AHEAD Study

Academic Health Department Partnerships for Public Health

May 2022 – April 2027

The purpose of the AHEAD study is to understand how to leverage structures and processes of Academic Health Department (AHD) partnerships to facilitate implementation of cancer related evidence-based programs and policies.

Project Goals

  • Goal 1: Understand the structures of and processes within AHD partnerships, and the contextual factors that influence the ability of AHD partnerships to implement evidence-based programs and policies.
  • Goal 2: Test the effectiveness of strategies designed to increase the implementation of evidence-based programs and policies for cancer prevention and control by strengthening AHD partnerships.

Implications of Research & Practice

  • Our study addresses the implementation of evidence-based programs and policies (EBPPs) that have potential for a large, positive impact on cancer burden.
  • This first-of-its-kind study focuses on local-level collaborations that leverage complementary expertise of LHDs and academics to improve public health practice and support effective translation of research into practice.
  • Our results have the potential to impact the field by identifying new, sustainable models for how public health practitioners and academics can work together to meet common goals, increase use of EBPPs, and make efficient use of limited resources.

Project Contact

Jess Gannon, MSW, Jessica.Gannon@wustl.edu

Project Staff

Principal Investigator: Stephanie Mazzucca-Ragan, PhD

Co-Investigators: Ross Brownson, PhD; Paul Erwin, MD, DrPH; Peg Allen, PhD, MPH; Rebecca Lengnick-Hall, PhD; Abigail Barker, PhD; Yan Yan, MD, PhD

Program Manager: Jess Gannon, MSW

Research Assistant: Madisen Brewer, MPH

Data and Methods Strategist: Rebekah Jacob, MPH, MSW

Project Partners

Public Health Foundation (PHF); National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO); and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD).

Funding Source

The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute