Behavioral Informatics

The growing collection of consumer and clinical-facing devices and technologies has created unprecedented opportunities to improve the health of individuals and populations. Consumer and patient-centric information sharing, technology-mediated communication, care coordination, and behavior change are examples of health-related outcomes for which technologies play a role in health and well-being. HCIRB’s focus on behavioral informatics incorporates an emphasis on the use of these technologies by consumers and patients, caregivers, and health care providers. Researchers also are examining the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral interventions delivered by advanced technologies, analytics, and platforms for cancer care. In an era of connected health applications, researchers are adding wearable technologies, in-home sensors, telemedicine channels, patient portals, and mobile health channels to the range of study targets in behavioral informatics.

Priorities in Behavioral Informatics

  • How can we leverage communication and behavioral science to achieve: (a) improvements in the patient experience, (b) reductions in per capita costs, and (c) improvements in population health?
  • How can we craft a healthcare environment that optimizes technology-mediated communication between patients and their care networks (including families, friends, and healthcare providers)?

Current Projects

Smart and Connected Health

This joint NSF-NIH program seeks to accelerate the development and use of next generation health care solutions by funding high-risk, high-reward efforts in a variety of areas, including information science, technology, behavior, cognition, sensors, robotics, bioimaging, and engineering.

Project Title Project Number Expiration Date Contacts
Collaborative Research: Multiscale Modeling and Intervention for Improving Long-Term Medication 1R01CA239246-01 August 31, 2023 Barnes, Laura Elizabeth
Changegradients: Promoting Adolescent Health Behavior Change with Clinically Integrated Sample-efficient Policy Gradient Methods 1R01CA247705-01 November 30, 2023 Ozer, Elizabeth

View Past Funding Announcements

Reports and Publications

President’s Cancer Panel (2016). Connected Health in Cancer Care. Report available at https://prescancerpanel.cancer.gov/report/connectedhealth/.

Hesse, B. W., Ahern, D. K., & Beckjord, E. (Eds.). (2016). Oncology Informatics: Using Health Information Technology to Improve Processes and Outcomes in Cancer exit disclaimer Boston, MA: Elsevier.

Funding for Behavioral Informatics

Contact

Robin Vanderpool, Dr.P.H.

Robin Vanderpool, Dr.P.H.

BRANCH CHIEF, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch

Last Updated
June 15, 2023