks, increasing their risk for HIV and other STIs (Wise et al., 2019). Coping with these challenges can lead to engaging in risky behaviors, such as multiple sexual relationships, intravenous drug use, and transactional sex for drugs or money (Gordon et al., 2018). Despite being at increased risk, many individuals on probation and parole do not receive HIV testing, and some refuse testing due to concerns about stigma and discrimination (Gordon et al., 2013; Lichtenstein & Barber, 2016). However, limited research has explored the specific factors that influence HIV testing among young adult probationers enrolled in health-focused reentry programs. 

The study aims to identify demographic and personal factors associated with HIV testing among young adult probationers in the UCSD RE-LINK program and explore barriers and facilitators to testing. 

The study used data from the UCSD RE-LINK program's health-focused reentry coaching pilot program. The survey included questions on demographics, personal factors, and HIV testing history. Descriptive statistics and odds ratios were used to analyze the data. 

The study analyzed data from 151 young adult probationers between the ages of 18 and 26 who participated in the six-month health-focused reentry program in South San Diego County. The majority of participants identified as male (79.5%), with 53% identifying as Latinx/Hispanic and 24.5% as African American/Black. Food insecurity (34%) and housing insecurity (42%) were also reported by participants. 

The study found that 28% of participants reported never having received an HIV test. Odds ratio analysis revealed that females were almost 7 times more likely to have been tested for HIV compared to males (OR=6.98; IC 95%: 1.58-30.76). Young adults between the ages of 21-23 and 24-26 had almost 3 times (OR=2.90; IC 95%: 1.22-6.92) and over 6 times (OR=6.28; IC 95%: 2.35-16.77) the odds of being tested for HIV, respectively, than young adults between the ages of 18-20. Individuals who had experienced a traumatic event had over 4 times the odds of having been tested for HIV (OR=4.03; IC 95%: 1.55-10.46). In contrast, participants who had selected ""Other type of ID"" had lower odds (OR=0.21; IC 95%: 0.06-0.79) of having been tested for HIV. 

The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to improve HIV testing rates, particularly among young adult probationers. Public health programs and policymakers can focus on implementing targeted interventions that address the identified demographic and personal factors associated with HIV testing, such as gender, age, and history of trauma. Efforts should also be made to increase access to identification documents, which may enhance testing rates. 

Isaac Lara, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Exploring the Peer Support Spectrum: A Systematic Review of Peer Support Models used at Higher Education Institutions

Within the last decade, the prevalence of mental illness has significantly increased, with the World Health Organization reporting that 1 in 8 people live with a mental disorder, globally. Despite the increasing prevalence of mental illness and the need for mental healthcare treatment, the mental health workforce lacks the capacity to meet the present need for care. The Peer Support model offers an innovative approach to rapidly expanding the mental healthcare workforce by integrating those with lived experience with mental illness into the economy of care for mental health patients. Peer support has been implemented to varying degrees across colleges and universities,. The present study will assess the uses and limitations of common models of peer support utilized in higher education settings. 

Zachary Manalo, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Characterizing The Socio-Cultural Barriers to Abortion in The Border Regions of Mexico: A Literature Review

In this Non-systematic Literature review, we aim to analyze the social, legislative, and medical barriers that make abortion such a dire health issue. We will describe the current methods of abortions available to patients in Mexican border communities, and how the current Mexican legislature may influence accessibility. Furthermore, we intend to make preliminary connections with the United States and describe the increasingly retrieve legislature surrounding such procedures. Finally, we provide future insight into the future of abortion in Mexico and what the United States can learn from having legalized abortion despite the backlash based on the philosophical ideologies of religious institutions.

The health system in Mexico is fragmented and complex leading to great diversity in abortion outcomes. Nevertheless, the recent decriminalization of abortion within the first trimester is predicted to increase the rate of abortions in Mexico slightly. In addition, the current legislation within the United States has gone in the opposite direction making abortion more inaccessible. In a new paradigm in abortion within America, the United States can learn a great deal about how abortion clinics are manufactured despite the many moral and ideological contradictions.

More research must be done to investigate the health framework of the entire country. Abortion since its specific legalization in the 1990s had paved the path possible into the current political sphere of abortion. There must be more work done in the regulation of these surveys, and the evaluation of medical professionals after such programs. 

