Background

The Institute has evolved from a series of organizations since 1984 when the Center for Health Policy and Program Evaluation (CHPPE), under Dr. David Kindig's leadership, was chartered as on official research center within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison. CHPPE functioned as an independent center until June 2004. In the interim, the Network for Health Policy Research was established by Dr. Kindig in 1994, and the Public Health Initiative was organized by Dr. Remington in 1998. These latter two merged in 2001 to form the Wisconsin Public Health and Health Policy Institute; in 2004, CHPPE joined the Institute. The organization was officially renamed the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in May of 2005.

The Institute serves as a focal point for public health and health policy within the School of Medicine and Public Health by bringing together faculty, staff, and students interested in applying their skills and experience to answer 'real-world' questions. It also serves as the bridge to public health and health policy practitioners in the state, through an active citizen board, frequent issue briefs and reports, and periodic conferences and educational programs. Thus, the Institute brings together the health care and public health communities to address the broad determinants of public health.

Major Programs and Products

1. Population Health Research: Monitors health outcomes, determinants, and disparities in Wisconsin communities to inform health policy, program planning, and evaluation. The program provides opportunities for population health graduate students to engage in the analysis, interpretation, and communication of health data to Wisconsin's practice community.

• Wisconsin County Health Rankings
• Brief Reports
• Making Wisconsin the Healthiest State

2. Health Policy: Engages in research, consulting, and analysis in partnership with Wisconsin's leading public and private sector policy makers in health and health care, focusing especially on cost, financing, access, and quality.

• Policy Analyses and Issue Briefs
• Monthly E-News
• Health Policy Forums

3. Program Evaluation: Conducts evaluation projects in public health, substance abuse prevention and treatment, maternal and child health, geriatric services and related areas.

• Evaluation designs and needs assessments
• Technical reports

4. Outreach Education: Connects the Institute to the public health and health care community in the state through seminars, conferences, training programs, and an active website.

• Healthy Wisconsin Leadership Institute
• Population Health Practice-Fellowship Program

Cross-Cutting Themes

1. Service Learning for Students: Serves as a population health "laboratory" for learning, where students apply their skills to real world issues.
   
   
2. American Indian Research: Builds and maintains research and service initiatives with Wisconsin's American Indian communities and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council.
   
   
3. Community Partnerships: Through an active community advisory board, the Institute fosters strong partnerships between the UW and population health practitioners and policy makers.

Affiliated Programs

UWCCC Cancer Control Program:
The Institute is closely linked with the cancer epidemiology and surveillance research conducted in the Control Program of the UW Comprehensive Cancer Center. This program is currently evaluating the state's tobacco control program and is conducting research on the regional variation of breast cancer in Wisconsin.