Health Policy & Management Research & Practice
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Research Overview
The Department of Health Policy and Management’s collaborative research and robust practice span across topics, settings, and approaches. From policy analysis to qualitative studies, children’s health to cancer, and The Carter Center to state legislature, our faculty, staff, and students are doing the work that matters to improve population health.
Our Research Topics and Types
Research Topics
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular health
- Children's health
- Chronic disease
- Mental health
- Obesity
- Reproductive health
- Transplantation
- Women’s health
Research Types
- Cost effectiveness analysis
- Econometrics
- Comparative health systems
- Quality of life measures
- Mixed methods
- Outcomes measurement
- Managing secondary databases
- Qualitative methods
Research Spotlight
HPM Research Making an Impact
New Survey Reveals Top Health Concerns Among Georgia Parents
Georgia parents ranked education and school quality as their most urgent concern. Social media and bullying closely followed.
Symptom Monitoring App Reduces High-Cost Health Visits for Breast Cancer Patients
In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, a team of researchers led by Ilana Graetz, PhD, associate professor of health policy and management, evaluated an intervention to improve AET adherence.
Ask an Expert: Youth Mental Health With Janet R. Cummings
Dr. Cummings discusses the youth mental health crisis, barriers to improvement, and opportunities for change
Focus Areas
Our Areas of Expertise
Cancer care is a critical component of public health, but access to timely and effective treatment is a significant challenge. Disparities in health care access, particularly in underserved and rural communities, can delay diagnosis, limit treatment options, and worsen outcomes for those affected by cancer.
Ensuring equitable delivery of and access to health care is essential for improving cancer survival rates and quality of life. Our faculty are doing work that strengthens health care systems and innovates cancer treatment and prevention strategies to improve outcomes.
Our faculty are studying topics such as:
- The usage of telemedicine and mobile health technology to improve cancer treatment adherence
- The impact of health literacy on cancer treatment outcomes
- Tailoring HPV-associated cancer prevention efforts for LGBTQ+ communities
- Expanding access to HPV-associated cancer prevention and treatment in rural, underserved areas
- Evaluating the impact of health policy on access to cancer screening, treatment, and outcomes
- Assessing how factors such as care quality, cancer stage, and evidence-based treatment recommendations affect the health outcomes of people living with cancer
Maternal and child health are critical pillars of public health. The well-being of mothers and children directly influences the health of entire communities and future generations. Strong maternal health ensures safer pregnancies and deliveries, while optimal child health lays the foundation for lifelong well-being and development.
Our faculty are dedicated to research and practice that improve the lives of women and children in the U.S. through increasing access to health services. They are engaged in topics and projects such as:
- How social and community-level factors influence maternal morbidity and mortality
- Medicaid access and utilization by women and children in Georgia
- Maternal opioid use disorder
- Child health policy
- Initiatives that fill critical knowledge gaps in policy and health system approaches for reducing disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality
- Evaluations for economic and health interventions designed to support new mothers
Mental health impacts the health of not only individuals, but also families and communities worldwide. As the prevalence of mental health disorders continues to rise and the opioid epidemic rages on, effective policy interventions are essential. Public health approaches that integrate mental health care, substance use prevention, and treatment can reduce stigma, improve access to care, and enhance outcomes for those affected.
Our faculty are engaged in topics such as:
- Maternal substance use and treatment
- The role of the safety net programs in meeting the needs of underserved populations with mental health and substance use disorders
- Adolescent and school-based mental health services
Centers & Labs
Specialized Research Centers
Maternal and Child Health Center of Excellence
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center of Excellence aims to improve the health of mothers, infants, children, youth, and their families by training future and current MCH practitioners, supporting innovative projects and events, and connecting members with opportunities to learn, collaborate, and create lasting change.
Emory Center for Child Health Policy
Select faculty lead the Emory Center for Child Health Policy, which advances the health and wellbeing of children and families by generating timely evidence, informing public discourse, and training future leaders in child health policy—ensuring that policy solutions are grounded in science and responsive to community priorities.
Center for Mental Health Implementation Support
Select faculty members lead the East Coast Hub of the Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS), which supports organizations and systems to prepare for, implement, and sustain effective mental health programs and practices.
Emory Health Services Research Center
Emory School of Medicine's Health Services Research Center is committed to advancing health care access, quality of health care delivery, and health outcomes of patients and populations. It supports health services research studies that aim to enhance, improve, and revise health care systems so that they can deliver the highest value and drive the best patient outcomes.
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