CAREs Unit

Population Health Research and Evaluations

The Core for Applied Research and Evaluations (CAREs) Unit helps health system and community organization partners use data to inform decisions, improve programs and advance health equity.

As part of Creighton’s Institute for Population Health, the CAREs Unit serves as a centralized hub for applied research and evaluations. The unit brings together qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods expertise to support real-world projects across the University, healthcare settings and the community. From study design and data strategy to analysis, stakeholder engagement and dissemination, CAREs helps partners turn questions into actionable insights.

Research and Evaluation Support for Real-World Impact

The CAREs Unit was established to meet a growing need for rigorous, practical research and evaluation support. Many teams have important questions to answer, programs to strengthen or funding opportunities to pursue, but need methodological support to do that work well. CAREs helps bridge academic rigor and real-world application so partners can generate meaningful evidence, improve effectiveness and make informed decisions.

Services Offered

Creighton supports partner projects from beginning to end with services like these.

Capacity Building

Methods training, seminars and workshops
Grant and contract development
Student mentorship and training

Conduct and Analysis

Advising for data collection procedures
Advanced qualitative and quantitative analysis

Design and Consultation

Applied research and evaluation design
Application/proposal development
Logic model development
Measurement and instrument design

Partnership and Translation

Community-engaged research facilitation
Stakeholder engagement
Translation
Dissemination

A Resource for Creighton, Health Systems and Community Partners

The CAREs Unit works with a range of partners, including:

Health system and clinical partners
Community-based organizations
Grant-funded initiatives and applied projects

CAREs is especially well positioned to support efforts that sit at the intersection of healthcare, community wellbeing and health equity. Current projects include:

Medical respite program evaluations
Rural school-based mental health services evaluations
Maternal health and doula program research and evaluations

Interested in partnering? Contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of projects does CAREs support?

CAREs supports applied research, program evaluation, mixed-methods studies, proposal development, data strategy, stakeholder engagement and dissemination planning.

Can CAREs work with community-based organizations?

Yes. Supporting community organizations is an important part of the unit’s work, especially when evaluation can help strengthen programs, improve reporting and support future funding.

Does CAREs only work on Creighton-led projects?

No. CAREs supports a mix of Creighton-led research and initiatives, health system and clinic projects and community partner efforts.

Can students be involved?

Yes. CAREs offers opportunities for student engagement, mentorship and hands-on learning in population health research and evaluation

Why is research and evaluation important to population health efforts?

Research and evaluation are essential to understanding whether population health initiatives are implemented effectively and making a meaningful difference. Research generates knowledge to inform practice and policy, while evaluation ensures programs are delivered as intended and achieving their goals.

What is the process for working on a project with CAREs? 

Partners interested in working with the CAREs Unit should contact us to schedule an introductory meeting and discuss project needs. If there’s a good fit, next steps may include support with proposal development, implementation, data analysis and interpretation of findings. Formal agreements are then established to align on scope, roles and expectations.