About ICH

Our History & Mission

Over the past ten years ICH has helped communities throughout Virginia assess their health needs, implement community-based programs, and evaluate "healthy community" outcomes. The Institute has contracts with state and federal agencies and non-profit organizations to conduct data analysis and studies on a range of topics including health planning, strategic planning, chronic disease trends, needs assessment, and evaluation of health programs.

Members of the Institute, working individually or with researchers at other institutions, conduct both applied and basic research on a variety of population health issues. Recent studies include chronic disease trends, the role of technology in community health, healthy housing, healthy community design, social networks and health, collaborative leadership, and Biosecurity.

The Institute provides technical assistance and information to communities and organizations to help them better respond to the health needs of their citizens, and to foster research on community health issues. Faculty in the Institute conduct research related to:

• Design and evaluation of prevention programs
• Chronic health issues
• Design of healthy communities
• Housing, the environment and health
• Information technology and health
• Biosecurity and public health preparedness