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:

November 20:
Joseph McClernon, PhD
Duke University

December 18:
Hugh Garavan, PhD
University of Vermont

Visit the Center on Rural Addiction

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VCBH Career Opportunities

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Click here for more information.

VCBH News

More States Looking at COVID-19 Vaccine Incentive Programs

May 14, 2021 by Nicole Twohig

As the US begins to see demand for COVID-19 vaccines plateau, some states have started implementing incentive programs to encourage residents to get one of the three vaccines available: Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Recently announced incentive programs are supported by numerous research studies that support the efficacy of incentivizing vaccine adherence.

As the US begins to see demand for COVID-19 vaccines plateau, some states have started implementing incentive programs to encourage residents to get one of the three vaccines available: Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson. Recently announced incentive programs are supported by numerous research studies that support the efficacy of incentivizing vaccine adherence.

On May 3rd, VCBH Director Stephen T. Higgins, PhD spoke with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s June Leffler about Governor Jim Justice’s plan to offer $100 savings bonds to those 35 and younger as an incentive to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Most recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a lottery for vaccinated adults that will pay out $1 million each to five winners beginning May 26. Separately, DeWine is offering five vaccinated teenagers full-ride scholarships to the state’s public universities, which includes all four years of tuition, room, board, and textbooks. In Connecticut, the Connecticut Restaurant Association is partnering with Governor Lamont to launch the #CTDrinksOnUs campaign where participating Connecticut restaurants will offer complimentary drinks to vaccinated patrons between May 19-31. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo began a promotion that would provide free tickets to Mets games from May 24 through June 17 and to Yankee games from May 7 through June 6 for newly vaccinated people, along with another promotion that gave residents free weekly subway passes. The expectation is more states will announce incentive-based programs to increase vaccine uptake and encourage people to keep their second-dose appointments.