Behavioral approach

The overall goal of this chapter is to acquaint readers with behavior change opportunities and applications to injury reduction from the perspectives of both the well-known epidemiological framework of host, vector, and environment and the ecological framework commonly used in health promotion. This chapter (1) describes the roles of behavior change in reducing injury, highlighting the need for comprehensive approaches that address multiple levels of the ecological model and (2) provides examples from the literature of changes in individual behavior, products, and environments to illustrate the value in considering a variety of audiences and goals for behavior change. The chapter concludes that behavior change theory and methods have demonstrated utility for programs addressing individuals' risk behaviors and offer a largely untapped potential for facilitating change among individuals who make laws and design products in ways that can ultimately protect entire populations. Moving forward will require multidisciplinary expertise and new partnerships.