Behavioral medicine is a multidisciplinary field that seeks to understand the way a person’s genetic makeup, behavior and surrounding environment interact to determine that person’s health and development of various illnesses. Understanding this interaction leads to discovery of ways to prevent and diagnose disease, or treat individuals – based on their unique story, and the way it mirrors that of the community they belong to.

You will find behavioral medicine experts across Mayo Clinic – many of them within the Robert D. Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. Next week, Lila Finney Rutten, Ph.D., the scientific director of the Population Health Science Program in the Kern Center, is chairing the Society of Behavioral Medicine 36^th Annual Meeting (#SBM2015), April 22-25 in San Antonio. During the meeting, themed “Advancing the National Prevention Strategy through Behavioral Medicine Innovation,” some of Mayo’s research will be shared, new collaborations formed, and novel areas of exploration identified.

Mayo Clinic researchers and clinicians will have a strong presence at the meeting. Participation includes:

• Cancer Special Interest Group Course:  Translating Clinical Guidelines and Evidence-Based Medicine Using Implementation and Dissemination Science – Co-presenter Shawna Ehlers, Ph.D., Wednesday, Noon – 6 p.m.
• Health Decision Making Special Interest Group Course: What is a “Good” Medical Decision? – Co-presenter Robert Jacobson, M.D., Wednesday, 3:15 – 6 p.m.
• Featured Symposium : Use of Non-Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Containing Products in the U.S. Air Force – Chair Jon Ebbert, M.D., Thursday, 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
• Symposium: Using Technology to Improve Children's Health: A Tale of Three eHealth Research Programs – Co-chair Robert Jacobson, M.D., Friday, 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
• Paper Session: Mental Health Issues among Sexual Minorities – Chair Michelle van Ryn, Ph.D., Thursday, 12:45 – 1:30 p.m.
• Paper Session: HPV Vaccination – Co-chair Robert Jacobson, M.D. , Thursday 3:15 – 4:45 p.m.
• Paper Session: Who Uses E-Cigarettes and What is their Perceived Risk? – Co-chair Scott Leischow, Ph.D., Thursday 3:15 – 4:45 p.m.
• Paper Session: Health Communication and Information Seeking – Co-chair Lila Finney Rutten, Ph.D., Saturday, 8:45 – 10:15 a.m.

Some very interesting research posters will be presented as well, including one that has resulted in a practice change at Mayo Clinic – Starting the HPV vaccine at 9-10 years of age results in higher rates of on-time completion – presented by Jennifer St. Sauver, Ph.D., and illustrating the value of the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Also two presented by Mayo Research Fellow Amenah Agunwamba, Ph.D.:  Examining the impact of language proficiency on fast food consumption, and Stress, racial discrimination and tobacco-use differences across rural-urban California.

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Lila Finney Rutten, Ph.D.

Lila Finney Rutten, Ph.D.

Tags: About, Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Events, Jennifer St. Sauver, Jon Ebbert, Lila Rutten, population health, Robert Jacobson, Society of Behavioral Medicine