Health behaviors both cause chronic disease and can prevent or reduce chronic disease. Cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol drinking (and other substance use), poor diet, low physical activity, and high-risk sexual behavior are all examples of important “health behaviors” that can shorten life and cause suffering and disability. Context (including socioeconomic, media, and policy issues) and stress also influence health and health behaviors. The Department of Health Behavior is dedicated to research, teaching, and outreach on how to (a) promote and maintain health and (b) prevent and treat illness by influencing human behavior. Research-to-date has shown that many well-intended and seemingly sensible interventions and policies have not worked. High scientific standards are critical for developing and assessing effective interventions and policies, as well as for doing basic behavioral research that will lead to improved public health. The Department supports the professional MPH concentration in Health Behavior and a Ph.D. in Community Health and Health Behavior. We work in close partnership with other units in the School of Public Health and Health Professions and at the University at Buffalo (for example, the Department of Psychology and the Research Institute on Addictions) and with the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
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