The Department of Health, Behavior and Society utilizes a multidisciplinary, multi-level approach to study the determinants of disease and injury, and to develop, test and disseminate effective public health interventions. We are interested not only in the behavior of individuals, but also in their genetic predispositions, social context, physical environment and policy milieu. We emphasize theoretical, methodological and applied studies in three signature areas: social determinants of health, and structural- and community-level interventions to improve health health communication and health education behavioral and social aspects of genetics and genetic counseling
Of most interest are public health challenges related to the top international and domestic causes of death, as well as diseases and injuries that disproportionately impact racial, ethnic and vulnerable communities. The Department feels a special responsibility to address public health challenges in its own locale – specifically, health issues that disproportionately impact urban communities. The public health areas we address include HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, substance use, cancer, violence, unintentional injury, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, respiratory diseases and emerging infectious diseases, as well as the improvement of quality of life. | 