Vaishnavi Melkote, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

The Prevalence of Depression Among Older Adults in Tijuana

This systematic review aimed to identify the risk factors for depression among the older adult population in Tijuana and identify the structural barriers that prevent the population from receiving accessible mental healthcare. 

A search was conducted on Google Scholar and PubMed with the keywords including “depression”, “older adults”, “Tijuana”, “Red Light District”, “determinants”, “Zona Norte”, “Mexico”, “mental health”, and “barriers to care”. Nine peer-reviewed papers and articles published between 2000-2023 were considered. Older adults were defined as 60 years of age and above. Literature that did not identify risk factors or discuss barriers to depression care in Tijuana concerning the older adult population were excluded. 

Older adult depression risk factors identified in the search include being female, having no intimate partner, low or no levels of education, lacking decision-making power in household finances, disabilities, experiencing psychosocial stress, insomnia, a decline in physical functioning, and having no support. High-risk environmental stressors that many of Tijuana’s migrants and asylum seekers experience include violence, poverty, and natural disasters. High rates of sex work, homelessness, socioeconomic deprivation, and substance usage in Tijuana’s Zona Norte are also risk factors. A lack of mental healthcare workers and/or trained professionals, poor distribution of resources nationwide, cost, and transportation are significant barriers to care in Mexico. 

Research on the prevalence of depression among the older adult population in Tijuana is limited. Current literature mostly identifies risk factors for depression among structurally vulnerable populations by considering a wider age range of 18 years and above. Additionally, there is a lack of data regarding the barriers to depression care pertinent to the older adult population in Tijuana. Existing literature regarding structural barriers is generalized to Mexico and therefore does not consider the variables unique to Tijuana such as its location close to the US-Mexico border." 

Andres Angel Rivera, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

A Retrospective Analysis of the BMI of Patients at the HFIT Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico

Obesity is a global issue that disproportionately affects individuals experiencing poverty within high income countries. BMI (Body Mass Index), is the standard measure for indicating a healthy weight or an unhealthy weight, such as underweight, overweight, or obesity. Most patients at the HFIT (Health Frontiers in Tijuana) clinic consist of underserved populations, including migrants, deportees, homeless, sex workers, and other groups who experience poverty. The aims of this study are to analyze the BMI data of the patients at the HFIT clinic in order to determine if they are at higher risk for obesity compared to other populations. The methods for this retrospective analysis study consisted of analyzing BMI, sex, and age data collected from a random sample of patients whose height and weight were measured during medical evaluations at the HFIT clinic within the past year. Height and weight data was converted to BMI using the equation, kg/m². The average age of male patients in the study was 40.5 years old with an average BMI of 25.22. The mean female age was 44.1 years with an average BMI of 26.42. The age-adjusted obesity prevalence was 42.9 percent for patients aged 20-39 years and 12.5 percent for patients aged 40 or older. Within the United States, the mean BMI is about 26.5, which is classified as overweight. According to the CDC, the age-adjusted obesity prevalence amongst US adults is 39.8 percent for ages 20-39 and 44.3 percent for ages 40 to 59 years. In comparing the BMI data of the HFIT clinic to the US national average, there was a 5 percent increase in obesity prevalence amongst HFIT patients aged 20-39 years, but for ages 40 and above, there was a significant decrease in obesity prevalence. 

Edward Andrew Schneider, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Cleft Lip and Palate in Vietnam: Disparities, Surgical Care, and Future Recommendations

Cleft lip and palate - which can occur in isolation or co-occur - are among the more common birth defects and can have significant implications for a child’s health if left untreated or treated improperly.  Surgical treatment for cleft lip and palate is complex and resource-intensive, leading to disparities in access to care for this condition in many underserved contexts worldwide, including in Vietnam.  This project seeks to understand existing disparities in cleft lip and palate care in Vietnam and past efforts to address the issue, and concludes with recommendations for future efforts to address current disparities.  A literature review through the academic article database PubMed was utilized to explore the issue at hand — articles were refined through a search to include results from within the last fifteen years.  The extant literature indicates that a combination of genetic, environmental and social factors drives a high rate of cleft lip and palate in Vietnam, and that significant disparities in access to care for this condition currently exist in this region.  Short-term, often charity and volunteer-based, medical missions have been utilized in the past in an attempt to provide surgical care for cleft lip and palate in Vietnam.  This approach lacks the level of-follow up care that is needed to obtain optimal results for cleft lip and palate surgery.  The literature from Vietnam, as well as literature on cleft lip and palate care in general, indicate that measures such as capacity-building efforts and the direction of funding towards this issue represent the best steps towards achieving equitable access and optimal outcomes for cleft lip and palate surgical care in Vietnam. 

