Bethesda O'Connell, DrPH
Associate Professor
Department of Community and Behavioral Health
Department of Community and Behavioral Health
Contact:
EDUCATION
Doctor of Public Health
Concentration: Community Health
Master of Public Health
Concentration: Community Health
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Concentration: Community Health; Minors: Biology, Disaster Response and Preparedness
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), 2018- present
National Commission for Health Education Credentialing
RESEARCH FOCUS
Public health interventions in low-resource communities with emphasis on drinking water quality and housing
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
- Evaluation of the CDC Public Health Infrastructure Grant. Tennessee Department of Health/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-Investigator. Jul 2023- Jun 2028
- Evaluation of Produce Prescription Program. Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council/ Dept of Agriculture. Primary Investigator. Sept 2022- Aug 2025
- Evaluation of the Veterans Home Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program. Coalition for Home Repair/ Dept of Housing and Urban Development. Primary Investigator. Feb- Dec 2023
- The Tennessee COVID-19 Health Disparities Initiative. Tennessee Department of Health/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Co-Investigator. Jun 2021- May 2024
- National Indian Health Board Evaluation Review. National Indian Health Board. Co-Investigator. Oct- Nov 2021
- Adversity in Infancy and Childhood Cognitive Development: Evidence from Four Developing Countries. ETSU Research Development Committee Small Grant. Co-Investigator. Aug 2020-Jul 2021
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Cohen, A., Rasheduzzaman, M., O’Connell, B., Brown, T., Taniuchi, M., Krometis, L., Hubbard, A., Scheuerman, P., Edwards, M., Darling, A., Pennala, B., Price, S., Lytton, B., Wettstone, E., Pholwat, S., Griffin, S., Kobylanski, J., Egorov, A., Wade, T. (2024). Drinking Water Sources, Quality, and Associated Health Outcomes in Appalachian Virginia: A Risk Characterization Study in Two Counties. International Journal of Hygiene and Environment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438463924000713?dgcid=coauthor
Rasheduzzaman, M., O’Connell, B., Krometis, L., Brown, T., Cohen, A. (2024). Point-of-use chlorine residuals and disinfection byproduct occurrences in rural households served by public water utilities in Appalachian Virginia. Journal of Water and Health. https://iwaponline.com/jwh/article/doi/10.2166/wh.2024.054/102434
O’Connell, B., Olomofe, C., Quinn, M., Slawson, D. Ntakirutimana, T., Scheuerman, P. (2023). Seven- Year Performance of Biosand Filters in Rural Rwanda. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2023.244
Manalew, W. S., Tennekoon, V. S., Lee, J., O’Connell, B., & Quinn, M. (2022). Adversity in Infancy and Childhood Cognitive Development: Evidence From Four Developing Countries. International Journal of Public Health, 67, 1604503.
O’Connell B, Sloop A, Intagliata N, Miller M. They built my soul: A qualitative analysis of the impacts of home repairs in rural Tennessee. J Appalach Health 2022;4(1):9–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0401.03.
Ntakirutimana, T., O'Connell, B., Quinn, M., Scheuerman, P., Francois, X., Gasana, F. Mushimiyimana, V., Rubuga, F. (2020). Linkage Between Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Child Health In Bugesera District, Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study. Waterlines. https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.20-00008
Solvig, N., Leeberk, R., Carolin, E., O'Connell, B., Gangadharan, P., Gift, N. (2019). Analysis of Knowledge of Menstruation, Hygiene Practices, and Perceptions in Adolescent Girls in India. Journal of Modern Health Science. https://doi.org/10.30560/mhs.v2n1p16
Jackson, J., Weisman, C., O'Connell, B. (2019). Student Population Awareness and Utilization of University Provided Mental Health Resources. Virginia Public Health Association Journal. https://vpha.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/Journal/VPHA%20Spring%202019.pdf
O'Connell, B., Quinn, M., Slawson, D., Scheuerman, P., & Ogunleye, O.O. (2018). Biosand Water Filter Evaluation: Pilot Study of Field Use Indicators in Cyegera, Rwanda. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology - AQUA IWA Publishing. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2018.159
O'Connell B., Morales, G., Bogacz, K. Aper, M., Weaver, M. (2018). Travel Illness Investigation and Treatment among Interprofessional Team in Guatemala. Virginia Public Health Association Journal, 2 (1). https://vpha.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/Virginia%20Journal%20of%20Public%20Health%20Spring%202018.pdf
Ogunleye, O. O., O'Connell, B., Quinn, M., Florence, L. C. & Shirely, K. (2018). Pap Utilization Survey in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua: Professional and Health Promotoras Partnership. Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, 12 (1). DOI:10.5590/JSBHS.2018.12.1.01. http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/jsbhs/vol12/iss1/1/
O'Connell, B., Slawson, D., Quinn, M., Scheuerman, P., & Ogunleye, O.O. (2017). Review of Biosand Water Filters. Waterlines, 36, (3). https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.17-00001
O'Connell, B., Quinn, M., & Scheuerman, P (2017). Risk factors of diarrheal disease in children among the East African countries of Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Global Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 6 (1). http://www.gjmedph.com/uploads/O2-Vo6No1.pdf
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS
Cohen, A., Rasheduzzaman, M., O’Connell, B., Krometis, L., Scheuerman, P. Drinking Water Access, Quality, and Associated health Outcomes in Rural Households in Appalachian Virginia. Advancing Health Equity in Rural Communities Conference. Oral.
