Health behavior research is a multidisciplinary field that applies psychology, public health, behavioral medicine, communication science and statistics to promote health and prevent disease. Researchers in this area do the following: (1) study the broad range of factors that influence health behaviors and their impact on health outcomes and quality of life; (2) design and test innovative interventions to promote health and reduce disparities; and (3) disseminate evidence-based programs in diverse settings globally. Health behavior research is an important component of clinical research involving human participants, because benefits from medical care are dependent on health behaviors such as clear doctor-patient communication, patient adherence, self-management and risk avoidance.
Applied research seeks to solve practical, real-world problems; to develop innovative treatments, interventions and methods; and to immediately and practically apply its findings in clinical and community settings.
The skills-based graduate programs in Applied Health Behavior Research (AHBR) offered through the Washington University School of Medicine are sponsored by the Clinical Research Training Center and the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences. The AHBR program provides a strong foundation for graduates to contribute to the development and evaluation of programs and research trials to improve health behaviors, health care quality, health outcomes and quality of life.
Location
All courses are held on the School of Medicine campus after 4:00 p.m. to accommodate working professionals and full-time students participating in mentored research activities.
Additional Information
Project Manager
Email: ahbr@wustl.edu
Amy McQueen, PhD
Program Director
Phone: 314-286-2016
Email: amcqueen@wustl.edu
Washington University School of Medicine
Applied Health Behavior Research Program
Clinical Research Training Center
660 South Euclid Avenue, CB 8051
St. Louis, MO 63110
| Email: | ahbr@wustl.edu |
|---|---|
| Website: | https://crtc.wustl.edu/programs/degrees/ahbr |
The graduate programs in Applied Health Behavior Research (AHBR) provide a deeper understanding of the growing fields of health behavior research and behavioral medicine, which conduct research and disseminate findings across a variety of academic and hospital settings, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and private industry.
For professionals currently working in health-related fields, the skills-based curriculum provides hands-on methods and resources to enhance the knowledge and practical skills needed for career advancement. Courses prepare students for project management, leadership, research design and evaluation, data management, and analysis, and they increase students' content expertise in health behavior theory and methods.
For recent graduates planning for their future, the one-year research-intensive master's degree option provides opportunities for students to fulfill specific medical and graduate school core competencies and to enhance the competitiveness of their applications, making the program an ideal gap-year option. Through the mentored research experience provided, students develop theoretical knowledge and gain practical experience to pursue careers in medicine, allied health, psychology, public health, and other research or health-related fields.
AHBR graduates are prepared to conduct all phases of research: intervention design and implementation, survey development and administration, participant recruitment and tracking, data collection, data management and data analysis. In academic settings, graduates work for MD or PhD researchers in labs or research centers. In industry, graduates work for health insurance companies, managed care organizations and corporate wellness programs. For nonprofit and community organizations, graduates may lead the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of health and wellness programs; contribute to grant applications; and develop partnerships across agencies.
Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Department: Psychiatry
Melissa Chapnick, RD, MS, MPH
Clinical Research Study Assistant II
Department: Obstetrics & Gynecology – Research & Operations, Washington University
Robert Culverhouse, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department: General Medical Sciences, Washington University
Michael Elliott, PhD
Lecturer, AHBR
Department: Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University
Matthew Ellis, MPE
Clinical Lab Manager; Lecturer, AHBR
Department: Psychiatry
Robert Fitzgerald, PhD, MPH
Research Instructor
Department: Psychiatry (Child)
Shannon Lenze, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department: Psychiatry
Julia López, PhD, MPH, LCSW
Research Instructor
Department: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Amy McQueen, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Department: Internal Medicine
Division: General Medical Sciences
Don Rickert, PhD
Lecturer, AHBR
Department: Pharmacy Administration, St. Louis College of Pharmacy
Enbal Shacham, PhD
Lecturer, AHBR
Department: Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University
Amaris Tippey, PhD
Lecturer, AHBR
Department: Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Visit online course listings to view offerings for M88 AHBR.
M88 AHBR 505 Mentored Research
Students are paired with faculty researchers to obtain hands-on experience and exposure to directed research. (Not offered for Graduate Certificate).
