Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

AIR is committed to improving the public’s physical and mental health and addressing health disparities by delivering evidence-based, audience-centric information, and effective support. AIR’s experts use a variety of strategies to increase awareness, engage stakeholders, and ultimately effect positive changes in individuals’ health behaviors and the health status of communities.

Our work targets public health entities, providers, patients and families, and communities to increase understanding and access to services that support health prevention and promotion. This includes addressing challenges related to behavioral health such as opioid use disorder, management of chronic conditions like HIV/AIDs and Chronic Kidney Disease, and addressing issues related to vaccine hesitancy. Other health promotion strategies include engaging stakeholders and providing technical assistance to prevent youth violence and promote safe schools, working with partners at all levels of society to raise awareness of adolescent mental health issues, and working with national and local stakeholders to adopt physical activity guidelines developed by AIR.

AIR’s sister agency, IMPAQ International, also supports the federal government’s efforts to prevent and manage chronic and infectious disease. More information on these projects is available on IMPAQ International’s website.

Latest Work

22 Apr 2021
Brief

Separating Myth from Reality: Telehealth Expansion and the Potential for Fraud

As the number of telehealth services increased during the COVID-19 public health emergency, so did concerns that such expansion may lead to an increase in fraud and abuse, particularly within the Medicare program. To ascertain whether this increase has been associated with the unnecessary or excessive use of healthcare, health policy researchers from IMPAQ, Index Analytics, and AIR reviewed the accuracy of claims that increased use of telehealth is likely to increase fraud and abuse.
Image of kids running outside school, wearing masks
12 Apr 2021
Q & A

How Expanded Learning Programs and Schools Work Together to Support California Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AIR partnered with Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) and the Partnership for Children and Youth to create resources that help educators strengthen partnerships between expanded learning programs and schools; plan integrated whole child supports; and design in-person learning hubs. In this Q&A, AIR Researcher Femi Vance describes the interconnected nature of these concepts and programs and their connection to equity.
24 Mar 2021 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Event

Evidence-based Home Visiting in the Era of COVID-19

AIR hosted a webinar on Thursday, March 24 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET, for practitioners and researchers from the home visiting field. The webinar shared findings from a pilot study testing a new approach to implementing an evidence-based language practice in Part C Early Intervention, Early Head Start, and Parents As Teachers home visiting.
Infographic: 43% of respondents feel everyone should be required to get the vaccine
23 Mar 2021
In the Field

Understanding Patients’ Feelings on COVID-19 Vaccinations and Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy

Despite promising vaccine trial data, some individuals, particularly Black Americans and people living in rural areas, remain hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19. A nationally representative survey from the American Institutes for Research provides additional data on how the public feels about vaccine access, prioritization, and requirements.
Infographic: 50% of respondents feel safer when patients and staff are required to wear a mask
16 Mar 2021
In the Field

What Health Care Providers Should Know about Patients’ Hesitancy to Seek in-Person Care

Considering the decline in preventive care services and the continuing pandemic, it is important that health care providers ensure that their patients understand the continued need for preventive care and the efforts health care providers and systems have taken to make health care seeking behavior safe. Because they have likely established trust with their patients, providers are best positioned to communicate when a patient should receive in-person care or whether telehealth is sufficient; AIR’s survey provides further insights.
Infographic: Health Care Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic Survey Results
14 Jan 2021
In the Field

How Willing Are People in the U.S. to Seek Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Besides the direct impact of COVID-19 on daily life, the pandemic has affected how individuals approach their personal health and well-being, including if and how they seek health care services.
30 Dec 2020
Report

To What Extent Does In-Person Schooling Contribute to the Spread of COVID-19? Evidence from Michigan and Washington

The instructional modality of schools (in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction) has implications not only for the health and safety of students and staff, but also student learning and the degree to which parents can engage in job activities. In this working paper, we consider the role of instructional modality in disease spread among the wider community.
Image of Erica Shelton
1 Dec 2020
Video

Bridging Health Care Research and Practice

Evidence-based health care information helps both the public and organizations make sound decisions. In this video, Erica Shelton shares how her experience as an emergency medicine physician plays a role in providing technical assistance at AIR, where she is a principal health clinician researcher.
31 Aug 2020
Brief

The Expansion of Telehealth: Equity Considerations for Policymakers, Providers, and Payers

Health policy researchers from IMPAQ and AIR have been tracking and analyzing the rapid advancements in telehealth delivery and accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief explores how policymakers, providers, and payers can increase access to telehealth for diverse patient populations; navigate issues of digital literacy; expand broadband access; and shift toward a health care system that incentivizes both value and equity.
Woman and child hugging
26 Jun 2020
Spotlight

Raising Awareness of HIV/AIDS Prevention

Across the world, medical and government leaders are working toward an “AIDS-free generation,” based on the promising potential of effective treatments. Learn more about the latest work in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention.
Project

Investigating Health Care Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, rates for routine preventive care and chronic condition monitoring have dropped as efforts have increased to limit exposure and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Through administration of a national survey, researchers at AIR seek to understand and assess changes in individuals’ usage of medical and dental services before and after the public health emergency.
28 May 2020
Q & A

A Quick Word with: Kathleen Guarino on Mental Health During a Health Crisis

Kathleen Guarino is a senior technical assistance consultant at AIR with expertise in child mental health, trauma, and trauma-informed care. In this Q&A, she discusses the challenges—and some unexpected opportunities—around mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine.
Image of colorful masks
28 May 2020
In the Field

AIR’s Megan Eccleston Launches Find the Helpers, Builds a “Mask Empire” for COVID-19 Response

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, AIR’s Megan Eccleston plunged unexpectedly into a once-in-a-lifetime extracurricular challenge: organizing a grassroots volunteer initiative to help hospitals desperate for face masks and other supplies. With her professional expertise—and a can-do spirit—Megan has built a multi-state coalition of thousands of volunteers that has delivered nearly one million masks to hospitals in just three months.
15 May 2020
Brief

The Promise of Telehealth for Addressing COVID-19

The use of telehealth has increased during the current global coronavirus pandemic. The word "telehealth" is sometimes used interchangeably with "telemedicine," but these terms mean different things. This brief explores those differences, how remote health care services work and for what conditions, and what policy changes have occurred to expand access to remote health care.
Project

Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury or Illness Network (RETAIN)

Experiencing an occupational or non-occupational injury or illness may significantly impact one’s ability to maintain or obtain employment, along with their employer’s business investment and productivity and overall economic activity at all levels of government. The Retaining Employment and Talent After Injury or Illness Network (RETAIN) project focuses on building state level capacity across eight states in stay-at-home/return-to-work strategies to positively address these impacts.
Project

Surgeon General’s Report on Community Health and Economic Prosperity

The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 exposed additional costs as the virus claimed more lives among those with certain underlying conditions—such as obesity and diabetes—and disrupted the American economy to a grave extent. AIR worked with CDC and the Office of the Surgeon General to produce the Surgeon General’s Report, Community Health and Economic Prosperity: Engaging Businesses as Stewards and Stakeholders, which aims to demonstrate the link between healthier communities and economic prosperity, and make the case for the private sector to invest in improving community health.
Image of DNA double helix
7 May 2018
Journal Article

Genetic Test Availability and Spending: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?

Genetic testing and spending on that testing have grown rapidly since the mapping of the human genome in 2003. However, it is not widely known how many tests there are, how they are used, and how they are paid for. We examined test availability and spending for the full spectrum of genetic tests, using unique data sources on test availability and commercial payer spending for privately insured populations, focusing particularly on tests measuring multiple genes in the period 2014–17.
Project

DC Summer Food Finder

While the DC Free Summer Meals program offers no-cost food to students throughout the city, families have often had difficulty finding the locations where meals are available. As a part of AIR’s Socially Responsible Analytics Initiative, we partnered with the District of Columbia Public Schools to build a website that helps students and families find and access free meals and healthy food across the city.
Project

Children and Society: A Global Scan of Child Well-Being

All children deserve to live healthy lives and experience positive well-being. The aim for this work is to understand the context that includes the norms, values, and conditions that underpin child well-being in various countries, with the intention of transferring and applying that knowledge to the United States.
Project

HIV Prevention and Linkage to Care Services for Transgender Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations

Many cultural, socioeconomic, and health-related factors contribute to the HIV epidemic and prevention challenges in U.S. transgender communities. As part of the Act Against AIDS Initiative, AIR works with the CDC to adapt existing and develop new HIV prevention and communication materials for healthcare providers and community-based organizations that treat transgender populations.
Project

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Information Clearinghouses Support

AIR works with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to translate research into evidence-based messages and disseminate information.
Project

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Outreach

Exposure to toxic substances pose a serious health risk for Americans. AIR collaborated with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to develop a strategic plan and to create a risk communication training course to prepare health communication specialists for managing risk communication activities in the field.
Project

Strategic Communications for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

The media plays a significant role in shaping how Americans perceive, understand, and respond to serious public health challenges. AIR works with the CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention’s news media team on nearly every major development concerning these diseases.
Project

