Culture of Health Publications

Drawing on years of expertise in the field, our research examines essential aspects of health and well-being.

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Building a Culture of Health and Health Equity
Understanding American Health Mindsets
Civic Engagement for Health
Assessing How Communities Foster Health and Well-Being
Activating Social Change for Well-Being

Creating a Culture of Health and Advancing Health Equity

Tool

Jun 25, 2025

The ALIGN for Health and Well-Being Toolkit: Advancing Local Insight, Generational Investment, and Narrative

This toolkit is designed to aid community leaders in promoting health and well-being, focusing on well-being narratives, measures that capture positive health and social context, and investment alignment to strengthen cross-sectoral health impacts.

Anita Chandra, Laurie T. Martin, Linnea Warren May, Sarah Weilant, Christopher D. Nelson
Research

May 22, 2018

Social Media as a Catalyst for Policy Action and Social Change for Health and Well-Being: Viewpoint

Social media and other emerging data sources are an important complement to traditional data sources and can help track and motivate policy actions to improve health and well-being.

Douglas Yeung
Research

Jan 26, 2021

Drivers of Differential Views of Health Equity in the U.S. Is the U.S. Ready to Make Progress? Results from the 2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes

This study uses data from a nationally representative sample of American adults to examine the factors that people think drive health outcomes and their beliefs about the importance of health equity.

Vivian L. Towe, Linnea Warren May, Wenjing Huang, Laurie T. Martin, Katherine Grace Carman, Carolyn Miller, Anita Chandra
Research

Aug 21, 2020

Can Measures Change the World?

The purpose of this article is to start a dialogue about how one can better use measurement to promote large-scale system change.

Christopher D. Nelson, Anita Chandra, Carolyn Miller
Research

Apr 14, 2017

How Cultural Alignment and the Use of Incentives Can Promote a Culture of Health: Stakeholder Perspectives

This report draws on interviews with Culture of Health stakeholders whose work focused on culture, incentives, or both to learn how organizations are addressing and leveraging culture and incentives to promote health and well-being.

Laurie T. Martin, Linnea Warren May, Sarah Weilant, Joie D. Acosta, Anita Chandra
Research

Mar 11, 2016

Building a National Culture of Health: Background, Action Framework, Measures, and Next Steps

In 2013, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) began its Culture of Health initiative. To implement the primary Culture of Health outcome of improved population health, well-being, and equity, RWJF worked with RAND to develop an action framework.

Anita Chandra, Joie D. Acosta, Katherine Grace Carman, Tamara Dubowitz, Laura Leviton, Laurie T. Martin, Carolyn Miller, Christopher D. Nelson, Tracy Orleans, Margaret Tait, Matthew Trujillo, Vivian L. Towe, Douglas Yeung, Alonzo L. Plough
Research

Jan 14, 2016

Stakeholder Perspectives on a Culture of Health: Key Findings

RAND engaged stakeholders to support development of an action framework and measurement strategy for Robert Wood Johnson's Culture of Health vision, in which "everyone in our diverse society leads healthier lives now and for generations to come."

Joie D. Acosta, Margaret D. Whitley, Linnea Warren May, Tamara Dubowitz, Malcolm V. Williams, Anita Chandra
Research

Nov 28, 2016

Drivers of Health as a Shared Value: Mindset, Expectations, Sense of Community and Civic Engagement

A shared understanding of health as a cultural value is key to achieving an equitable health system and a culture of health.

Anita Chandra, Carolyn Miller, Joie D. Acosta, Sarah Weilant, Matthew Trujillo, Alonzo L. Plough
Research

Nov 28, 2016

Strengthening Integration of Health Services and Systems

Integrating medical care, public health, and social services will increase access to care and improve health and well-being for all individuals.

Laurie T. Martin, Alonzo L. Plough, Katherine Grace Carman, Laura Leviton, Olena Bogdan, Carolyn Miller
Research

Nov 28, 2016

Cross-sector Collaborations and Partnerships: Essential Ingredients to Help Shape Health and Well-Being

Policies that support collaboration between the formal health system and organizations in partner sectors--housing, education, and transportation--are key to achieving a culture of health.

Vivian L. Towe, Laura Leviton, Anita Chandra, Jennifer Sloan, Margaret Tait, Tracy Orleans
Research

Nov 28, 2016

Creating Healthier, More Equitable Communities by Improving Governance and Policy

Political and governance considerations should play a central role in the national conversation about improving health and health equity.

Tamara Dubowitz, Tracy Orleans, Christopher D. Nelson, Linnea Warren May, Jennifer Sloan, Anita Chandra

Culture of Health Publications

Jump to Topic

Creating a Culture of Health and Advancing Health Equity

The ALIGN for Health and Well-Being Toolkit: Advancing Local Insight, Generational Investment, and Narrative

Social Media as a Catalyst for Policy Action and Social Change for Health and Well-Being: Viewpoint

Drivers of Differential Views of Health Equity in the U.S. Is the U.S. Ready to Make Progress? Results from the 2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes

Can Measures Change the World?

How Cultural Alignment and the Use of Incentives Can Promote a Culture of Health: Stakeholder Perspectives

Building a National Culture of Health: Background, Action Framework, Measures, and Next Steps

Stakeholder Perspectives on a Culture of Health: Key Findings

Drivers of Health as a Shared Value: Mindset, Expectations, Sense of Community and Civic Engagement

Strengthening Integration of Health Services and Systems

Cross-sector Collaborations and Partnerships: Essential Ingredients to Help Shape Health and Well-Being

Creating Healthier, More Equitable Communities by Improving Governance and Policy

Understanding American Health Mindset and Expectations

Examining the American Mindset on Community Well-Being: Insights from a National Survey

Toward Better Data Disaggregation: A Person-Centered Approach to Understanding AANHPI Sociodemographic Diversity in Resource Constrained Times

2023 National Survey of Health Attitudes: Description and Top-Line Summary Data

Preparing for the Next Pandemic: Has COVID-19 Changed American Attitudes?

What Drives Health Mindset and Expectations in the United States?

Has COVID-19 Changed How People Think About the Drivers of Health? If So, Does It Matter?

COVID-19 and the Experiences of Populations at Greater Risk: Description and Top-Line Summary Data — Wave 4, Fall 2021

COVID-19 Community Response: Emerging Themes Across Sentinel Communities

COVID-19 and the Experiences of Populations at Greater Risk: Description and Top-Line Summary Data — Wave 3, Winter 2021

Americans' View of the Impact of COVID-19: Perspectives on Racial Impacts and Equity

COVID-19 and the Experiences of Populations at Greater Risk: Description and Top-Line Summary Data — Wave 2, Fall 2020

COVID-19 and the Experiences of Populations at Greater Risk: Description and Top-Line Summary Data — Wave 1, Summer 2020

2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes: Description and Top-Line Summary Data

Development of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Survey of Health Attitudes: Description and Top-Line Summary Data

Engaging Civically for Health

Examining Civic Engagement Links to Health: Findings from the Literature and Implications for a Culture of Health

Factors Related to Health Civic Engagement: Results from the 2018 National Survey of Health Attitudes to Understand Progress Towards a Culture of Health

Assessing How Communities Build a Culture of Health

Activating Social Change for Well-Being

Adapting to Adversity amid a Global Pandemic: Stakeholder Insights About Progress and Next Steps for Taking Integrative Action to Build Resilient Systems

Integration of Well-Being with Resilience and Other Broad Scale Social Change

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