Mission Statement
The Johns Hopkins Adherence Research Center (JHARC), soon to be called the Behavior and Implementation Research Center (BIRCH), is a leader in the design of innovative interventions supporting behavior change to improve health and healthcare delivery. Interventions include: promoting adherence, the measurement and evaluation of adherence within clinical trials, community and stakeholder partnerships, and implementation science. Over the last two decades, faculty have been conducting studies of adherence measurement and promotion interventions. JHARC has received continuous NIH funding for studies related to the measurement of adherence and self management interventions. In addition to investigator-initiated studies, faculty members consult with the pharmaceutical industry, nonprofit organizations, and faculty at other academic institutions. JHARC is an international leader in the development and use of electronic medication monitoring devices. Projects have included a broad age range (preschool to geriatrics) and a wide variety of illnesses (e.g., asthma, cystic fibrosis, CKD, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell disease, and diabetes). Faculty are particularly interested in identifying and addressing behavioral and social determinants associated with health outcomes and health disparities. JHARC values developing community and stakeholder partnerships on projects from research design to implementation and applies implementation science methods to improve healthcare deliver and access.
Research Labs
Consulting Areas of Expertise
- Data Management and Statistical Analyses
- Measurement
- Selection
- Development
- Intervention Development
- Dissemination and Implementation
- Clinical Settings
- Community Settings
Collaborations and Partnerships
- Baltimore City and Baltimore County Head Start Programs
- Baltimore City Health Department
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Children’s National Medical Center
- The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
If interested in consultations or collaborations, please visit our Faculty and Staff page for contact information.
Training Program
The JHARC faculty are dedicated to providing training and mentorship in the behavioral and psychosocial aspects of adherence research. Clinical research opportunities are available for trainees at all levels, ranging from undergraduate students through postdoctoral fellows.
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Undergraduate students majoring in psychology, pre-med, and other related fields at local universities can gain foundational research skills through their experiences as part-time research staff on JHARC studies. Previous college students have gained experience with data collection in medical clinics and home visits, have developed research lab organizational skills through data entry and management, and have participated in data analysis and dissemination by serving as a co-author on conference abstracts, presentations, and publications. Mentorship around higher education in the fields of behavioral and public health is available.
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Graduate students in medicine, public health, and psychology can gain advanced skills in clinical research across a variety of JHARC studies. Opportunities are available for clinical graduate students to deliver clinical interventions to children with chronic conditions and their families under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists. In addition, previous graduate students have taken the lead on quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses, submitted and presented abstracts at national conferences, and published peer-reviewed manuscripts from existing JHARC datasets. Mentorship around careers in behavioral health sciences and public health is available.
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The JHARC postdoctoral fellowship is a training program for individuals with a PhD in psychology or related medical/behavioral science fields with a primary interest and experience in health psychology or behavioral medicine. The fellowship focuses on research related to behavioral and psychosocial aspects of having and managing a chronic condition in children, adolescents, and young adults. Adherence to pulmonary conditions comprises the majority of research focus within JHARC, although there are also ongoing studies and opportunities for collaborative research in other chronic condition populations. The major fellowship training experiences include data analysis and manuscript publication, grantwriting, and study management. Fellows receive mentorship and support to develop their own research project. Didactic activities include participation in a multidisciplinary journal club and research in progress meetings with fellows in pulmonary medicine, in addition to a menu of medical and behavioral rounds available across the Johns Hopkins University and Hospital campuses. Specific training is provided in clinical trials methodology, advanced statistical analyses, and grantsmanship.
Previous postdoctoral fellows at JHARC have gone on to have successful academic careers. Many previous fellows have obtained independent funding from NIH and are involved in leadership positions within their own institution and on national efforts. Previous fellows are currently on faculty at the following institutions:
- Yale
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University
- Bucknell University
- Children’s National Medical Center
- Johns Hopkins University
- McGill University
- National Science Foundation
- UCLA
- UCSF School of Medicine
- University of Arizona
- University of Illinois
- Baylor College of Medicine