Anti-Human Trafficking Public Awareness Integrated Marketing Services (AIMS)

Disadvantaged populations are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. AIR helps support the distribution of free materials that raise public awareness around human trafficking and connect victims to emergency services.
Project

Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking and Health

Since the first Surgeon General’s Report was released in 1964, scientific evidence on smoking and disease has expanded, linking exposure to tobacco smoke with an ever-increasing number of diseases and adverse health consequences. AIR continues to assist the CDC in the production of the report.
Project

HIV Treatment Works: Encouraging People Living With HIV to Get in Care, Stay in Care, Live Well

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only approximately one in four people living with HIV currently has the virus under control. HIV Treatment Works, a national communication campaign, encourages people living with HIV to get in care, start taking HIV medications, remain in care, and adhere to treatment.
Project

Understanding Barriers to Testing for Women with Gestational Diabetes

Nearly 10 percent of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, and up to 30 percent of those will develop Type 2 diabetes as they age. Yet many of these women do not check their blood glucose levels as often as they should. AIR researchers studied why women at high risk avoid testing.
Surgeon General 50 Yrs of Progress logo
17 Jan 2014
Report

AIR a Key Partner in the 2014 Surgeon General's Report on Smoking & Health

The latest Surgeon General’s Report, “The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress,” marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark reports warning about the health hazards of smoking. Fifty years, 20 million American deaths, and 32 Surgeon General Reports later, smoking has retained its decades-old spot as the largest single cause of preventable death and disease for U.S. citizens.
Project

Sexual Health Communication Framework

Opinions on how to address sexual health issues are diverse, reflecting the wide-ranging values of individuals and groups seeking solutions. AIR worked closely with CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention to develop and test a new evidence-based communication framework for sexual health.

Project

Outreach and Support for the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

AIR delivers communication and outreach support to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, conducting audience research, developing messages and materials, devising partnership and outreach plans, and providing warehousing and distribution services.

Project

Let’s Stop HIV Together: Real People Living with HIV

AIR has supported CDC's Act Against AIDS campaign to raise awareness and combat complacency since before its White House launch in 2009. In 2012, AIR worked with CDC to develop a new national awareness and anti-stigma campaign, Let's Stop HIV Together.

Project

Physical Activity and Dietary Guidelines

AIR works alongside the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion to support public health professionals, health care providers, and policymakers in adapting and applying dietary and physical activity guidelines in their work.

Project

Take the Lead: Raising Awareness of Pandemic Flu

AIR supported CDC’s Take the Lead: Working Together to Prepare Now campaign, designed to mobilize local leaders—such as health care providers, employers, and faith-based and civic leaders—to raise awareness of pandemic flu and encourage the community to prepare and respond to flu outbreaks.

Project

The Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative Program

AIR’s evaluation of two National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) community-based initiatives will contribute to improved service delivery and a better understanding of the effectiveness of community-based programs for health promotion.

3 Aug 2012
Video

Building Awareness About HIV/AIDS: Julia Galdo Discusses Ongoing Challenges in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

AIR works to build awareness about the ongoing risk of HIV/AIDS, especially the long odds in high-risk communities. AIR's Health Program translates HIV research into effective communication for the general public, working with partners such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
14 Feb 2011
Report

Heart Healthy Cookbooks from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

AIR staff helped create Keep the Beat™ Recipes: Deliciously Healthy Family Meals, an exciting new cookbook from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) featuring 40 kid-tested recipes that parents and children can enjoy together as well as time-saving tips and helpful resources for busy families.

Project

Vaccine Safety

AIR conducted media and influencer analyses that examined the content and tone of traditional and online media coverage of vaccines and vaccine safety, identified supportive individuals and organizations, and recommended influential and vocal allies. Our findings helped inform the National Vaccine Program Office's messaging and media outreach strategy.

Project

Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza Population Monitoring Surveys

AIR conducted a series of surveys to assess the public’s knowledge, attitudes and behavior with respect to seasonal and pandemic influenza in 2007. We are continuing the series, focusing on H1N1 high-risk populations in 2009 and 2010.
21 Sep 2005 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

AIR Health Communications Experts Available to Share Insight in Celebration of National Women's Health & Fitness Day

In celebration of the fourth annual National Women’s Health & Fitness Day on Wednesday, September 28, experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will be available to discuss topics related to women’s health and fitness such as the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating habits; cancer screenings; reproductive health and prenatal care; and ways to enhance health and prevent complications while living with diabetes.

Project

Communicating About Pandemic Flu

AIR is working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Marketing to help individuals and communities prepare for a possible influenza pandemic.