Behavioral medicine emerged in the 1970s as the interdisciplinary field concerned with the integration of behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical science knowledge relevant to the understanding of health and illness, and the application of this knowledge to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Recent years have witnessed an enormous diversification of behavioral medicine, with new sciences (such as genetics, life course epidemiology) and new technologies (such as neuroimaging) coming into play. This book brings together such new developments by providing an up-to-date compendium of methods and applications drawn from the broad range of behavioral medicine research and practice. The book is divided into 10 sections that address key fields in behavioral medicine. Each section begins with one or two methodological or conceptual chapters, followed by contributions that address substantive topics within that field. Major health problems such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, HIV/AIDs, and obesity are explored from multiple perspectives. The aim is to present behavioral medicine as an integrative discipline, involving diverse methodologies and paradigms that converge on health and well being.

What psychological and environmental forces have an impact on health? How does behavior contribute to wellness or illness? This comprehensive volume answers these questions and others with a state-of-the-art overview of theory, research, and practice at the interface of psychology and health. Leading experts from multiple disciplines explore how health and health behaviors are shaped by a wide range of psychological processes and social-environmental factors. The book describes exemplary applications in the prevention and clinical management of today's most pressing health risks and diseases, including coronary heart disease, depression, diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, sleep disturbances, and smoking. Featuring succinct, accessible chapters on critical concepts and contemporary issues, the Handbook integrates psychological perspectives with cutting-edge work in preventive medicine, epidemiology, public health, genetics, nursing, and the social sciences.

Handbook of Behavioral Medicine presents a comprehensive overview of the current use of behavioral science techniques in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various health related disorders. Features contributions from a variety of internationally recognized experts in behavioral medicine and related fields Includes authors from education, social work, and physical therapy Addresses foundational issues in behavioral medicine in Volume 1, including concepts, theories, treatments, doctor/patient relationships, common medical problems, behavioral technologies, assessment, and methodologies Focuses on medical interface in Volume 2, including issues relating to health disorders and specialties; social work, medical sociology, and psychosocial aspects; and topics relating to education and health 2 Volumes

Many of the greatest strides in medical care have neither been glamorous nor made the front page of The New York Times. They have been simple measures such as sanitation, immunization, and provision of clean, whole some food. And even more glamorous medical breakthroughs and tech niques like heart transplants are often last-ditch responses to largely preventable medical problems that required a lifetime to develop. Chang ing those life styles which may cause, worsen, or exacerbate disease and uti lizing current medical knowledge may be the most important strides medicine will make in the next few decades. To meet this challenge, tech niques have already been developed to change eating and nutritional pat terns that may lead to obesity and heart disease. In addition, interventions are being developed for a wide variety of medical problems. Many of these techniques are based on behavioral principles. Several years ago, one of the editors of this book gave a behavioral medi cine seminar for psychiatry residents concerning behavioral principles and their application to medicine. As the seminar developed, it became evident that many of the important articles on the subject were scattered through out a wide body of literature, which encompassed a variety of disciplines and journals. No single source was available to provide the state of the art of this emerging field. This book was spawned, in part, as an attempt to overcome this deficit.

Many of the greatest strides in medical care have neither been glamorous nor made the front page of The New York Times. They have been simple measures such as sanitation, immunization, and provision of clean, whole some food. And even more glamorous medical breakthroughs and tech niques like heart transplants are often last-ditch responses to largely preventable medical problems that required a lifetime to develop. Chang ing those life styles which may cause, worsen, or exacerbate disease and uti lizing current medical knowledge may be the most important strides medicine will make in the next few decades. To meet this challenge, tech niques have already been developed to change eating and nutritional pat terns that may lead to obesity and heart disease. In addition, interventions are being developed for a wide variety of medical problems. Many of these techniques are based on behavioral principles. Several years ago, one of the editors of this book gave a behavioral medi cine seminar for psychiatry residents concerning behavioral principles and their application to medicine. As the seminar developed, it became evident that many of the important articles on the subject were scattered through out a wide body of literature, which encompassed a variety of disciplines and journals. No single source was available to provide the state of the art of this emerging field. This book was spawned, in part, as an attempt to overcome this deficit.