Research Programs
Our center's mission is realized through six key research programs.
Health Literacy & Learning Program (HeLP)
Founded in 2004, HeLP leads an internationally recognized research agenda dedicated to promoting health literacy and patient engagement. HeLP addresses known health and healthcare disparities through the re-design of health systems in order to facilitate an individual’s ability to obtain, process and understand health information needed to make informed decisions.
Director: Stacy Cooper Bailey PhD, MPH
Cognitive Aging Program (CAP)
This program is the home for research studies investigating how changes in cognitive and sensory function in older age (including but not limited to mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementias) influence specific self-management skills, health behaviors, functional status and clinical outcomes. CAP is unique in that it approaches the field of cognitive aging from an applied, health services research perspective by seeking to understand how health systems can better identify and manage individuals experiencing cognitive declines affecting their self-care ability.
Director: Laura Curtis, MS
Psychosocial Support Program (PSP)
Our program comprehensively examines psychosocial determinants of health and the role of formal and informal support networks — including caregivers — in the management of individuals with complex care needs. PSP applies mixed methods approaches to elucidate barriers and facilitators to optimal care management, and the development and evaluation of scalable health system strategies for identifying and mobilizing psychosocial support resources.
Director: Rachel O'Conor, PhD
Implementation Science Program
The Implementation Science Program seeks to identify effective strategies for promoting the uptake of evidence-based practices for chronic disease prevention and management in primary care. Leveraging strengths of the Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, the Implementation Science Program is multidisciplinary and highly collaborative. Faculty are dedicated to ensuring clinic-based interventions are acceptable, feasible and appropriate for multilevel stakeholders including patients, clinicians, and health systems. Implementation science theories as well as qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches are utilized.
Director: Allison Pack, MPH,PhD
Treatment Adherence Program (TAP)
This program focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of multifaceted, health system interventions seeking to improve an individual’s ability to fully understand, safely implement and adhere to recommended treatment regimens over time. TAP leverages electronic health record (EHR) platforms, consumer online and mobile technologies, external aids and clinical workflows to support patient behaviors, and medical/pharmacy practices in monitoring treatment safety and adherence.
Directors: Michael S. Wolf, PhD, MPH and Stacy Cooper Bailey PhD, MPH
Measurement & Analysis Program (MAP)
MAP oversees the design and conduct of quantitative and qualitative analyses across all programs. This includes but is not limited to epidemiological investigations, trajectory analyses, pragmatic clinical trials, risk stratification, psychometric analyses and more in-depth qualitative and mixed methods approaches. MAP also manages REDCap data capture software for CAHRA projects, as well as linkages to the Northwestern Medicine Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and other external data source partnerships, including Walgreens.
Director: Mary Kwasny, ScD