'Behind the Blue': The Power of Public Health With Dean Donna Arnett

People worldwide have had to adjust to living in a pandemic. One topic many people have learned more about during the past two years is the role of public health in our everyday lives.

In 2004, the University of Kentucky established the College of Public Health to develop transformative solutions to health challenges through teaching, research and service efforts. The college takes a serious approach to public health responsibility for all communities and individuals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond.

Residing in a state that is at the epicenter in some of our most major public health challenges, including obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer, the College of Public Health is made up of six main departments: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, the Graduate Center for Gerontology, Health Management & Policy, Preventive Medicine & Environmental Health, and Health, Behavior & Society. These are all dedicated to transforming and assisting in the creation of a healthier community, state and world — for everyone.

Since 2016, Donna Arnett has been dean of the UK College of Public Health, and says we can see public health in every aspect of our lives. Arnett always knew she wanted to work in health care, and during her career fell in love with research, specifically epidemiology. On this episode of "Behind the Blue," Arnett talks about the hard work the College of Public Health has done during the pandemic in service to both students and community, as well as the promise and potential that comes from working in a state with such dramatic disparities in health.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.