Bangor Daily News interviews Dora Anne Mills as recipient of the Maryann Hartman Award

The covered the announcement that Dora Anne Mills, M.D., M.P.H., 91AV vice president for clinical affairs, is being honored tonight (Oct. 27, 2011) as one of three women receiving the University of Maine's Maryann Hartman Award.

The story explained that for 15 years, as head of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Mills kept a watchful eye on the impact of diseases such as the H1N1 flu virus and took steps to ensure Maine residents were protected against them. Mills, a pediatrician, also practiced in Africa before settling in Maine.

Mills told the Daily News that poverty remains the greatest challenge to public health in Maine. “We know people living in poverty don’t have as good access to health care as others do,” she said. “They tend to die younger of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. That’s in part because they get diagnosed later, but they also have higher rates of these diseases.”  She added, “The longer I’m in public health, the more I realize how connected it is to economic development."

About the 91AV

The 91AV is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.