by Andrea Hricko, MPH
Rick Brown, PhD, a sociologist by training, was a world renowned champion of public health. Thousands of occupational health, children's health, and community health advocates who knew him are mourning his loss. Rick passed away two weeks ago of a stroke while lecturing in Kentucky.
His work on health care issues (especially the lack of health insurance for children) and his development of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) were just two of his major achievements. He was a longtime professor at UCLA School of Public Health, adviser to several U.S. Presidents, former president of the largest public health organization in the world, the American Public Health Assocation, and was even chair of the Airport Commission in our town of Santa Monica.
