The Department of Community Medicine and Health Care is organized into seven divisions. Click on the link for each division below to learn more about its teaching, research and service activities.
Behavioral Medicine refers to the study of psychological and behavioral processes involved in the prevention, etiology, diagnosis and treatment of illness and health promotion through the integration of biomedical and psychological sciences. Drs. Affleck and Tennen, who lead the program have a long tradition of research concerning coping with chronic illness and studies of daily life among individuals with chronic pain and other health conditions.
Using a community oriented primary care approach that incorporates community needs assessment, population based planning and intervention, community participation and evaluation, the Community Based-Education Program provides Medical Students with experiential service learning experiences outside the classroom. Currently, medical students work with more than 300 community programs located in 61 Connecticut towns. The Program is Directed by Professor Lewis.
For over 25 years, the Center for International Community Health Studies directed by Dr. Schensul has been providing training experiences to health professionals from developing countries, educating medical, dental, and public health students at the UConn Health Center in international health, and conducting research on international health particularly in the areas of sexual risk, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health.
The Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division conducts research, provides education, and furnish public health scientific support to the University of Connecticut Health Center to improve community health. Epidemiology advances the knowledge of disease causation and natural history using rigorous and systematic study design and methods, illuminating the impact of biomedical, environmental, behavioral and social forces on the health of populations. Biostatistics ensures excellence in the application of statistical principles to public health research and in the training of health professionals.
The Graduate Program in Public Health offers an integrated theory-practice curriculum leading the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. The program is nationally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. With a convenient schedule of evening courses, approximately 200 students are enrolled in full or part-time study.
The Health Services Research Unit with five faculty members, is the largest division within the department in terms of extramural grants and contracts received and full-time personnel. It studies the organization, delivery, and financing of health care services. Most recent projects include several international and domestic studies on screening and brief intervention for alcohol and smoking and numerous contracts with State agencies, particularly the Departments of Children and Families and Addition and Mental Health Services, to evaluate substance abuse treatment and prevention services. The unit's activities are supported entirely by extramural research grants and contracts.
Health Services Initiatives with their own websites:
The medical humanities, which include the arts, literature, medical ethics, history of medicine and health law are an important component of the educational and research programs at the School of Medicine. This division advances knowledge about legal and ethical issues and the humanities that are relevant to health care professionals, patients, and the community.
