UA Social Work Grad Student to Present Research in Brazil

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When Haley Beech leaves the United States, it’s usually to continue her humanitarian efforts and social work research in impoverished countries.

Later this week, The University of Alabama social work graduate student will fly to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she’ll present a poster on “Health Care Access for Women in Rural Haiti: A Descriptive Study on Preventable and Manageable Disease States” at the Third International Conference on Health, Wellness and Society March 15-16.

The conference will be held at the Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo. Beech, of Birmingham, has also been selected for the conference Graduate Scholar Award, which allows her to waive her conference fees. As part of the honor, she’ll help facilitate sessions and organize parts of the conference. Her duties will include introductions, moderating and technical support.

“This is something I really wanted to do,” said Beech, “and I’m thankful for the funding help from The University of Alabama Graduate School and The University of Alabama School of Social Work.

“Dr. Jo Pryce, who supervised my independent study, has been helpful in analyzing data and finding a conference. She’s gone above and beyond; I would not have been able to do this level of research without her support.”

Beech, who will earn her Master of Social Work degree in May, has volunteered in Haiti on three different trips since 2010. Haley, along with her husband, Lucas, has helped doctors distribute medicine and hygiene packets to families affected by the 2010 earthquake that resulted in more than 300,000 deaths, according to the Haitian government. In December, they delivered Christmas gifts to more than 200 children.

“A lot of times, students think mission work or an alternative spring break is the only way to help internationally,” Beech said. “My academic studies have enhanced my experiences in Haiti just as much as Haiti has fueled my passion for meaningful research. It is a true reciprocal relationship.”

Beech’s research in Haiti involved identifying the most prevalent preventable and manageable diseases for women in order to determine future research studies that could lead to effective interventions. Her findings suggest gastrointestinal problems, vitamin deficiency, vaginal infections and lung infections are the most common health issues among women. Additionally, Beech found that future research should focus on qualitative study in order to assess health-care needs of individuals based on their personal perspective.

With the information gathered, doctors, nurses and volunteers will know which medicines and vitamins to bring to particular areas, instead of a trove of medical packets used to treat the most general illnesses.

“I wanted to standardize the forms that all of the relief organizations use to track over time for health-care needs and issues,” Beech said. “There’s so much information there; We want to take the pharmacy info and find a better way to track it.”

Beech hopes to have a paper that includes her research in Haiti published in an academic journal.

Beech also helped organize a fundraising event in the Birmingham area for Jean Donald Charles, a 23-year-old Haitian man who aspires to attend medical school and serve his community. Beech and co-organizers raised more than $3,000.

“We feel like that’s one way to create sustainable efforts — educating and training people there,” said Beech.