Department

Applied Health Science

Education

• B.A.  University of Ghana  1994
• M.A.  Indiana University  1999
• Ph.D.  Indiana University  2002

Background

• Chair, America School Health Association (Early Childhood Council)
• Emerald Literati Network Outstanding Paper Award
• Founding Director of the Maternal and Child Health Program in the School of Public Health-Bloomington MCH website

Scholarly Interest

• Infant Feeding (Breastfeeding) and Child Health
• Culture and Immigrant Families’ Health
• The Role of the Family in the Development of the Child Especially Children with Health Problems
• Pre-School Children’s Health
• Culture, Care, and Child Health

Selected Publications

Articles

Obeng, Cecilia (2006). "We were victims of our parents' uncooperative behavior:" Problems Faced by School Dropouts in Rural Ghana. Nordic Journal of African Studies, 15(4), 544-565.

Obeng, Cecilia (2006). Strategies for Implementing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum for Teaching Storytelling in Pre-Schools. Canadian Children: Journal of the Canadian Association for Young Children, 3, 122-28.

Obeng, Cecilia (2006). "Immigrant Families and Childcare Preferences: Do Immigrants' Cultures Influence Their Childcare Decisions?" Early Childhood Education Journal, 34, 237-45.

*Obeng, Cecilia Sem and Obeng, Samuel Gyasi (2006). African Immigrant Families' Views on English as a Second Language (ESL) Classes Held for Newly Arrived Immigrant Children in the United States Elementary and Middle Schools: A Study in Ethnography. In Michael Firming & Patricia R. Brewer (Eds.) Ethnographic Qualitative Research in Education Volume 2. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Press.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2007). African Immigrants' Families and the American Educational System. In Toyin Falola (ed.) African Minorities. New York: Routledge.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2007). Attitudes of Families toward their Teenaged School Dropouts and the Impact on the Teenagers. Sunal, M. (ed.) Education in Africa. Information Age Publishing.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2007). Perceptions of Epilepsy in a Family. In. Toyin Falola and Matthew Heaton (eds.). HIV/AIDS, Illness and African Well-Being. Pp. 57-71. Rochester: Rochester University Press.

Obeng, Cecilia (2007). Address Forms among Akan Families (Couples) Living in the United States: A Quantitative Study, Issues in Intercultural Communication, 2, 44-60.

Obeng, Cecilia (2007). Teacher's Views on the Teaching of Children with Disabilities, International Journal of Special Education, 22, 96-102.

Obeng, Cecilia (2007). Culture and Dental Health among African Immigrant School-Aged children in the United States. Journal of Health Education, 34, 343-349.

Obeng, Cecilia (2008). Personal Cleanliness Activities in Preschool Classrooms" Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 93-99

Obeng, Cecilia and Vandergriff Alison (2008). Experiences of Parents with Pre-K to Grade Four Children with Food Allergies International Journal of Special Education, 22, 96-102.

Obeng, Cecilia (2008). Dental Care issues among Immigrant Pre-Schoolers. Early Childhood Research & Practice.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2009). Culture, Health, and School Attendance Among Immigrant Children in the United States. Progress in Education, 17, 105-113.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2009). Nutritional Activities in Preschool Classrooms. Journal of Research in Education.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2009). Injuries in Preschool Classrooms. Health Education, 109 (5), 414-423.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2010). Physical Activity Lessons in Preschools. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24, 50-59.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2010). A Study of the Experiences of Parents with Home-Schooled Pre-Adolescence Children with Severe Multiple Health Problems. International Journal of Special Education. 25, 80-85.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem & James, Julie (2010). "Caring for School-aged Children with Chronic Health Problems: Mothers' Perspective." Journal of Research in Education, 4,1-8.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2010). Injury Prevention Lessons in Kindergarten Classrooms. Progress in Education, 18, 217-227.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2010). Should Gun Safety Be Taught in Schools? Perspectives of Teachers. Journal of School Health, 80, 394-398.

