Research communication and dissemination skills are critical to ensure that knowledge and evidence can be used to inform policy and practice, but they are especially important in the polarized times we find ourselves today, where mistrust in scientists and science is rising and misinformation is prevalent. Further, to realize real-world impact from research, researchers must directly engage policymakers, decision makers, and communicate with the public to drive lasting changes to public health and health care policy and practice. Recognizing the critical importance of communications and dissemination, AcademyHealth and the Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., are partnering to administer a capacity building program aimed at strengthening communications skills and knowledge for Humana Foundation research grantee partners in 2026.
During the one-year program, AcademyHealth will co-design a training and capacity-building program with a cohort of 12 research grantee partners from five different universities whose work is supported through funding by the Humana Foundation. The program is designed to support the research grantee partners in increasing the visibility, understanding, and uptake of their research and outcomes. Participants will have the opportunity to build their skills and capacity for communicating and disseminating their findings with a wide range of audience, including but not limited to media, policymakers, and community partners.
The research grantee partners participating in this program are addressing the Foundation’s research focus areas of nutrition education and security, youth suicide prevention, and emotional health for seniors, including support for their caregivers.
- University of Virginia - is assessing a comprehensive food pharmacy program for rural seniors with cardiovascular conditions.
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston - is examining the impact of a produce prescription program on the mental and physical health of children who are overweight or obese, and from low-resource families.
- Indiana University Bloomington – aims to better connect school staff with marginalized students for suicide prevention.
- Harvard Medical School - is evaluating a new AI platform for training medical students and residents to reduce implicit bias and increase emotional connection with senior patients.
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – one research team is testing a supportive intervention for caregivers of diverse senior patients with cancer and diabetes. An additional research team is examining social connections and identifying peer leaders to enhance youth suicide prevention strategy.
With this partnership, AcademyHealth and the Humana Foundation are committed to equipping and empowering researchers with the tools needed to make their work more accessible and drive real, lasting impact on people’s lives. Research grantee partners will gain skills, confidence, and specific strategies to effectively communicate their research to non-academic audiences, including developing a refined elevator pitch, creating a polished dissemination product, and tailored messaging and framing guidance.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Humana Foundation,” said Megan Collado, Senior Director at AcademyHealth. “They are providing vital public health research funding and recognizing the critical need to augment their grantee partners’ ability to inform decision makers and the public about policy and practice changes to improve nutrition and social and emotional well-being for school-aged children and seniors.”
“Through our partnership with AcademyHealth, we aim to expand access to and understanding of research to foster meaningful, real-world impact.” said Soojin Conover, Humana Foundation’s Innovation Portfolio Strategy Principal. “We are excited to support our research partners as they strengthen the connection between their expertise and those who apply research in public health and health care, helping ensure that advancements benefit diverse communities and promote equitable outcomes.”
About AcademyHealth
As the non-partisan professional home for health services and policy research, AcademyHealth connects evidence, policy, and practice to accelerate solutions that improve health and health care for all. We do this by supporting the people behind the research, strengthening the system behind the science, and working to ensure evidence gets used by those who need it most to improve health and health care for all. Learn more at www.academyhealth.org.
About Humana Foundation
The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. and is focused on health equity, working to eliminate unjust, avoidable and unnecessary barriers in health and healthcare. The Foundation fosters evidence-based collaborations and investments that help people in underserved communities live connected, healthy lives. As a steward of good health, the Foundation creates healthy emotional connections for people and communities and is shaping a healthier approach to nutrition to support lifelong well-being. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.
Media Contact:
Lauren Adams, AcademyHealth, [email protected]