Jessie Gruman, PhD, recently published an excellent collection of essays related to health behavior research. In less than 100 pages, Gruman draws from much of her work from the 15+ years she has led the Center for the Advancement of Health.

Behavior Matters is a treasure trove of insights for all who (in Gruman’s words) “believe that we will not solve the health problems of our time without systematically addressing health behavior.” The list of chapters (each is a very readable essay rather than a dense academic treatise) demonstrates the varied but connected themes worthy of exploration as we think about how to engage consumers/patients/people in any reformed health care delivery system.

1. Why Study Health Behavior Now?
2. Dilemmas of Progress for Health Behavior Research
3. Is Health Promotion for Older Adults Just Nice or Really Necessary?
4. Are We Really “Consumers” of Health and Health Care?
5. Prevention Deficit Disorder: When Politics and Science Collide
6. Promises and Pitfalls on the Way to Transforming Consumer Health Decision-Making
7. How Science and the Media Undermine Behavior Change
8. Improving Health: Is Clinical Medicine Up to the Task?
9. Follow the Money: What Health Behavior Professionals Need to Know about Foundation Funding
10. The Mutual Obligations of Scientists and Society

Chapter 6 is based on a keynote address Gruman delivered at one of our information therapy (Ix) conferences. The entire collection is well worth your time, but if you’re still not sure, the best way to get started is to read Gruman’s “About This Book,” which succinctly summarizes each essay.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 10:42 am and is filed under Behavior Change. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.