The Interdisciplinary Health Policy Institute (IHPI) fosters trans-disciplinary innovation in health and health care-related research and teaching across the Northern Arizona University campus.
Our researchers and teachers come from the health professions, humanities, sciences, social sciences, business, and engineering. The Institute welcomes the affiliation of all kinds of health-related researchers, teachers, and health care practitioners. Please see the Affiliation page for details on benefits and eligibility.
The Institute is composed of four specialty offices, each headed by a senior scientist who coordinates projects in his or her area.
The Institute also administers a Graduate Certificate in Interdiciplinary Heath Policy.
IHPI Offices
Health Disparities Improvement
The Office of Health Disparities Improvement conducts research and recommends policy that addresses health disparities related to race, gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Rural health care in Arizona, especially Native American health issues is a special emphasis of this office. HDI possesses substantial experience working with Arizona’s Native American tribes and a strong rapport with rural health care providers on and off tribal lands.
Wellness and Healthy Communities
The Office of Wellness and Healthy Communities conducts research and recommends policy pertaining to the root causes of wellness and health—in physiology, psychology, behavior, social institutions, and environmental conditions—so that healthy communities can be simultaneously understood at individual and systemic levels. WHC thereby expands the traditional boundaries of public health and prevention to encourage the initiation of new research from a wide variety of perspectives.
Health Information and Program Evaluation
The Office of Health Information and Program Evaluation provides infrastructure, consultation, and research support to both university and externally initiated projects to evaluate health programs and data at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels. HIPE provides critical information to public and private-sector decision-makers about the health status, health behaviors, health programs, and health needs of Arizona residents.
Health and Society Studies
The Office of Health and Society Studies administers the Institute’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Health Policy. HSS also fosters cross-disciplinary curriculum development in health-related areas, and oversees service-learning programs that accompany research projects conducted by other IHPI offices.