I recently returned from Panama where I worked with an amazing team of fellow Master’s of Public Health students from USC to develop a public health intervention for teen pregnancy. We worked directly with the Panamanian Ministry of Health from a clinic in a low income/high poverty neighborhood, Las Mañanitas.
After learning that the teenage pregnancy rate is 33.78% in Las Mañanitas (higher than their national average) and also learning that there is NO formal sex ed curriculum at any level of education (government has not approved a national level policy or program for health education), my team and I developed a researched based intervention strategy and also created a pamphlet called “Protect Yourself and Respect Yourself” to leave for the clinic as an educational resource and tool in the future.
I have learned SO MUCH and I am beyond blessed to have had this opportunity to do work that I’m passionate about in a part of the world where my impact will make a difference! Fight On!
Christian Dixon is a student in USC’s Master of Public Health online program. Learn more about the annual MPH trip to Panama at https://globalhealth.usc.edu/panama-practicum.
USC Global Health Travel Blog 