Professor's book tracks US health reform

In her sixth book on the aspects of addictive behaviors, IU professor Ruth Engs retraces and analyzes health reform in America in the early 20th century. "The Progressive Era's Health Reform Movement: A Historical Dictionary," published by Praeger Publishing, covers health movements against tobacco, alcohol, drugs and sexuality leading up to the 1920s, as well as issues concerning clean water, good nutrition and exercise. \nThe book covers the 100 years from 1820 to 1920. \n"It views the central figures, crusades, legislation, publications and terms of the health reform movements with a detailed timeline to political, social and religious activity," Engs said on her Web site. "(It) is an expansion of the (book) that came out two years ago but this time focuses on the Progressive Era, which in the United States had more changes and legislation and foundations of organizations that shaped public health … than (at) any (other) time in history," Engs said.\nTwo years ago, Engs released "Clean Living Movements: American Cycles of Health Reform," which explores clean living movements that have taken place approximately every 80 years over the past 200 years.\nShe plans further publication in the area, testing the hypothesis that a link existed between health reformers and moral-health reform crusades of the Progressive Era.\nThe Progressive Era's health reform movement included issues that today's clean living movement has also focused on: campaigns against tobacco, alcohol, drugs and sexuality.\nEngs said her book will be of interest to scholars, historians, students and laymen interested in earlier health reform movements. She has also authored and co-authored additional articles in her field of study.\nEngs has been a professor in the department of Applied Health Sciences in the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation for 30 years. Her resume includes degrees in community health education, counseling psychology and health education, nursing and liberal arts. She has also been a visiting professor in the Department of Human Movement Studies at the University of Queensland, Australia, and an assistant professor at Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. Canada. \nShe was the first woman in the Applied Health Sciences department here at IU and has extensively studied addictive behaviors. \nKathleen Gilbert, a professor in HPER, describes Engs as controversial, bright, productive, inquisitive and intense. \n"Dr. Engs has done work on alcohol use and health movements and is well designed and meticulously carried out," Gilbert said. "She's made a point of encouraging women faculty, having had a tough time and having faced prejudice in her earlier years." \nEngs explained that as a woman in the 1970s, it was very difficult to be accepted and promoted because departments were forced to hire women, and men didn't want female professionals. \n"They just wanted girls that they could push around. It took twice as much work for the same (recognition)." \nEngs said she only has one message when she speaks to women.\n"The main thing is to focus on your work," Engs said. "Concentrate on your work and what you want to do"