Public health intervention deals with the general concept of public health as more than just a system of theories and risk-interventional approaches. Bellah et al. (1991) suggested that we simply cannot separate how and why we approach public health concerns in many ways– including the use of Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT). This is because whether we speak about changing behavioral designs, community structures and capacity building on communities, these changes cannot be detached either can they set aside the healthy philosophy of what establishes a healthy community. Health Psychology (also known as Medical Psychology or Behavioral Medicine) is a scientific discipline which examines how biological characteristics (e.g., immune system, genetics), behavioral factors (e.g., lifestyle, coping skills, health beliefs), psychological factors (e.g., stress, personality, self-efficacy) and social conditions (e.g., cultural influences, social support) interact to influence health and illness. Health psychologists have done great tasks in the psychological study of behavioral processes on health, illness and the care of the communities. Cherry (n.d.) described the field of health psychology as promoting health, prevention and treatment of disease and illness. Health psychologists focus on understanding the mental meaning of what it is to be sick and/or to remain healthy living. I think the adoption of an idea that over time, diffuses and spread to the rest of the population could also be understood by the psychological meaning of what it is to be prevented or adopted by such an idea.
Bellah, R.N., Madsen, R., Sullivan, W.M., Swidler, A., Tipton, S.M., (1991). The Good Society. Vintage Books; New York.
Cherry, K. (n.d.). What is Health Psychology? Psychology Education. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/branchesofpsycholog1/p/health-psychology.htm
