Health Promotion Across the Lifespan

Promoting health and preventing disease at every stage of life is at the core of UConn’s research mission. As a leader in healthcare research, UConn advances behavioral, physiological, and social health sciences, with experts in health behavior change, policy advocacy, and innovative interventions.

Researchers develop programs that encourage healthy diets and physical activity, apply genetics and genomics to health challenges, and use technologies like mobile apps, social media, and web-based tools to influence health behaviors through diverse methods.

Through the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), UConn tackles global health priorities such as food insecurity, weight loss, physical activity, gun injury prevention, pain management, substance abuse, and new technologies that promote healthy living. The Korey Stringer Institute leads internationally in reducing heat stress and preventing sudden death among the physically active.

UConn also addresses social determinants of health and other factors that impact equity and outcomes, supporting holistic well-being for all. Mental health is central to this work: the School of Medicine’s psychiatric researchers study mental, emotional, and behavioral health disorders; the School of Dental Medicine advances community dental care informed by behavioral science; and the Department of Psychological Sciences leads collaborative studies on psychopathology.

Together, UConn researchers are helping people live their healthiest lives — in mind and body — across the lifespan.

a mature man, likely experiencing discomfort or pain, as he grasps his hand with a look of discomfort on his face.

Center for Advancement in Managing Pain (CAMP)

Develops effective pain treatments, with an emphasis on non-opioid approaches.

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Hand holding a sign with slogan Stop Gun Violence and black pistol strikethrough. Woman with placard at protest rally demonstration strike to ban weapons and end shooting.

Center for Advancing Research, Methods, and Scholarship in Gun Injury Prevention (ARMS)

Facilitates high-quality, original gun injury and violence prevention scholarship.

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Center for Applied Research in Human Development (CARHD)

Improves outcomes for sociodemographically marginalized populations by informing and evaluating interventions intended for public benefit.

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Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD)

Supports individuals with disabilities and their families in obtaining the services and resources they need to live fulfilling lives in the community, through research, evaluation, and public policy analysis.

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Center for mHealth & Social Media

Explores novel applications of digital technologies to health problems, developing new methodologies with digital health tools to conduct clinical research.

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Students gather on Horsebarn Hill for the UConn Rec Center’s Sunset Yoga program on Sept. 2, 2022. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

Center for Population Health

Focuses on monitoring health trends and improving healthcare outcomes across diverse populations.

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Mary Carroll Root helps participants during a Powerful Aging Exercise class at the Avon Senior Center.

Center on Aging

Increases knowledge of the aging process and discovers new strategies to promote the functional health and quality of life of older adults.

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Lindsay Distefano, associate professor of kinesiology,shows children how to exercise on a playground at the Mansfield Community Center on Aug. 3, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Collaboratory on School & Child Health (CSCH)

Facilitates innovative and impactful connections to advance equity in school and child health.

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Volunteer eye doctor holds up three fingers while checking a little girl's vision. The girl and her mom are visiting a free clinic.

Health Disparities Institute (HDI)

Tackles the root causes of health inequities and implements sustainable solutions with disproportionately impacted communities.

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Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP)

Conducts innovative research that impacts human health and well-being from numerous analytical lenses and approaches.

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Institute for Sports Medicine

Evaluates the effectiveness of current sports medicine practices and develops evidence-based intervention programming to improve the health and well-being of athletes.

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A group of four mature African-American women standing together outdoors in the back yard, side by side, smiling and talking. The tall one is a senior woman in her 60s. Her friends are in their 50s.

International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice (ICLIP)

Brings together researchers, historians, and others from around the world to promote health and well-being through the emerging field of life stories.

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Professional triathlete Jon Fecik rides a stationary bike during his workout in the Korey Stringer Institute’s Mission Heat Lab on Sept. 8, 2022. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

Korey Stringer Institute (KSI)

Develops practical strategies to prevent sudden death in sport, military, and labor, and promotes health in the physically active.

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Musculoskeletal Institute

Conducts research on bone repair, osteoporosis, cartilage metabolism, soft tissue repair, stem cell therapies, tissue engineering, and more.

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Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center

Promotes new healthcare technology innovations through collaboration between nursing and engineering.

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Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health

Promotes solutions to food insecurity, poor diet quality, and weight bias through research and policy.

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Young multiracial agricultural workers are using a laptop and checking down the condition of tomatoes in a large greenhouse.

Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy

Provides economic analysis for problems related to food, environment, energy, and sustainable economic development.

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