Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion
Our goal in the Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion (HBHP) is to enable people to achieve their optimal level of health through healthy decisions and behaviors. In order to accomplish this, we work with individuals, organizations, and communities to develop the knowledge and skills needed for making healthy decisions and enacting healthy behaviors, and to promote the conditions and resources necessary for healthy living. The curriculum emphasizes the social and behavioral determinants of health and methods for changing behaviors.
Our faculty are involved in active research programs that include:
- Examining racial disparities in colon cancer
- Studying new ways to help people quit smoking, particularly pregnant women, people in underserved groups, people in rural areas, and those at risk for cancer
- Evaluating health behavior among religious black youth
- Developing and testing a patient communication skills training intervention to increase colon cancer screening rates
- Comparing cancer rates and lifestyle of Amish versus non-Amish populations
- Preparing public health workers to handle bioterrorism, natural disasters and disease outbreaks
The Division maintains close links with health educators in private, nonprofit, and government agencies, such as the Ohio Department of Health, the Columbus Health Department, churches and statewide nonprofit organizations. Experts in promoting healthy behavior can find positions in a variety of organizations. Representative positions held by graduates with a specialization in Health Behavior and Health Promotion:
- Director of health education programs, local health department
- Coordinator of drug-alcohol prevention, state university
- School health specialist, state comprehensive health program
- Consultant, state commission on minority health
- Director of health and safety, regional nonprofit social agency
- Manager of community relations, academic medial center
