Affiliation:
1. University of Alabama at Birmingham, Medical Center, School of Public Health, Department of Health Care Organization and Policy
2. School of Nursing, University of Southwestern Louisiana
Abstract
This article is a selective overview of behavioral medicine approaches to primary prevention. The main areas of discussion concern addictive behaviors and dietary factors. Overall, traditional educational approaches appear to succeed in altering understanding of these problems, but are less effective in actual prevention. More recently, behavioral medicine efforts, which focus on psychological and social influences, have demonstrated encouraging results. However, further systematic research is needed on these promising approaches before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Suggestions are provided for future primary prevention efforts as well as discernment of important mediating variables.