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 508 Project Management in Clinical and Community Settings
This course trains students in the day-to-day management of research projects and/or health behavior programs in clinical and community settings, including a review of ethics, data collection and management. Students develop skills for managing and coordinating all aspects of health behavior projects, including recruitment and retention of participants, developing and maintaining various databases for study/program tracking and analysis, writing reports, managing a project team, and using basic statistical tools for project reporting. Successful completion of this course enables students to better manage health-related studies and programs.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 514 Health Behavior Theory
This course features analysis and application of behavior theories to health promotion/education planning, implementation, and evaluation in a variety of settings. Primary emphasis is on research related to determinants of health behavior such as personal, family and sociocultural factors that influence health, and lifestyle issues related to behavior change and adherence. Strategies and techniques used by professionals to foster human health are also featured.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 515 Health Psychology
This course explores the complex interactions between biological, psychological and social factors as they influence health, health behaviors and coping with illness. In a seminar format, students read, present and discuss empirical literature related to health psychology. Specific class topics include the history and current roles of health psychology as a professional discipline, theoretical models of health and illness prevention with an emphasis on the biopsychosocial model, stress, pain, and the role of biopsychosocial factors in several specific medical illnesses including diabetes, asthma, heart disease and cancer. Developmental issues related to health knowledge and perception, disease management and coping with illness are also discussed.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 524 Foundations of Health Care Research
This course provides an introduction to the basic scientific concepts and methods of investigation used in health care, social science and behavioral science. Students develop an advanced understanding of all phases and components of the research process. Topics include generating research questions and hypotheses, designing a study, selecting a study sample, measuring variables and constructs, collecting data, and planning data analysis and presentation. Prerequisite: M88-525 Introduction to Biostatistics.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 525 Introduction to Biostatistics
This course introduces the basic principles and methods of biostatistics, providing a sound methodological foundation for applications in health care, medicine, public health and epidemiology. Basic statistics, including probability, descriptive statistics, inference for means and proportions, and regression methods are presented. Course work and assignments are designed to provide regular feedback, require repetition of core techniques necessary for mastery of statistical thinking and analysis, challenge students to tackle both straightforward and difficult applications of descriptive and analytic statistics to practical public health problems, and incorporate statistical tools and results into oral and written presentations, emphasizing proper use of language and effective communication.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 535 Health Disparities: Applications in Clinical Settings
This course explores how membership in a diverse/special group can impact health and health care, the identification of barriers to research participation, and effective strategies for improving recruitment efforts of minority and underserved populations. Exploration of health care services and policies governing these services is also included. Students are encouraged to give critical thought to the question of what it means to deliver culturally competent care. The goal of this course is to understand what it means to create environments (social and otherwise) that help to make individuals and communities healthy.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 536 Health Education: Methods, Planning, and Evaluation
This course provides the basic concepts of learning theory as they relate to health behavior. Students become familiar with teaching/learning processes, teaching methods, community resources, and selection of appropriate evaluation strategies. Focus is on the role played by individual and community behavior as well as environmental and policy factors in preventing chronic and communicable diseases. Students attain the knowledge and skills to plan, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate behavior change programs for improving health status, as well as how to assess the health needs of communities and organizations. Prerequisite: M88-514 Health Behavior Theory.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 540 Community Health Promotion
In this course students explore concepts in health promotion including community assessment, resource identification, intervention strategies and evaluation. State and national interventions for lifestyle change and model school and work site programs are featured Prerequisite: M88-514 Health Behavior Theory.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 547 Power and Sample Size
Students learn the theoretical and practical aspects of how to calculate sample size for common study designs under various restraints (time, resources, etc.). An overview of statistical power computations for a variety of experimental and epidemiological study designs is provided. These include single sample designs, two-sample designs, cohort designs, case-control designs and various other experimental designs based on the Analysis of Variance model. The concepts of statistical power, statistical precision, sample size and effect size are also reviewed. Prerequisite: M88-525 Introduction to Biostatistics.
Credit 1 unit.
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M88 AHBR 548 Applied Data Management
This class is designed as an advanced seminar intended for students in the health and social sciences who plan to engage in applied research and includes a survey of important data management topics and techniques including: data programming and manipulation, data storage and security, data cleaning, relational database theory, and legal and ethical issues of data management. Students develop skills in data programming and manipulation, data storage and security, data cleaning, and relational database theory using software such as SPSS, SAS, Excel and Microsoft Access. Prerequisite: M88-525 Introduction to Biostatistics.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 550 Introduction to Using REDCap for Research
Students will learn the purpose and benefits of using sophisticated software platforms such as REDCap for conducting research. Through in-class demonstrations and exercises, students will gain critical hands-on experience using various features of REDCap software, including creating new projects and assigning user rights; development vs. production mode; participant tracking; project calendars and scheduling features; data collection and management; customizable survey design and administration mode; database design; data import and export functions; default and custom reporting tools; audit trails; file sharing; interoperability with other data systems (EMR) and software, including common reporting tools (Excel) and statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, R); and more. Students will learn about the HIPAA compliance standards of REDCap and how the same databases can be used across sites in a multisite study. Students will apply their skills to a proposal for using REDCap to address a specific research objective of their choosing.
Credit 1 unit.
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M88 AHBR 560 Survey Methods: Design and Evaluation
This applied course focuses on methodological issues regarding the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of surveys and questionnaires in public health research. Essential theoretical concepts are addressed, and practical applications are emphasized. Survey design and planning, sampling, and data collection procedures are three of the major topic areas covered.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 562 Leadership and Change in Health Care Services
Students engage in the advanced study of leadership, integrating theory, research and application in a diagnostic approach. Leadership skills for managing planned organizational change are developed through group discussions, class exercises, case studies, and the application of organizational approaches to change and innovation. Topics include personal effectiveness, team building, and creating learning environments in organizations.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 582 Evaluation of Health Services Programs
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of program evaluation methodology, methods of data collection and related measurement reliability and validity. The curriculum features practical applications and illustrations. Topics include the link between program planning and program evaluation; evaluation research designs and their limitations; integrating process and outcome approaches; methods of data collection and utilization of evaluation results. Prerequisite: M88-536 Health Education: Methods, Planning and Evaluation.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 584 Internship
Provides an opportunity to participate in health promotion through various health promotion agencies. Students work with agency site supervisor for 42 contact hours developing, implementing and evaluating a health promotion project. Also, students meet monthly for 2.5-hour seminars with HCS internship adviser. Students must submit an application (to be obtained in Health Care Services office) and résumé. Approved applicants will be interviewed by agency site supervisor. Deadline for application: one month before registration deadline of intended semester.
Credit 3 units.
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M88 AHBR 588 Epidemiology for Clinical Research
The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the use of epidemiological concepts and methods in clinical research. Two primary foci are included: 1) common applications of epidemiologic principles and analytic tools in evaluating clinical research questions; and 2) student development of skills to review and interpret the medical literature and utilize publicly available datasets to address clinical research questions.
Credit 3 units.
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