Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior by Anderson, Norman B.

The field of health and behavior addresses the interaction of behavioral, psychological, emotional, social, cultural, and biological factors with physical health outcomes, such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and chronic pain. The core philosophy of the field of health and behavior is threefold: (1) Behavioral, psychological, emotional, social, cultural, and biological factors are inextricably linked; (2) these factors together affect health; and (3) these factors can be used as avenues for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Research and clinical practice in health and behavior are inherently multidisciplinary— that is, many disciplines contribute and no one discipline owns the field. Disciplines involved in health and behavior include psychology, epidemiology and public health, sociology, nursing, medicine, and anthropology, to name a few. The field of health and behavior research is vast and ranges from the scientific examination of basic behavioral and social processes to the evaluation of preventive and treatment approaches to policy analysis. It addresses such varied topics as pain management, cardiac rehabilitation, social aspects of genetic testing, anxiety and heart disease, prevention of HIV/AIDS, stress effects on the immune system, approaches to smoking cessation, chronic disease management, community interventions, and socioeconomic status and health.