Wong, A., Wong, Y.J., & Obeng, C.S. (2011). An Untold Story: A Qualitative Study of Asian American Family Strengths. Asian American Journal of Psychology.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2011). Preschool Teachers' Views of Health Education in Early Years. Journal of Research in Education, 5, 1-6.

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2011). "Culture and Alcohol Use among School Age Children in Ghana". International Journal of Health Education, 14, 59-67.

Wong, , Wong, J. & Obeng, C. S. (2012). 'An Untold story: A Qualitative Study of Asian American Family Strengths.' Asian American Journal of Psychology, 3: 286—298. doi: 10.1037/a0025553.

Obeng, S. (2012). 'Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Care Education in Ghana.' International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 4(2): 50-63.

Obeng, S. & Edwards, A. (2012). Mothers Shared Their Experiences on Breastfeeding. International Journal of Child Health Human Development, 6: 1-5.

Ray, Obeng, C. S. & Seo D-C. (2013). 'A Study of Eating Patterns of Mainstream Americans and Those of Newly-Arrived Immigrants Children Enrolled in American Educational Institutions'. Progress in Education, 29: 171-184.

Obeng, S. (2013). 'Health Care Seeking Avenues of Parents of School-age Children with Severe Health Problems in a Community in Ghana.' International Journal of Child and Adolescent, Health, 5: 337-341.

Obeng, S. Bowman, S. (2013). 'Parents' Perspectives on Curbing Gun Violence among Children in Indiana.' California Journal of Health Promotion, 11: 15-22.

Obeng S. & Elena, L. (2014). 'Parents' Motivations and Views on Combining Breast Milk and Formula.' Journal of Child Health and Human Development 7: 26-33.

Apiyo, & Obeng, C.S. (2015). 'Exercise Culture among Immigrants Living in the Midwestern United States.' International Public Health Journal, 6:6-11.

Obeng, S. and Reed, D. (2015). 'Healthcare Worker's Breastfeeding Practices and Beliefs in Ghana.' International Public Health Journal, 6:20-24.

Obeng, S. (2015). 'Positive Attributes That Enhance Breastfeeding among Mothers.' Child Health Human Development, 8: 20-28.

Obeng, S., Emetu, B. & Bowman, S. (2015). "Immigrant College Students' Experiences with Their American Physicians." International Public Health Journal, 7:4-11.

Obeng, S., Obeng, S. & Merrick, J. (2015). 'Intersection between Culture and Health.' International Public Health Journal, 7:1-3.

Obeng, S. Emetu, B., & Curtis, T. (2015). 'African American Women's Perceptions and Experiences about Breastfeeding.' Frontier of Child Health and Human Development, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2015.0027.

Hunter, Obeng, C. S. & Ogah, J. (2016) 'Assessing Ghanaian Teachers' Perceptions and Beliefs regarding Substance Use among School-age Children in Ghana.' International Journal of School Health DOI: 10.17795/intjsh-37256

Obeng, G. & Obeng, C.S (2016) 'Gender, Power and Sexuality in Akan (Ghana) Epigrams.' Issues in Intercultural Communication 4(2): 67-75.

Obeng, S.; Weinstein, M.; & Hauser, J. (2016). 'Health Education in Early Years Classrooms in Cape Coast (Ghana.)' Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research.

Books

Obeng, Cecilia Sem (2002) "Home Was Uncomfortable; School Was Hell": A Confessionalist-Ethnographic Account of Traditional Beliefs and Socio-educational Crises in the Schooling of Ghanaian Rural Girls. New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.

Obeng, Cecilia (2004) Voices of Affliction. Aspects of Traditional Healing Practices and their Impact on Akan Families in Ghana. Cologne, Germany: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag.

Obeng, Cecilia (2009). Children's Health in a Traditional Society. New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.

Obeng, S. (2014). Selected Topics on Pre-K-6 Health Education. New York: Nova Science Publishers (NSP) Inc.