Question

Identify individual, organizational, and community concerns, assets, resources, and deficits for social and behavioral science intervention

Answer 1

Social and behavioral sciences are concerned with the mental, emotional, and social well-being of a population, which is equally important to public health as physical well-being. Indeed, the health of a person’s mind has a direct effect on the health of their body. Therefore, this dimension of public health revolves around those psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to societal health. The logic is that maintaining and improving these factors will have positive results for the physical health of a population. Social and behavioral sciences in public health study systems of racism, sex discrimination, homophobia, and other forms of prejudice that have tangible repercussions on a group’s health. Professionals in these fields study psychological disorders and their effects on people’s’ bodies, and societal values and structures that shape people’s views on their own health practices. Poverty comes into play, as does the dissemination of information and resources.