“Health Behavior and Chronic Disease” June 6-9, 2007 Co-Leaders: Vicki S. Helgeson & Michele Levine Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center Summer Institute

Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh & Carnegie Mellon University

Theme is to “understand the shared pathways—psychological, behavioral, and psychobiological—connecting chronic burdens and resources with onset and recovery from illness”

Chronic Burdens and Resource Bank: * Demographics * Social/environmental * Personal attributes Psychological Pathways Psychosocial Interventions Behavioral Pathways: Health habits, Restorative activities Biological Pathways Disability & Disease Precipitating Events Life Span Development/Aging

Two forms of the PMBC Summer Institute 1.Basic Pathways Linking Behavior & Disease 2.Behavioral Medicine Interventions

Basic Pathways Linking Behavior and Disease (2006-past; 2008 upcoming) 1)Provide an introduction to the ways in which behavioral factors or biobehavioral practices cause disease or affect pathophysiology, including identification of basic pathways linking health and behavior and sources of complexity inherent in studying them; 2)Describe and critically evaluate methodological approaches to the study of behavior inherent in diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infectious illnesses; 3)Provide knowledge and skills necessary for building etiological models of disease that feature behavioral factors as key components; and 4)Integrate conceptual models describing health and behavior relationships across groups and population subgroups.

Objectives of the 2007 Summer Institute 1.Provide a conceptual framework for behavioral medicine interventions to promote the ability to understand and evaluate behavioral medicine intervention research; 2.Expose participants to behavioral medicine interventions across different levels of intervention (i.e., interventions that target the individual, the health care provider, groups, the health care system, communities, society in general); 3.Familiarize participants with the evidence-based behavioral medicine interventions across different populations (i.e., children, adults, older adults, minority populations); 4.Familiarize participants with evidence-based behavioral medicine interventions across disorders using specific illnesses as exemplars (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disease); and 5.Provide a hands-on introduction to training in behavioral medicine interventions (e.g., diet and exercise interventions, motivational interviewing).

Who is attending the 2007 Summer Institute? 29 attendees 20 Ph.D.’s, 9 M.D.’s (7 of these M.P.H.; 2 nursing) Backgrounds in medicine, psychology, kinesiology, women’s studies, nursing and sociology 12 local 14 from other parts of the U.S. (California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, & West Virginia) 1 from Cyprus 1 from Canada 1 from Japan

Format of the Institute Morning lecturesMorning lectures Long lunches to encourage interactions with speakers, participants, members of PMBCLong lunches to encourage interactions with speakers, participants, members of PMBC Panel sessions in the afternoonPanel sessions in the afternoon Some themes: smoking, sleep, diet & physical activitySome themes: smoking, sleep, diet & physical activity Diseases covered: cancer, diabetes, HIV, cardiovascularDiseases covered: cancer, diabetes, HIV, cardiovascular Populations: Pediatric and adultPopulations: Pediatric and adult Reception on WednesdayReception on Wednesday Dinner on Friday eveningDinner on Friday evening