Behavioral Medicine, Prevention, and Health Reform: Linking Evidence-Based Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Population Health Behavior Change

Abstract

Throughout this chapter we have discussed the many contributions made to clinical and community preventive services by behavioral medicine researchers. We also have noted that there remain gaps in evidence and in the linkage and implementation of evidence-based clinical and public health behavior change interventions. Each of the noted "gaps," i.e., limited evidence for effective interventions for some behaviors, limited evidence of effective linkages, and weak external validity, represents important directions for behavioral medicine research and practice. Addressing them will require new behavioral medicine research and research funding paradigms and more visible and effective behavioral medicine advocacy for the funding, resources, and infrastructure needed to reap the full benefit of science-based interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)