The theme of this commentary is to discuss the need for, and challenges of, conceptualizing, implementing, and evaluating multilevel health behavior change interventions. Ecological models, recommendations from national and international authoritative groups, and growing evidence all support the need for interventions designed to change multiple…

Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are disproportionately affected by disparities in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system due to medical miscommunications, misdiagnoses, and treatment errors. The purpose of this commentary is to provide an overarching social-ecological perspective on how to enhance patient-centered…

Misleading health news and product advertising has plagued the United States since the 19th century. Companies and individuals spent large sums of money to advertise in a variety of media, including newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, and, more recently, the Internet. Preying on the fears and insecurities of consumers, these entities used…

Thirty years after expressing concerns about the translation and communication of science to the public and to policy makers, this reflection finds that the same issues face public health education perhaps even more urgently today with the advent of politicians who actively dispute science, and a public that has voted in support of their campaign…

Although the fundamental principles of health education remain unchanged, the practice of health education continues to evolve in response to the rapidly changing lifestyles and technological advances. Emerging health risks are often associated with these lifestyle changes. The purpose of this article is to address the role of health educators…

The health and well-being of incarcerated women is a significant public health concern. Compared with non-incarcerated women, incarcerated women in the United States are more often from minority populations, younger (between the ages of 18 and 34 years), of low socioeconomic status, unemployed and mothers to children under 18 years of age. More…

In this article, the authors offer an interpretation of the history of the "Healthy People" initiative showing that the outcomes remain largely the same, with appropriate decennial adjustment of the proliferating numerical targets and increased delineation of objectives for special populations. But the strategies by which those outcomes are to be…

The authors respond to comments made by David G. Altman in his article, ""Challenges in Sustaining Public Health Interventions," Health Education & Behavior, v36 n1 p24-28 Feb 2009[see EJ826344]. They state that Altman provides a cogent and thoughtful perspective on the many challenges inherent to sustaining public health interventions. His…

This paper is reformatted and reprinted as part of the 40th Anniversary of the "American Journal of Health Education" (originally School Health Review) Health Education--Our Heritage. The original article appeared in Volume 1, "School Health Review" (September 1969, pp. 9-14). At the time, Myer Herman was director of the Division of Adult Health…

While we have several hallmarks of a mature profession, does this include a well-articulated "Philosophy of Health Education?" High-order questions should be important to both practitioners and researchers in health education. This address outlines why it is important for us to have a philosophy of health education, an approach that we could take…

In this paper, the author shares some thoughts about health education profession, including some things that educators need to do to keep the profession "vital". He also offers some thoughts that educators need to consider as they attempt to respond effectively to the challenges that lie before them now, and face them in the future. He discusses…

Catalogued is the diversity of lead contaminated sources which, only recently, have been acknowledged as the principal producers of devastating toxic effects, particularly among children, despite only low-level exposure to these sources. A multifaceted approach in the effort to correct this serious health hazard to children is presented. (JJK)

In this article, human ecology is defined; its historical and intellectual roots are traced through various disciplines to its applications in public health and health promotion today; its strengths and limitations are described; some potential contributions to systems theory are suggested; and some emerging ecological models of health promotion…

Examines the role of the counseling psychologist in physical health concerns and raises questions about the effectiveness of psychological treatments for health problems. Discusses implications for practice, theory, research, and training in counseling psychology and argues that this movement can be effective only if it affects morbidity and…

Health professionals should protect the rights of nonsmokers by banning smoking at health meetings and by not smoking themselves. (JD)