Health and Behavior reviews our improved understanding of the complex interplay among biological, psychological, and social influences and explores findings suggested by recent research—including interventions at multiple levels that we can employ to improve human health.


The book covers three main areas:




What do biological, behavioral, and social sciences contribute to our understanding of health—including cardiovascular, immune system and brain functioning, behaviors that influence health, the role of social networks and socioeconomic status, and more.
What can we learn from applied research on interventions to improve the health of individuals, families, communities, organizations, and larger populations?
How can we expeditiously translate research findings into application?

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2 Biobehavioral Factors in Health and Disease
3 Behavioral Risk Factors
4 Social Risk Factors
5 Individuals and Families: Models and Interventions
6 Organizations, Communities, and Society: Models and Interventions
7 Evaluating and Disseminating Intervention Research
8 Findings and Recommendations
APPENDIX A Workshop on Health, Communications, and Behavior
APPENDIX B Consultants
Index