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Behaviour Therapy's Role in Preventing Physical Illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Robert W Sanson-Fisher*
Affiliation:
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Discipline of Behavioural Science in Relation to Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle
Margot J Schofield*
Affiliation:
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Discipline of Behavioural Science in Relation to Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle
Janice Perkins*
Affiliation:
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Discipline of Behavioural Science in Relation to Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle
*
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Hunter Centre for Health Advancement, Locked Bag No. 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Hunter Centre for Health Advancement, Locked Bag No. 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
NSW Cancer Council Cancer Education Research Project, Hunter Centre for Health Advancement, Locked Bag No. 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia
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Abstract

This paper argues for an expansion of the field of behaviour therapy from a predominant focus on individual and family based treatment of problems into the prevention of physical illness at a population level. It outlines criteria which can be used to make rational decisions about which domains behaviour therapists should focus on, it then provides a rationale for placing more emphasis on population based strategies of prevention. The particular contributions which the discipline of behaviour therapy has to offer to such an expanded role are then delineated and the benefits of an expanded role into primary and secondary prevention of physical disease are discussed in relation to past research.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1993

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References

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