Nina Suh-Toma, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Trapped in a WASH cycle": Unsheltered individuals’ access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and its impact on mental health and stigma 

How does unsheltered individuals’ access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) affect their mental health and their experience with stigma?

Unsheltered individuals experience unique barriers to accessing clean water, adequate hygiene, and sanitation. Existing literature indicates WASH inequities experienced by people experiencing homelessness in the United States (Ballard et al., 2022). In addition, people experiencing homelessness have higher rates of poor mental health and substance use compared to the general population (Adams et al., 2022). However, there are gaps in research around the intersections between WASH access, drug use, mental health, and stigma experienced by unsheltered individuals (Leibler et al., 2017). Drug use may further complicate or exacerbate lack of WASH access and poor mental health. To address this research question, a literature review using key search words and phrases such as “homeless,” “unhoused,” “water, sanitation, and hygiene,” “mental health,” and “stigma” was conducted through various article databases. 

The results support that unsheltered populations lack access to basic water and sanitation at significantly higher rates than those in the general urban U.S. population. The adverse impact of inhibited WASH access on the mental and emotional health of unhoused people indicates a cycle in which limited WASH access/behaviors worsens health outcomes and worsened health outcomes further limits adequate WASH access (Adams et al., 2022). Stigma experienced by unhoused individuals related to or as a result of poor WASH access can be explained by various theories linked to social norms and biases that often ignore structural issues faced by unsheltered populations. 

As the rates of homelessness continue to rise in the U.S. and the threat of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 is ever present (Capone et al., 2020), the issue of WASH access among unsheltered individuals is an urgent public health and human rights issue. The results of this study can shape policy and interventions at the local and national level that recognize the health of people experiencing homelessness in a more comprehensive way. Gaining a better understanding of the mental health effects and stigma from lack of adequate WASH challenges simplified, prejudiced, and incomplete notions of homelessness, which can pave the way for more equitable and sustainable solutions to this growing crisis. 

Kacey Tran, Master of Arts (MA) in Global Health Candidate

Sociocultural and Economic Drivers of Self-Medication: How Self-Prescription of Antibiotics Leads to Antimicrobial Resistance in Vietnam and India Using the One Health Approach 

Antibiotic resistance, or antimicrobial resistance (AMR), represents a rising concern in global health that threatens one’s ability to treat and prevent common infectious diseases. Resulting from antibiotic overuse or misuse, the practice of self-medication (SM) and self-prescribing of antibiotics fuels the emergence of drug-resistant bacterial infections and further harms population health, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this literature review is to assess the prevalence of self-medicating with antibiotics in two LMICs, Vietnam and India. For this review, using the One Health Model will highlight a transdisciplinary approach to optimizing the health of all affected by AMR, including individuals, animals, and the environment. Examining both qualitative and quantitative studies, various authors discuss patterns of SM behaviors and implementation of pharmaceutical regulations in both countries; however, there must be a further examination of the drivers behind these practices. Although much of the current literature provides suggestions for regulation reforms, both Vietnam and India still face a high prevalence of AMR because of social and economic drivers in four ways: structural and communal perceptions of antibiotics as a strong, effective, and convenient alternative to visiting their providers, improper use and disposal of antibiotics, barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare, and pharmacists facing demand-side pressure from consumers. Between individual interest, economic influence, and the lack of regulation enforcement, community-based interventions are essential to reduce antibiotic use at the community and individual levels, rather than relying solely on governmental oversight. Having socially-engaged public health interventions, such as campaigns and educational materials, simultaneously engages with community values and structural beliefs and disseminates information about antibiotics and their risks. AMR is a global threat that must be addressed urgently and it will take more than regulatory oversight to control it in LMICs, such as Vietnam and India.