HABIT Laboratory for Innovation

The Health Analytics, Behavioral Interventions, and Technology (HABIT) laboratory is a foundation for expertise and capability in internet and mHealth research methods to address issues in health promotion/prevention, adherenceand specialty/complex care coordination.  It was formed at the intersection of information technology, health services research, psychology, sociology, health policy and data analytics.  HABIT has a multidisciplinary team that includes faculty co-mentors from technology, health services research, psychology, nursing, health promotion, disparities research and research ethics.  This interdisciplinary nature supports research strategies and technology-centered activities to foster greater innovation and improved health outcomes for patients with chronic illnesses.

Key areas of research include:

  • Internet/mobile-based research for improving quality of care for chronic illnesses
  • Use of behavioral change theories as a framework for interventions
  • Population health management powered by big data and predictive analytics

 

Ongoing projects include:

  • Healthy Ideas Exchange, which investigates the effectiveness of mobile-based "hooks" and "nudges" to promote recommended flossing habits in children
  • Mobile Health Passport and Digital Assistive Tool for Sickle Cell Disease, which will utilize a gamified self-reported symptom and behavior tracker and predictive alerts to improve health outcomes and decrease health utilization rates
  • Technology to Advance Children's Health (TeACH) portal, which offers a web portal for parents of preterm very-low-birth-weight infants

 

Director:  Jason Wang, MD, PhD