Interdisciplinary Student Film Competition by U. Kapadia

National Public Health Week Interdisciplinary Student Film Competition by Utsavi Kapadia, MPH ‘18

Hofstra University celebrated National Public Health Week from April 3-5, 2017. One event to help integrate public health across the curricula included a film competition. The 4th Annual Interdisciplinary Student Competition was sponsored by the MPH program, the School of Health Professions and Human Services, and the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University.

All teams had to create 2-minute videos to increase awareness about important minority health issues on Long Island. The top three teams were given cash prizes. All videos were decided to be presented to the Nassau County Department of Health Advisory Board and posted on the Nassau County Department of Health website. Teams were interdisciplinary with representation from most Schools. The film content was guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national health initiatives, strategies, and action plans to inform, enhance, and guide public health efforts across the U.S. Teams were created around specific CDC priority areas which included the following: 1) pedestrian safety, 2) physical activity, 3) health care acquired infections, 4) adolescent and school health, 5) immunization/vaccination, 6) bicycle safety, 7) hepatitis, and 8) emergency management. 

Film structure focused on advocacy, education, or prevention; and could be animated, documentary style or other style; and had be under 2 minutes. Videos were evaluated based on content and quality. Content criteria was based on use of evidence/data, focus on minority health, focus on underserved communities on Long Island. Quality criteria was focused on appropriate audience targeted, audience engagement, production quality. Faculty Guidance was also there like faculty members from various academic programs were assigned to teams to offer guidance and feedback. Judging of films was judged by a professional panel including New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker and Nassau County Health Commissioner Dr. Larry Eisenstein. The audience, made up of mostly high school and Hofstra students also participated in the judging process. Awards were given in the form of cash prizes to each group member in the top 3 groups (first place: $200, second Place: $100, and third Place: $50).  After screening of all the films the professional panel of judges decided to do a public voting on who they think the best film was so they left the theatre for some time so that their presence does not affect the audience voting. To everyone’s surprise, judges’ decision and public voting was different. Judges declared the winners. 1^st Place: Hepatitis. 2^nd Place: Physical Activity, and 3^rd Place: Emergency Management. The audience favorite was Mental Health.