Rasheduzzaman, M., O’Connell, B., Cohen, A. (2024). Ensuring Safe Drinking Water in Appalachian Virginia: Monitoring Point-of-use Chlorine Residuals and DBP Occurrences. Advancing Health Equity in Rural Communities Conference. Oral.
Cohen, A., O’Connell, B., Rasheduzzaman, M. (2023). Drinking Water Access, Quality, and Associated Health Outcomes in Appalachian Virginia. Virginia Public Health Association. Oral.
Rasheduzzaman, M., Darling, A., Krometis, L., O’Connell, B., Brown, T., Cohen, A. (2023). Disinfection by-product occurrence in small water systems in two rural counties in Appalachian Virginia. UNC Water and Health Conference. Poster.
O’Connell, B., Sloop, A., Quinn, M., Slawson, D., Ntakirutimana, T., Scheuerman, P. (2021). Four year follow-up evaluation of biosand water filters in rural Rwanda. Consortium of Universities in Global Health Conference. Virtual. Poster.
Anderson, C., O’Connell, B., Tarrant, D., Solvig, N. (2019). Evaluation of biosand water filters in removing fecal coliforms over time in rural Rwanda. American Public Health Association. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Poster.
Ogunleye, O., Attin, O., O’Connell, B. (2019). Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence among E-cigarettes Users as compared to Cigarette Smokers and Non-smokers in Southeastern United States. New England Science Symposium. Boston, Massachusetts. Poster.
O'Connell, B., Ogunleye, O., Purohit, R., Mshamma, J., and Mabiala, M. (2018). Regional differences in diarrhea risk factors in sub-Saharan Africa: Impact of maternal age and educational level on incidence of diarrheal diseases. American Public Health Association Annual Conference. San Diego, California. Poster.
Ogunleye, O., O’Connell, B., Mshamma, J., Purohit, R., Mabiala, M. (2018). Risk Factors for Childhood Diarrheal Disease in Central and Southern Africa: Impact of Mother’s Age and Educational Level. Virginia Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Lynchburg, Virginia. Poster.
Solvig, N., Raja, L., Elizabeth, C., O’Connell, B., Gangadharan, P., Norman, G. (2018). A Secondary Analysis on Hygiene Practices and Perceptions on Menstruation in Adolescent Indian Girls. Virginia Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Lynchburg, Virginia. Poster. *Won 1st place in the poster competition
O’Connell, B., Quinn, M., Scheuerman, P., & Slawson, D. (2017). Pilot Study of Field Use Indicators for Evaluation of Biosand Water Filters. Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association. Atlanta, Georgia. Oral.
O’Connell, B., &Quinn, M (2016). Assessing pap smear utilization in Nueva Vida, Nicaragua: an example of an academic, professional, and lay health worker partnership. Global Health and Innovation Conference. New Haven, Connecticut. Poster.
O’Connell, B., Quinn, M., & Scheuerman, P. (2015). Evaluating Biosand Water Filters: Field Use Indicators, Disease Reduction, and Socioeconomic Impact. Tennessee Environmental Conference. Poster.
O’Connell, B., Quinn, M., & Scheuerman, P. (2015). Ensuring Safe Water in Developing Communities: Establishing a Field Use Indicator for Biosand Water Filters. Tennessee Conference of Graduate Studies. Poster.
O’Connell, B., Bradfield, M., & Quinn, M. (2013). Gap in Care: Findings from the Ulpan Valley of Guatemala. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. Poster.
PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Jul 2019- Jun 2020
Director, Master of Public Health Program
Liberty University
Aug 2016- Jun 2020
Assistant Professor, Department of Public and Community Health
Liberty University
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Travel, family, fur babies (Siberian huskies and cats)