Overview

Health Behaviors (obesity, tobacco use, poor quality diet, physical inactivity, risky substance use, unsafe sex, poor sun protection behaviors) are prevalent and preventable risk factors for chronic disease.  Treatment non-adherence is an additional risk behavior that impedes recovery and complicates health outcomes.  Investigators affiliated with the Center for Behavior and Health pursue three main research goals.  Goal 1 is to understand determinants that cause the onset and maintenance of health risk behaviors.  Goal 2 is to understand biobehavioral mechanisms whereby unhealthy behaviors "get under the skin" to affect health. Goal 3  is to develop, optimize, and evaluate interventions that promote healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Interventions developed and implemented by the Center have four signatures.  They: (1) incorporate novel technologies (e.g. smartphone, sensors, internet) to overcome access barriers and reduce costs; (2) engage social networks and systems; (3) apply optimization techniques drawn from engineering to develop and refine treatments; (4) integrate human interventionists (e.g. peer, health educator, psychologist, exercise physiologist, nutritionist).

For information on developing a technology-assisted intervention, please contact Jennifer Howard.

Center Programs

• Program in Technology-Supported Health Behavior Change
• Program in Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Health
• Program in Multiple Behavior Change
• Program in Health Promotion
• Program in the Science of Team Science
• Program in Evidence-Based Practice

Schools Represented

• Feinberg School of Medicine
• McCormick School of Engineering & Applied Science
• Kellogg School of Management
• Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications
• School of Communication
• Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences
• School of Education and Social Policy

Domestic Partners

• Alere
• Chicago Department of Public Health
• Medical University of South Carolina
• SRI International
• Stanford University
• University of Florida
• University of Maryland
• University of Miami
• University of Pennsylvania

International Partners

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  • Macquarie University
  • National Health and Medical Research Council Center of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Abuse
  • University of Birmingham
  • University of New South Wales
  • University of Newcastle Australia Health Behaviour Research Centre
  • University of Newcastle Australia Centre for Translational Neuroscience and Mental Health (CTNMH)
  • University of Sydney

Center Information