Welcome

The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health (VCBH), led by Director Stephen T. Higgins, PhD, is an interdisciplinary research center committed to investigating relationships between personal behavior patterns (i.e., lifestyle) and risk for chronic disease and premature death. Our work has historically focused on health disparities for the most vulnerable populations, particularly among the socioeconomically disadvantaged where these risk factors are overrepresented.

 

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Located in Burlington, VT at the University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, VCBH researchers have a specific focus on understanding mechanisms underpinning risk and developing effective interventions and policies to promote healthy behavior. A common thread across VCBH research projects is the application of knowledge from the disciplines of behavioral economics and behavioral pharmacology to increase understanding of vulnerability to unhealthy behavior and the use of incentives and other behavioral and pharmacological interventions to support healthy behavior change interventions and policies.

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Upcoming VCBH Events

Monthly Lecture Series:

April 16:
Ryan Vandrey, PhD
Johns Hopkins University

May 21:
Katie Witkiewitz, PhD
University of New Mexico

Visit the Center on Rural Addiction

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VCBH Career Opportunities

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Click here for more information.

VCBH News

  • Stacey Sigmon and Sherrie Khadanga Receive Gender Equity Award Recognition
    Vermont Center on Behavior and Health members Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D., and Sherrie Khadanga, M.D., will be recognized at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine's Celebration of Gender Equity in Medicine and Science. Dr. Sigmon is the 2023 recipient of the Gender Equity Outstanding Achievement in Medicine and Science Award, and Dr. Khadanga is the winner of the 2023 Rising Star Emerging Professional Award.
  • VCBH Presents Preventive Medicine Ninth Special Issue, November 2022
    The November 2022 Special Issue of Preventive Medicine is now available. The ninth in a series that focuses on behavior change, health, and health disparities, this issue includes select research in the field of tobacco control and regulatory science. VCBH Director Stephen Higgins, PhD organized the selection of papers and acted as guest editor.
  • Innovative Approaches Hold Promise for Improving Rural Health Across Region
    Located in a rural state with a population among the oldest in the nation, the Larner College of Medicine has long been committed to finding innovative ways to provide and improve access to health care for not only the elderly, but also all residents, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. Several research initiatives at the college focus on new approaches to help patients in these regions.
  • VCBH Director Gives Plenary Lecture at Brown University School of Public Health
    Stephen Higgins, PhD, Director of the VCBH, presented a plenary lecture at Brown University School of Public Health on November 4, 2022. The presentation, "Leveraging the Reinforcement Process to Improve Health," is now available for viewing on YouTube.
  • Contingency Management and Addiction Recovery
    On September 7, 2022, AP News published "Candy, cash, gifts: How rewards help recovery from addiction," an inside look at how contingency management (CM), an evidence-based therapy rooted in behavioral economics that provides incentives or rewards for a desired behavior, is gaining support across the country and with the federal government. VCBH Director Stephen Higgins contributed to the story.