Toward an improved behavioral medicine

Never before have the challenges for behavioral medicine been more exciting or more urgent. Because most health problems have their roots in behavioral causes, the role of behavioral medicine is paramount in public health. The challenges focus both on issues related to the way researchers interact, set priorities, and conduct research, as well as priority areas for future research. The principles include a need for more theoretical diversity and critique of theory, more inclusiveness, more cost-consciousness, an acceptance of failure as a fundamental part of behavioral science, and a greater commitment to international health. The priorities encompass a greater focus on basic behavioral science, more attention to the study of risk perception, more study of the problems of children and aging populations, and an urgent need for proven, proactive interventions. Actualization of these principles could help behavioral medicine researchers and practitioners to achieve a much greater impact in improving the public's health both in the U.S. and abroad.