This volume argues the case that public health communication has affected health behavior. It brings together 16 studies of large-scale communication in a variety of substantive health areas--tobacco, drugs, AIDS, family planning, heart disease, childhood disease, highway safety--prepared by the authors who did the original research. These studies show important effects and illustrate the central conditions for success. The book also includes complementary analytic chapters which provide a meta-analysis of published results, some approaches to developing communication interventions, and alternative methods for evaluation of public health communication projects.
Including studies based on communication programs in the United States, as well as projects done elsewhere in the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, this book:
*offers a broad presentation of the alternative research designs that have been used to evaluate public health communication programs;
*includes a great range of approaches from field experiments and natural experiments to simple before-after and complex time series designs, using data gathered from individuals and from archives; and
*utilizes an innovative perspective on how to exercise public health communication from a leading and thoughtful practitioner.
As such, it is required reading for scholars, students, practitioners, and policymakers in public health, health communication, health psychology, and related areas.

"Prediction and Change of Health Behavior" honors the work of Martin Fishbein by illustrating the breadth and depth of the reasoned action approach. Focused on attitudes and their effects on health-related behavior, the book demonstrates the profound impact of Fishbein and Ajzen' s theories of reasoned action on attitude research and on the solution of social problems.

Part I is devoted to theoretical and conceptual issues aspects of the reasoned action approach. Leading figures in the field address such issues as measurement compatibility, the interaction of belief strength and outcome evaluations, the role of emotions, the prediction of classes of behavior, explicit versus implicit attitudes, and the moderating effects of perceived control on behavior. Those unfamiliar with the reasoned action approach are provided with a general introduction to the theory. Part II applies the reasoned action approach to the health domain. The chapters in this part vividly illustrate how the reasoned action approach can be applied to understanding risky sexual behavior. Dr. Fishbein reflects on contributions of his own work in the book' s final chapter.

Intended for researchers, practitioners, and advanced students interested in understanding and modifying human behavior, this book is especially valuable to public health practitioners, nurses, and other health professionals, as well as to social and clinical psychologists and health communicators.

This volume argues the case that public health communication has affected health behavior. It brings together 16 studies of large-scale communication in a variety of substantive health areas--tobacco, drugs, AIDS, family planning, heart disease, childhood disease, highway safety--prepared by the authors who did the original research. These studies show important effects and illustrate the central conditions for success. The book also includes complementary analytic chapters which provide a meta-analysis of published results, some approaches to developing communication interventions, and alternative methods for evaluation of public health communication projects.
Including studies based on communication programs in the United States, as well as projects done elsewhere in the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, this book:
*offers a broad presentation of the alternative research designs that have been used to evaluate public health communication programs;
*includes a great range of approaches from field experiments and natural experiments to simple before-after and complex time series designs, using data gathered from individuals and from archives; and
*utilizes an innovative perspective on how to exercise public health communication from a leading and thoughtful practitioner.
As such, it is required reading for scholars, students, practitioners, and policymakers in public health, health communication, health psychology, and related areas.