We are shaped by our relationships. Our romantic partners, friends, and families are fundamental to our health and happiness—but most public health approaches to improve health focus on individuals and do not incorporate our relationships with these important people in our lives. The purpose of ARCH is to conduct innovative research on how social and interpersonal relationships influence health behaviors and prevent disease. Our research team conducts community-based research to better understand how interpersonal relationships influence sexual, reproductive, and maternal/paternal-child health and develops evidence-based intervention programs to improve health through strengthening interpersonal relationships.
ARCH studies the influence of interpersonal relationships on health in three contexts:
- Romantic relationships
- Peers and social networks
- Family
ARCH is committed to improving the health of our communities through strengthening the bonds we have with each other.
