Formerly known as the Center for Behavioral Medicine, the Center for Behavioral and Community Health Studies (BACH) was established in 1982. BACH, within the Graduate School of Public Health at San Diego State University (S.D.S.U), conducts research relevant to the application of behavioral science principles to public health.

The Center Director is John P. Elder, Ph.D., MPH.

BACH encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among all university departments and community institutions. Active investigators include educators, scientists, and physicians from the Graduate School of Public Health and Department of Psychology at SDSU, the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the San Diego County Office of Education, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, and community health centers. Funding for Center projects comes from private foundation grants, national voluntary health agencies, federal sources (including several National Institutes of Health agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Defense), and state agencies such as the California Departments of Health Services and Education, and the University of California.

BACH in the News
The San Diego Union-Tribune recently published 3 articles that feature BACH.

"Center gets people to exercise together"
Lorena Godinez, 36, wants to be a healthier mother. Virginia Rodriguez, 45, plans to lose weight and get in shape. And Martha Grijalva, 35, hopes to encourage others to stop making excuses and walk, dance or otherwise get fit.
All three San Ysidro residents are recent participants in a new program called Familias Sanas y Activas, or Healthy and Active Families.
Sept. 4, 2007: Full article>>

"S.D. picked for federal health study of Hispanics"
The county's South Bay is one of four U.S. communities tapped for the largest and longest study of Hispanic health ever attempted in the nation. The $61 million federal project, announced yesterday, will follow a total of 16,000 people for nearly seven years, examining everything from their diet and exercise patterns to medication use and socioeconomic status.
Oct. 13, 2006: Full article >>

"SDSU program introduces nutrition strategies for kids"
The frog leap, led by second-grader Carlos Ruiz at Smythe Elementary School in San Ysidro, and other playground activities are part of a San Diego State University program to promote healthy eating and combat adolescent obesity.
Oct. 16, 2006: Full article>>

BACH's Mission
The mission of BACH is to contribute to improve health in San Diego County and elsewhere through research, application and evaluation of principles and programs related to health promotion, disease prevention, and behavior change in community settings. Our emphasis has been on research related to chronic-disease risk reduction, including tobacco and alcohol use; women's cancer prevention and early detection; nutritional health; obesity prevention; and skin cancer prevention. We have applied these content areas among Latino and other ethnically diverse groups, youth, and women.

BACH is committed to providing important research experience to undergraduate and graduate students who intend to pursue related careers, and to offering opportunities for project staff and graduate students involved in several academic training programs. At any time, BACH provides such opportunities for up to 50 undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of SDSU academic departments, as well as students from other two- and four-year universities in San Diego, including the UCSD School of Medicine.

Our research is funded by the following institutes and organizations. Click on the logo to visit their websites >>	NIDDK