The Health Psychology Handbook

<i><p>It is sure to be an invaluable resource to scientist-practitioners during the education and training process as well as to those continuing their professional development . . . with this <b>Handbook</b> we have a great resource to facilitate what is ready for translation from research to practice now. Our patients can benefit from these services now and we need a well-trained health care workforce to meet these needs.</p></i><p>--From the Foreword by Cynthia D. Belar Ph.D. ABPP </p><p>The <b>Health Psychology Handbook: Practical Issues for the Behavioral Medicine Specialist </b>is a comprehensive yet practical volume that consolidates information needed by health psychologists working alongside other healthcare professionals. It facilitates the progression of the learner from the classroom to the clinical setting by focusing on the translation of science to practice using concrete examples.</p><p>The <b>Handbook</b> is divided into four major parts. Part I highlights practical issues faced by health psychologists in a medical setting (how to motivate patients consultation-liaison assessment and screening brief psychotherapies ethical issues etc.). Part II concentrates on treating unhealthy behaviors (alcohol and nicotine use noncompliance overeating/obesity physical inactivity stress). Part III considers behavioral aspects of medical problems (pain management hypertension diabetes cancer sexual dysfunction HIV/AIDS irritable bowel syndrome insomnia). And Part IV takes up special issues relevant to practice and research in the field (minority issues women's issues working with geriatric populations public health approaches to health psychology and behavioral medicine).</p><p>Besides considering health problems the handbook also discusses professional issues such as:</p><ul><li>Working with a multidisciplinary staff </li><li>Conducting research </li><li>Evaluating outcomes </li><li>Practicing in public health settings</li></ul><p>The <b>Handbook</b> will prove an invaluable resource for those already working in the field of health psychology as well as for those in training.</p><i><p>The editors have developed an excellent sense of the needs of behavioral medicine practitioners . . . I found myself quite enthusiastic about the ability of the editors to conceptualize the problems of the practitioner and the ways to address them in this volume . . . The choice of authors is excellent.</p></i><p>--William Lovallo <i>University of Oklahoma & VA Medical Center</i> </p><i><p>"A handbook like this is a very valuable resource . . . The clinical focus is what is special about the <b>Handbook</b>."<br /></i>--Lynn Kozlowski <i>Pennsylvania State University</p></i>