CHB affiliated investigators examine a variety of health behavior themes, including:
- Risk and protective factors associated with substance use, physical activity, diet, sex, and sleep in relation to the onset and course of chronic health conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease, HIV, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes), particularly among those who experience disproportionate burdens (e.g., racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minority populations; individuals with mental and physical health challenges; veterans and active duty military service members; and individuals from rural and low-income communities).
- Biobehavioral, psychosocial, and contextual mechanisms in the emergence and persistence of health-risk behaviors.
- Development and integration of novel interventions and evidence-based practices that promote health and resilience as a health protective factor.
CHB affiliated investigators bring expertise across a range of empirical methods, including:
- Experimental designs and randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
- Ecological momentary assessment (EMA)
- Qualitative and mixed methods
- Psychophysiological assessment
- Application of emerging technologies (e.g., biometric monitoring, mobile intervention delivery, virtual reality) to study and modify health behaviors in real world and controlled environments
Many CHB affiliated investigators further employ precision health and personalized approaches to develop assessments and health behavior interventions that are customized to the unique characteristics of individuals and groups:
- Personalized Feedback Interventions (PFIs) that leverage individual data to provide tailored health guidance.
- Just-In-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAIs) that provide support at critical moments based on real-time data.
- Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) approaches that efficiently identify and address health behavior issues across settings.
Funded Research
Research conducted by CHB affiliated investigators has been externally funded by:
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Veterans Healthcare Administration (VHA)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- American Heart Association (AHA)
- Private Foundations and Other External Funding Sources