CHCS - Perspectives Summer/Fall 2017

College of Health Care Sciences 29 JAMI E. FLICK, M.S., OTR/L, a Ph.D. health science student, recently received an NSU Pan Student Government Association (Pan SGA) Professional Development Grant. The NSU Pan SGA confers grants to distinguished NSU students who are pursuing unique learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom environment. Flick utilized her grant to present her work on “Human Traffick- ing for Sexual Exploitation” in Europe at the American Public Health Association conference in October 2016. Under the mentorship of health science faculty member Jodi P. Clark, M.D., M.P.H., Flick developed a presentation that detailed human trafficking patterns, provided descriptive epidemi- ology, and identified knowledge gaps in the literature. Her work made a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge related to human trafficking in the public health field. Increasing the awareness and understanding of human trafficking to public health professionals and health care providers is imperative. Research indicates that men, women, and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, or organ removal. Every year, 600,000 to 800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked. In the high origin and destination countries of Western and Central Europe, approximately 62 percent of victims are women. These women range in age from 15 to 49 and are trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced prostitution. The presentation helped raise awareness of human trafficking and its analytical epidemiology and taught attendees the current evidence-based screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for the target population. Flick’s research indicated there is a need for more in-depth research on the screening, Health Science Student Spotlight Increasing Epidemiology Awareness of the Human Trafficking Epidemic By Chennel A. Williams, M.S., M.B.A., Manager, Health Science Doctoral Programs prevention, and treatment of human trafficking victims. She hopes her presentation inspired others to pursue research related to human trafficking. Flick recently transitioned from the Doctor of Health Science Program to the Ph.D. in Health Science Program. She has 10 years of clinical experience with adult and geriatric clients in acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient, and burn unit settings and has worked with pediatric clients in the neonatal intensive care unit and in outpatient rehabilitation. She has volunteered as an occupational therapist in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and is the fieldwork developer for the inaugural bachelor’s degree-level occupational therapy and physical therapy program in Haiti. ● From left: Jami E. Flick and her mentor, Jodi P. Clark