The Center for Health Communication & Marketing (CHCM) is funded by a federal grant from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).  Established in 2005, CHCM is part of the Center for Health, Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Storrs.  

We build on expertise in health, communication, persuasion, diffusion, behavior change theory, psychology, research methods, and evaluation.  Our research includes the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of successful health interventions for at-risk populations across a range of health issues; systematic research synthesis of the effectiveness of prior health communication approaches; and, monitoring of health communication practices.

Our Mission is to conduct cutting edge research informing the design and dissemination of health communication and marketing interventions and practices with a particular focus on the relationships between at-risk populations and their contexts, communication strategies, messages and behavior change.   An overarching goal is to understand what types of interventions work best in which situations.

CHCM meets one of the Healthy People 2010 goals of increasing the quality and years of healthy life.

        Organizational Structure

        Our Logo   
        
        CHCM Brochure

        UConn Press Release
    
        2005-06 Annual Report 
        2006-07 Annual Report

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE

The Administrative Core includes the Directors, Executive Committee and Administrative Staff.  
This group is responsible for program coordination, administration and evaluation.

SCIENTIFIC CORE

Within the Scientific Core, CHCM brings together a multi-disciplinary group of scholars in a structured way to advance theory and methods of research in health communication and marketing.  

Comprised of Research Affiliates (senior investigators and specialists), the Scientific Core:

   - Identifies research priorities

   - Monitors current research practice

   - Disseminates successful interventions

Each of the six core area groups addresses a specific area of concern and develops techniques for monitoring the amount, approach and substance of health communication by community-based and non-profit organizations, health delivery organizations, and the world-wide web. 

Each group includes researchers from various disciplines, theoretical approaches and health foci.
 *Indicates a group leader or member who serves on the Center's Executive Committee.

     Research Methods

            Leader: Ann O’ Connell, Assoc. Professor, Educational Psychology
            860-486-0179
            ann.oconnell@uconn.edu

     Meta-Analysis
           
            Leader: *Blair T. Johnson, Professor, Psychology
            860-486-2511; Cell 860-617-0900
            blair.t.johnson@uconn.edu

            Leslie Snyder, CHCM Director and Professor, Communication Sciences
            Dipak Dey, Professor and Chair, Statistics

     Behavior Change Theory and Message Design
           
            Leader: *Jeffrey D. Fisher, CHCM Assoc. Director and Professor, Psychology
            860-486-4940
            jeffrey.fisher@uconn.edu

            Ross Buck, Professor, Communication Sciences
            Michael M. Copenhaver, Assistant Research Professor, Psychology/CHIP
            Blair T. Johnson, Professor, Psychology, UConn
            Kerry L. Marsh, Associate Professor, Psychology
            Leslie Snyder, CHCM Director and Professor, Communication Sciences

      Communication Strategy
           
            Leader: *Leslie Snyder, CHCM Director and Professor, Communication Sciences
            860-486-4383; Cell 860-377-8313
            leslie.snyder@uconn.edu

            Thomas Babor, Professor and Chair, Community Medicine, UConn Medical Center
            *Robert Broadhead, Professor, Sociology
            *Seth C. Kalichman, Professor, Psychology
            Carolyn Lin, Professor, Communication Sciences
            *Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Assoc. Professor, Nutritional Sciences
            Jean J. Schensul, Sr. Scientist and Founding Director, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
            Narasimhan Srinivasan, Associate Professor, Marketing, School of Business
            Art Vanlear, Associate Professor, Communication Sciences

     At-Risk Populations & Health Care
           
            Leader: Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Assoc. Professor, Nutritional Sciences
            860-486-5073
            rafael.perez-escamilla@uconn.edu

            Linda S. Pescatello, Assoc. Prof., Health Promotion & Allied Health Sci.
            Juan Salazar, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, UConn Medical Center
            Eileen Storey, MD, MPh, Professor, Div. of Occupational and Environmental Health, UC Medical Center
            Jean J. Schensul, Sr. Scientist and Founding Director, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT

     Information Technology
           
            Leader: Carolyn Lin, Professor, Communication Sciences
            860-486-3984
            carolyn.lin@uconn.edu

            William D. Barta, Post-doctoral Fellow, Psychology/CHIP
            Kirstie Cope-Ferrar, Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences
            Karen Cornetto, Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences
            Patricia J. Neafsey, Professor, School of Nursing

 

Project 1: HIV/STI Prevention for Out of School Emerging Adults Using a Video Game


Project 2: Place-Based Social Marketing to Prevent Urban Youth Party Drug Use


(Learn about other CHCM Research Projects)

EXTERNAL ADVSORY BOARDS

Scientific Advisory Board includes researchers from various academic institutions and consulting organizations.

Advisory Board of Professionals includes professionals from health, communication, technology organizations, and from state, non-profit, and for-profit entities.