Book Review: Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Health Education. Health Education is defined as the process by which individuals and groups of people learn to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance or restoration of health. Curt Graham is the Official Guide to Health Education. Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice, edited by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer and Frances Marcus Lewis, is a valuable resource for people interested in Health Education and it is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Since it was first published more than a decade ago, Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice has become the leading resource in the field of health promotion and education. This thoroughly revised third edition provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of health behavior theories relevant to health education and includes the most current information on developments in theory, research, and practice.

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Hoping to aid the health education community understand how theory informs research and practice and vice versa, Glanz (social and behavioral sciences, Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i at the U. of Hawai'i), Rimer (health behavior and health education, U. of North Carolina School of Public Health), and Lewis (nursing, U. of Washington) present 24 papers that look at the application of behavioral theory in a variety of settings. After defining key terms and concepts, four chapters focus on particular bodies of the theory: the health belief model, the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior, the transtheoretical model, and the precaution adoption process plan. Further chapters examine interpersonal theories; social cognitive theory, social networks, and social support; models for the community or aggregate levels of change; and finally, applications of overarching planning and process models. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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Karen Glanz, PhD, MPH, is Professor of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Research Scholar, and Director, Emory Prevention Research Center, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

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Barbara K. Rimer, Dr PH, is Dean, and Alumni Distinguished Professor, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.

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Frances Marcus Lewis is professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Washington. The editors were the recipients of the 1992 Mayhew Derryberry Award for outstanding contribution to health education theory and research.