Research
Research. Lifestyle. Community.
Faculty in the Department of Health Behavior study the actions of individuals, groups and organizations that promote health and prevent chronic disease. The Department's research efforts center on understanding factors that influence health behavior choices and developing ways to encourage positive behavior change. Research indicates that both individual- and community-level factors influence behavior and, therefore, Health Behavior researchers collect and analyze individual- and community-level data. The field of health behavior is explicitly interdisciplinary, drawing on psychology, sociology, anthropology, behavioral economics, biology, epidemiology and other domains to understand behavior. The Department offers extensive opportunities to work with faculty who provide experience and mentorship in conducting empirical research.
Research Foci
Emergency Preparedness
This area of research focuses on the preparation, coordination and training of rural disaster response teams, as well as the impact of the stress of disaster response on the health of first responders.
Health Disparities
Departmental faculty have a strong interest in reducing health disparities. Research topics include cancer control efforts among racial/ethnic minority populations and psychosocial and behavioral factors that influence minority health. There also is interest in communication about family history of illness as it pertains to health disparities as well as issues related to women's health.
Judgment and Decision Making
Health Behavior researchers recognize that people's behavioral choices are influenced by what they think and how they feel about the behavior in question. Thus, faculty seek to better understand the role of affective associations in health decision making and the social cognitive processes involved when people consider behavior changes. The roles of attitudes and moods also are considered. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop more effective ways to encourage positive behavior change.
Studies of Families at High Risk of Disease
Some people are at increased risk for disease due to genetic, shared behavioral or shared exposure risks. Health Behavior faculty are interested in understanding and developing ways to encourage screening, prevention, and self-care in families with such risks. Of current interest are studies of ways to optimally promote psychosocial adjustment and well-being and studies on how to best communicate behavior change messages in families with increased risks for various diseases.
Substance Use and Misuse
Studies assess social network influences on changes in substance use (alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs), as well as the impact of substance use on family functioning and health. Faculty also study cognitive and behavioral approaches to preventing and treating addictive behaviors, particularly among young adults. Other topics in this focus include drinking restraint and commonalities among addictive behaviors, including psycho-social issues. Some studies incorporate ecological momentary assessment techniques.
Tobacco Use
Faculty conduct individual- and population-based research on patterns, risk factors, and prevention and cessation of tobacco use in adolescents and adults. Specific areas of interest include determining whether the remaining population of smokers is more “hard core” than in the past, tobacco harm reduction, factors influencing use of tobacco products other than cigarettes, suboptimal nutrition as a risk factor for the development and maintenance of nicotine addiction, and the influence of adverse childhood experiences on nicotine dependence and smoking cessation. Research also has focused on various behavioral and policy aspects of tobacco use (e.g., nicotine replacement therapies, compensatory smoking behavior with low-tar cigarettes, filter vent blocking, and nicotine addiction).
Other Research Interests
Faculty members also have interests in worksite wellness programs, community-based participatory research methods, and hand-washing to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
>> Current Research Projects
>> List of All Grants Sorted by PI or Grant Name
