Institute of Public Health Faculty Seminar
Time: 12:10 PM, 7th October
Location：Rm221, Medical Building II
Speaker：Dr. Alexander Waits
Title：From clinical work to environmental health science: a transdisciplinary journey
Abstract：
After 15 years of clinical work as a caregiver and a psychotherapist for children with special needs in Israel, life circumstances brought me to Taiwan and to a dramatic career change. Studying public health for the master degree presented me an opportunity to scientifically test a first-hand clinical experience by conducting a meta-analysis on traditional Chinese medicine and quality of sleep. Later, my doctorate investigated the time trends in breastfeeding and maternal weight changes in Taiwan. We observed an increase in Taiwanese women, who do not gain adequate weight during pregnancy, which could contribute to the raise of low birthweight births. These time trends and association were most salient in those, who were underweight before pregnancy, and their proportions were surprisingly high for a high-income country. Breastfeeding was linked to maternal prenatal intention to breastfeed and to postpartum weight retention. Those findings were communicated to the local policy makers at Taiwan Health Promotion Administration and follow-up research has been initiated. Meanwhile, I have started my postdoctoral work in the National Institute of Environmental Health Science, while keeping connection with my primary interest in maternal and child health.