Injury and Violence Prevention: Behavioral Science Theories, Methods and Applications, by Andrea C. Gielen, David A. Sleet, and Ralph J. DiClemente. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass; 2006. 534 pages; hardcover; $70 US, ISBN: 0-7879-7764-0.
Ever since I discovered the field of injury prevention, including my time as a student, I have heard professionals and educators alike express their desire for an all-encompassing, theory-driven text specific to injury and violence prevention. Andrea Gielen, David Sleet, and Ralph DiClemente have finally provided the field with an excellent new volume that serves to introduce the discipline of behavioral science while providing examples of its application to injury and violence prevention policies, programs, and research. This volume presents the theories, methods, and applications making behavioral science approaches relevant and central to reducing the harm related to injury and violence.
The book is an excellent resource for practitioners and educators working with students in courses focusing on general injury or behavioral change theory. The book is divided into 4 parts consisting of 22 chapters, which are designed to provide a comprehensive review of injury and violence prevention. Part 1 focuses on the more commonly used behavior change theories and models, and their application to injury problems. A welcome presence in this section is a chapter on health risk communication and its role in injury prevention. Part 2 introduces commonly used research methods relating to understanding and producing behavior change. Part 3 introduces basic injury epidemiology and behavior change issues related to specific unintentional and intentional injury topic areas, while Part 4 explores influencing issues that complicate injury risk behavior change. Issues include child supervision, posttraumatic stress, human factors in product and environmental design, and the role of legislation and engineering.
Throughout this innovative volume, the authors demonstrate how engineering, law, and environment can complement behavioral science and serve as highly effective behavior change modalities. The authors stress that when an environment is changed, the conditions for particular behaviors change. They convincingly argue that the environment can be changed to decrease certain behaviors, while reinforcing others and promoting sustainability for new behaviors. This line of reasoning is especially salient in today's climate where individual behavior change is no longer feasible, and population-based behavior change is essential.
The timely and accurate content of this book can be attributed to the contributions of many highly qualified and internationally renowned experts in the injury prevention field. The scholarly and insightful contributions by these experts enable the coverage of a wide range of topics, coupled with the most commonly used research methods for understanding and influencing behavior change. In my opinion, one of the most valuable contributions this book makes to the field is its ability to further our understanding of the link between the behavior, the individual, and the environment. Clearly, injuries are preventable but we must first know which behaviors to change and how to encourage and sustain the new behavior. Injury and Violence Prevention: Behavioral Science Theories, Methods and Applications is a required reading for anyone working in, or curious about, injury prevention.
Virginia J. Noland Dodd, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, University of Florida, Department of Health Education & Behavior & Gainesville