Including well-being in all we do
In 1990, Robert Evans and Greg Stoddart emphasized the importance of addressing well-being in addition to health when they wrote, “the ultimate test of [health] policy is whether it adds to the well-being of the population served.” To reflect this vision, HealthPartners updated its mission to include improving well-being. The Institute supports well-being through research on treatments and care for many conditions, as well as disease prevention programs and initiatives to improve experience.
Many factors impact health and well-being, including:
- Physical health
- Emotional health
- Career satisfaction
- Adequate finances
- Social relationships
- A sense of community
- A sense of purpose
Attention to each of these areas can increase resiliency and overall health and well-being. We conduct research to identify the impact of these factors. We also support initiatives designed to help patients, members and the community achieve their goals in these areas.
Summary Measures of Health
Learn about the development of a measure that assesses elements of well-being such as job satisfaction, strong social connections and financial security.
Occupational Medicine
Learn about the research we are conducting on occupational medicine in health and well-being.
Key projects
SuperShelf Pilot
The Impact of a Behavioral Economics Intervention on the Nutritional Quality of Food Selected by Clients at Food Pantries. This National Institutes of Health-funded study will evaluate the impact of a behavioral economic intervention in food pantries on the nutritional quality of food selected by clients. Behavioral economic strategies include: (1) altering food allowances for clients by expanding choice in healthy food categories and constraining choice in less healthy food categories; and (2) adapting retail marketing strategies (eg, product placement, promotions) to the food pantry setting to encourage healthy food selection. SuperShelf was developed by four founding partners: HealthPartners, Valley Outreach, The Food Group, The University of Minnesota Extension and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.
