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Buffalo State College

The Center for Health and Social Research

“Buffalo State College is committed to the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of its students, faculty, and staff. The goal of the college is to inspire a lifelong passion for learning, and to empower a diverse population of students to succeed as citizens of a challenging world. Toward this goal, and in order to enhance the quality of life in Buffalo and the larger community, the college is dedicated to excellence in teaching and scholarship, cultural enrichment, and service.” -- Buffalo State's Institutional Priorities and Values

10th Anniversary Celebration and Open House...

On May 14, 2008 the Center celebrated its 10th Anniversary at Buffalo State College with an Open House. We had close to 100 people join us for this very festive event, and we look forward to future collaborations with our many partners in the years to come...

Neighborhood and Adolescent Studies...

The Center for Health and Social Research (CHSR) is currently involved in two research projects with the University of Buffalo. Dr. Craig Colder, from the Psychology Department at UB, is the Principal Investigator, and Dr. William Wieczorek from CHSR at Buffalo State College, is the Co-Principal Investigator. The first project is called the Neighborhood Study, and the second is the Adolescent Study. Both projects, which are funded by the the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are intended to understand how child characteristics, peers, parents, and neighborhoods may influence adjustment, including substance use, as children transition into adolescence.

For each project, households are randomly selected to be called. We call in an attempt to locate where 10- to 12-year-old children live. When we reach one, we inquire whether a parent or guardian would be interested in participating in our study of behavior among youth along with their child. A few eligibility questions are asked, and parents are then asked if they and their child would like to participate in our study, which entails completing face-to-face interviews at UB. Eligible participating families would be paid $75. There will be one interview now, and an invitation to participate in assessments 1 and 2 years from now, which are also paid. The interviews cover a broad range of opinions and behaviors, including school, friends, alcohol, and substance use, as well as some computer games for the child. Participation is voluntary, and any information obtained would be kept confidential. This study is important because it will help identify potential new ways to help children develop into healthy adults.

About the Center...

At the Center for Health and Social Research we are proud to be an integral component of Buffalo State College's efforts to provide students, staff, and faculty with exciting opportunities for intellectual development. Through a combination of external grants and the College's Scholarship Support Program, the Center works directly with faculty and students to investigate basic and applied research topics that are among the most pressing in today's society.

The Center is a leader in researching critical issues such as drunk driving, suicide, violence, substance abuse, and educational reforms. Access to new technology such as geographic information systems and computer-assisted telephone interviewing are mainstays of the strong methodological approaches used by the Center's projects. This type of work has resulted in a variety of publications, as well as the development of a Risk Indicator Database for the Erie County Department of Health. The Center is also involved in international research in the People's Republic of China as a partner with Dalian Medical University, and statewide training programs, such as the New York State Victim's Assistance Academy. Please browse through our website for additional information and examples of our projects. If you have an interest in any social or health research topic, please feel free to contact the Center to investigate potential opportunities for further collaboration.

Our Newsletter...

To get an overview of the Center and its recent activities, you can browse through and print out a copy of the latest edition of our newsletter.