Behavioral medicine challenges in the shadow of a global pandemic.

Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101554668 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1613-9860 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 16139860 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Transl Behav Med Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: 2018- : [Oxford] : Oxford University Press
Original Publication: New York : Springer

Health Behavior*; Behavioral Medicine/*methods ; COVID-19/*psychology ; Health Promotion/*methods; Humans ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2

Health behavior researchers should refocus and retool as it becomes increasingly clear that the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic surpass the direct effects of COVID-19 and include unique, drastic, and ubiquitous consequences for health behavior. The circumstances of the pandemic have created a natural experiment, allowing researchers focusing on a wide range of health behaviors and populations with the opportunity to use previously collected and future data to study: (a) changes in health behavior prepandemic and postpandemic, (b) health behavior prevalence and needs amidst the pandemic, and (c) the effects of the pandemic on short- and long-term health behavior. Our field is particularly challenged as we attempt to consider biopsychosocial, political, and environmental factors that affect health and health behavior. These realities, while daunting, should call us to action to refocus and retool our research, prevention, and intervention efforts.
(Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Behavioral Medicine 2020.)

Keywords: Alcohol; COVID-19; Health behavior; Sleep

Date Created: 20201024 Date Completed: 20210331 Latest Revision: 20210331

20221213

PMC7665787

10.1093/tbm/ibaa106

33098423