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Ben Cockrell presents a poster at the American Public Health Association annual meeting. |
There, he presented a poster that analyzed factors that influence gun violence in Mobile County. He collaborated with Ashley Williams Hogue, M.D., a trauma surgeon and assistant professor of surgery, and the USA Health Department of Trauma Surgery.
“My project was analyzing how social determinants of health impact gun violence risk among young people in Mobile County,” Cockrell said. “I was interested in this conference because I have an interest in how public policy can impact public health.”
Cockrell said he enjoyed sharing his research with others, particularly projects that focused on gun violence prevention.
“I would like to thank Dr. Williams for letting me work on this project,” he said. “Her work as the new director of Center for Healthy Communities and in Project Inspire has shown me the impact physicians can have on public health, and I hope to have a similar positive impact on my community when I practice medicine in the future.”
Project Inspire, founded by Williams Hogue, is USA Health's multi-week, hospital-based injury prevention program that combines trauma center exposure, mentorship and career development. Created for at-risk youth, it seeks to curb gun violence in the community while preparing teens for success after high school.
Cockrell plans to pursue a career in pediatrics or internal medicine.
“I hope to continue work in assessing public health concerns and how factors like social determinants of health impact overall community health,” he said.
The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. Using its broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, the organization lobbies for public health issues and policies backed by science with the intent to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health.
