The Office of Health Promotion Research is a nationally-recognized group of investigators dedicated to translational research on critical behaviors affecting population health. Our focus is on development and evaluation of strategies for primary and secondary prevention of major chronic diseases.
The Vermont Breast Cancer Surveillance System led by Berta Geller, Ed.D., provides a notable health services research resource. This registry records all breast imaging procedures performed in Vermont and links reports to pathology and cancer registry data for individual women. The VBCSS belongs to an NCI-funded consortium that has received international recognition for contributions to screening mammography quality improvement and outcome assessment.
Dr. Geller also leads a study that has developed and assessed innovative methods for promoting communication about colorectal cancer screening between rural low-education adults and their primary care physicians.
Our group recently completed a multi-state test of mass media campaigns to reduce youth cigarette smoking. Brian Flynn, Sc.D., led projects that developed strategies to reach youth audiences through radio and television messages and assessed the impact of multi-year campaigns on smoking prevalence in four communities. Laura Solomon, Ph.D., led a project that evaluated the impact of cessation message campaigns on a population cohort of adolescent smokers.
Development of effective smoking cessation programs for adults has been a priority area. Dr. Solomon collaborates on studies assessing impact of counseling and incentives on smoking cessation in pregnant women, and has made significant contributions to assessment of cessation services through telephone counseling. Theodore Marcy, M.D., is developing and testing methods to assist primary care physicians to implement national cigarette smoking cessation guidelines.
Members of the group participate in scientific peer-review committees and serve as advisors and leaders in public health activities in Vermont and nationally. Drs. Flynn and Marcy serve on the state’s oversight board for tobacco control programs. Engagement with the peer-review process and public health practice contributes to the relevance of our research.