Insights

Plain-language writing on wellbeing, evidence and the communities closest to the work.

What awareness campaigns can tell us about health behavior change

What campaign evaluations measure, and what their findings can tell us

Awareness campaigns can raise awareness, but evidence on behavior change is mixed. Here is what a 2026 review and older studies do and do not show.
Why evaluation matters for community health programs, and how to start

Researchers describe evaluation in this field as often weak or missing. Here is what a simple, honest evaluation can look like

Researchers say community health evaluation is often weak or missing. Here is why it matters and what a simple, honest evaluation can look like.
New US Child Savings Accounts: What's Pledged, and What the Research Shows

What the new accounts are, what has been pledged, and what research does and doesn't show

New US child savings accounts: how they work, what has been pledged, and what the research reviewed does and does not show about savings and health.
Four things everyone believes about resilience

Two 2026 reviews, and what they do and don't support

Two 2026 reviews show what the research says about building resilience, and where it is thin. Four common beliefs, tested.
Before you tell an app how you feel

Two new studies on mental health apps, and five questions worth asking first

New research on mental health apps found hidden trackers and heavy data collection. Five questions to ask before you tell an app how you feel.
Where people take their worries now

What new surveys say about AI, health and wellbeing, and the questions they leave open

About one in three US adults used AI for health information in the past year. Here is what new surveys tell us, and what they do not.
Global Wellbeing Map

An interactive map, built on open data

Explore how countries compare on happiness, life expectancy and suicide rate, using data from the World Happiness Report, the UN and the World Health Organization. A work in progress.
One question, asked to the whole world

What international surveys say about wellbeing, and the people they never reach

Where does the world say wellbeing lives? Two big surveys, 11 countries, and the people neither one reaches.
Your wellness program may not be doing what you hope

What research involving more than 46,000 workers suggests trying instead

A study of 46,336 workers and two randomized trials suggest many common wellness programs deliver less than hoped. Here is what the research suggests trying instead.
"Evidence-based" is a big claim. Here are four questions to test it

A plain-language guide for anyone who funds, runs or joins a health or wellbeing program

'Evidence-based' can mean very different things. Here are four plain questions, built on a published evidence framework, that help you see what a claim really rests on.