Health promotion, education, and prevention programs ultimately focus on changing health behavior. Essentials of Health Behavior: Social and Behavioral Theory in Public Health, Third Edition provides the groundwork for understanding, assessing, and effectively applying theories of human behavior within the practice of public health. In clear and accessible language, this text provides the student with a background of the kinds of social and behavioral theories that guide our understanding of health related behavior and form the background for health promotion and prevention efforts. Filled with real life examples and profiles, the text explores some of the ways in which these theories and approaches are used in applied health promotion efforts. Key Features: -Introduces students to the relationship between behavior and a selection of major health issues - Provides an introductory background to the kinds of social and behavioral theories that guide our understanding of health related behavior and form the background for health promotion and prevention efforts - Explores some of the ways in which these theories and approaches are used in applied health promotion efforts Since the publication of the second edition, health promotion theory has continued to evolve. The third edition keeps pace with developments such as rapidly evolving social media, increased global population diversity, and emerging epidemics, making the book useful and current. The Third Edition offers: - Updates data and examples of application and practice throughout - Information about several new or additional theories has been added to chapters on individual theory and multi-level theory. - A new chapter on behavioral epigenetics -- a brand new area of theory that seeks to examine the interaction between social-environmental influences and genetic expression, and the potential impacts on behavior. - New discussion of Dissemination/Implementation research frameworks - An expanded discussion of the social norms construct - Additional material on social network theory.
Edberg, Mark: - Mark Edberg, PhD, MA, is a Professor in the Prevention and Community Health Department in the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, with secondary appointments in the Department of Anthropology and Elliott School of International Affairs. Dr. Edberg is a cultural anthropologist with more than 30 years' experience in social and community research, interventions, evaluation, community engagement and communications, and strategic planning (domestic and global).'Key areas of focus have been high-risk and marginalized populations, social determinants of health, health disparities, underrepresented populations' health, at-risk youth, prevention of youth violence, prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, substance misuse, general issues of poverty and health, and theory development.'Currently, he is Principal Investigator (PI) on a community-based NIH-funded firearms violence prevention effort in Washington, DC, and also PI for a study addressing native communities historical trauma and its role in health disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native populations, together with an urban Native American partner. He directs two Centers, the Avance Center for the Advancement of Immigrant/Refugee Health (previous funding from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Prevention and Control), and the Center for Social Well-Being and Development (CSWD), the latter with a record of global projects for the'U.N. International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)'in multiple countries, and now including some domestic U.S. projects as well. He has also directed or been co-investigator on projects for the Gates Foundation and multiple U.S. agencies, including NIH, CDC, SAMHSA, the U.S. Office of Minority Health, the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, and others.'Previously, he has provided consulting and support for the Organization of American States, U.S. Agency for International Development, Urban Institute, and local governments. Dr. Edberg teaches graduate courses in social/behavioral theory, qualitative research methods, and culture and health, as well as courses in the Anthropology Department. He has published numerous journal articles, and his recent books include an edited volume (and chapter) on youth violence and economic factors; a book on culture, health, and diversity; this textbook on social and behavioral theory in public health; an accompanying reader; and a book documenting his U.S.-Mexico border research on narcocorridos and the narcotrafficker persona (and implications for popular understanding of risks for violence, HIV/AIDS, and other issues), as well as book chapters for an applied anthropology casebook and two editions of a book on health inequity.'Dr. Edberg was co-chair of the 2014 National Minority Health Disparities Conference (NIMHD), a 2015 Salzburg Seminar Fellow (on Youth, Economics and Violence), winner of the 2013 national Praxis award for applied anthropology, a Fulbright Senior Specialist awardee, and he is a Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA), Program Director for the 2021 SfAA annual meetings, and current president of the Washington Association of Professional Anthropologists (WAPA).
