The Socio-Behavioral Program was organized in 1996 by Dr. Victor Stretcher to develop the social, behavioral and policy aspects of cancer prevention and control within the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. In its fourth year, the Socio-Behavioral Program now has 30 members from sixteen departments in five schools: Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Dentistry and Literature, Science and Arts, as well as the Institute for Social Research, and over $2.4 million in annual direct research funding. Development of this program coincided with the development of the Biomedical Program, led by Dr. Dean Brenner. The two Programs were designed to maximize both intra- and inter- programmatic interactions. The Socio-Behavioral Program focuses on four thematic areas: (1) Health Communications, (2) Health Services Research, (3) Quality of Life, and (4) Tobacco Control. Each of the four thematic areas is growing in both number of investigators and in research activity. Investigators from these thematic areas interact with investigators from other thematic areas, both within and outside of the Socio-Behavioral Program. Throughout the description of this Program, examples are presented of intra- and inter-programmatic interactions. Under the direction of program leaders Drs. Stretcher and Cimprich, it is noteworthy that this Program has brought together numerous and diverse investigators who have not historically collaborated or even interacted with one another. Investigators from the Socio-Behavioral Program are involved in a number of projects with investigators from the Cancer Center's clinical programs, particularly in the areas of health services and quality of life research. Within the Program, policy and psychopharmacology disciplines meet to pursue harm reduction tissues in tobacco control; clinical and electronic media disciplines meet to develop web sites to improve physician-patient interactions; nursing and social science disciplines meet to pursue quality of life issues after cancer treatment. Also within the Program, thematic areas often overlap. Numerous grant proposals have been create through interactions; nursing and social science disciplines meet to pursue quality of life issues after cancer treatment. Also within the Program, thematic areas over overlap. Numerous grant proposals have been create through interactions between researchers in health communications, health services research, quality of life and tobacco control. The Program also interacts strongly with the Biomedical Program within Cancer Prevention and Control. In particular, investigators from the Socio-Behavioral Program work frequently with epidemiology, biostatistics and genetics researchers from the Biomedical Program. Interactions with the Biomedical Program often focus on bridging etiological and intervention-related issues. The ability to screen for BRCA1 and BRCA2, for example, is paralleled by issues concerning population-based risk communication and follow-up. Our ability to identify genes that influence that influence nicotine dependence may, in the future, be matched with our ability to appropriately identify and intervene at an early age with appropriately tailored programs. The Socio-Behavioral Program has either created or collaborated with networks in each of the thematic areas. Across the University of Michigan, each of these networks now extends beyond cancer prevention and control issues.. For example, the Health Media Research Laboratory is a central component of the Health Communications theme area, and was created by the Cancer Center. This Laboratory is also new a hub for many health communications projects. The Cancer Center played a key role in the development of the Tobacco Research Network, whose members now extends to other units of the University, including the Law School. Although the Cancer Center was not responsible for the development of the Consortium for Health Outcomes, Innovation and Cost-Effectiveness Studies (CHOICES), this Consortium is proving to be an effective network for health services research activities in cancer prevention and control. Finally, the Quality of Life Research Special Interest Group was developed by Dr. Cimprich, with strong support from the Cancer Center. This Interest Group now extends to researchers throughout the University. The Socio-Behavioral Program is also active in State-based cancer prevention and control activities, both in research and in service. Investigators from the Socio-Behavioral Program participate in priority- setting for the State of Michigan through the Michigan Cancer Consortium. Through yearly research and demonstration project funding from the Michigan Department of Community Health to the Cancer Center, Socio-Behavioral Program members develop and evaluate programs that address the priorities for cancer reduction in the State of Michigan.
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