Health, Behavior and Society

The HBS Summer Institute offers intensive, virtual classes surrounding behavioral and societal impacts on public health. Course lengths range from 1 day to 2 weeks. Credit and non-credit options are available. Instruction begins in June 2021. Learn More

Student Showcase: Mudia Uzzi

HBS PhD candidate, Mudia Uzzi, reflects on discovering his interest in violence and trauma research, joining the Health Policy Research Scholars program, and launching Mask On: Greenmount West – a new mask education and distribution initiative in Baltimore. Learn More

New Grant Announcement

HBS's Michelle Kaufman, PhD, and her team have been awarded a $150,000 grant to study how youth mentoring programs have transitioned to e-mentoring during the pandemic. Learn More

Alumni Spotlight: Chrystal Okonta

HBS alum, Chrystal Okonta, MSPH '19, reflects on fostering health equity, building an effective health communication campaign, and addressing food safety in her role at the USDA during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More

New Grant Announcement

A JHSPH team co-led by HBS's Ju Park, PhD, received a $975,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Health to increase understanding around overdose prevention and response programs in Maryland. Learn More

Research, Enhanced

Health issues in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities extend beyond HIV. The LGBTQ Working Group aims to further research and practice in LGBTQ health at the Bloomberg School. Learn More

News & Events

Watch: Addressing COVID Disparities in Communities of Color, featuring HBS faculty member, Lisa Cooper, MD (Bloomberg Philanthropies)
Listen: Building Resilience in Puerto Rico, featuring HBS alum, Yonaira Rivera, PhD '19 (American Health Podcast)
Read: Why human brains are bad at assessing the risks of pandemics, featuring HBS faculty member, Meghan Moran, PhD (The Washington Post)
Read: With science and scripture, a Baltimore pastor is fighting Covid-19 vaccine skepticism, featuring HBS doctoral student, Amelia Jamison (STAT News)
Read: Easing lockdowns and covid-19: the geometry of the pandemic in America, featuring HBS chair, Rajiv Rimal, PhD (The Economist)

The Department of Health, Behavior and Society is discovering the optimal ways we can change human behavior to improve public health.

From social policy and social environment to individual behavior change—our faculty and students address multiple health problems around the world including obesity, sexually transmitted infections, injury, and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.

Established in 2005, the Department of Health, Behavior and Society remains dedicated to research and training that advances our understanding of how behaviors within an environmental context operate at the individual, organizational, community and societal levels—and to promoting effective interventions.