EDITORIAL
BROADENING THE AUDIENCE FOR BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE RESEARCH: A NEED TO FACILITATE THE PUBLIC'S SCIENTIFIC LITERACY
Annals of Behavioral Medicine is one of the major publication outlets for empirical research on all aspects of health, disease, and illness. The ever-expanding knowledge base has continued to reinforce the interrelationship of biological, psychosocial, economic, and behavioral factors across the spectrum of health. It is essential that the policy ramifications of this research be identified and presented. Thus, Annals will not only include empirical studies and topical reviews, but will also publish papers with implications for health practice and health policy. All too often, investigators publish their important research in narrowly-defined scientific journals that do not achieve widespread visibility. It is my intention to publish not only papers for consumption by subscribers to this journal, but also to have these papers disseminated broadly through the general media and to health policy decision-makers. One of my missions as editor is to use Annals as a vehicle to promote scientific literacy and public education regarding links between psychological, social, economic, and environmental factors and physical ones. Recently, the Center for the Advancement of Health, founded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation, has designated the dissemination of public information about behavioral medicine research as one of their priorities. I hope to work closely with the Center in this important endeavor. In this issue of Annals, I am delighted to include the first health policy paper devoted to a topic of great concern, not only to researchers and clinical practitioners in behavioral medicine, but to all Americans, and indeed, to all who inhabit our planet - - namely, the consumption of tobacco. It is fitting that this topic be the initial paper on health policy to appear in Anna/s, since the evidence concerning the deleterious health effects of nicotine are overwhelming. Cigarette smoking is considered to be the greatest single cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 417,000 preventable deaths each year, not to mention the additional chronic medical problems associated with tobacco use. Tobacco smoke is not only detrimental to the individual, but it pollutes our shared environment. It has been estimated that 9% of the deaths attributable to tobacco result from "second-hand" smoke released into the environment. Furthermore, 5-6% of prenatal deaths are associated with women who smoke; and tobacco consumption has been related to 17-27% of low birth weight deliveries, resulting in high levels of health services and excessive health care expenditures. In the United States there is tremendous concern among the public and the government regarding illicit drug use and alcoholrelated deaths. Substantial efforts and financial resources are being
invested to control these problen~. Deaths a,~ociated with tobacco use, however, account for over 20 times the number associated with illicit drug use, and 16 times the number of those associated with automobile accidents, Despite these statistics, only minimal attempts have been made to regulate tobacco use. The policy paper on tobacco regulation published in this issue was prepared by four of the most eminent investigators who have identified the health damaging effects of tobacco - - Bob Kaplan, Tracy Orleans, Ken Perkins, and John Pierce. Their paper should be read as not only a call to arms, but as an action plan. These authors propose four specific policy actions-- regulation of tobacco as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, enactment of a federal excise tax on tobacco products, ban on tobacco advertising directed at children and youth, and reimbursement for smoking cessation services-- and most importantly, Kaplan et al. go beyond simply making suggestions to providing impressive results from empirical research and econometric studies supporting their recommendations. It is incumbent on all health care professionals and researchers in behavioral medicine, even if they do not directly work in the areas of tobacco abuse, to become conversant in the arguments raised and proposals made by Kaplan et al. The paper by Kaplan et al. should serve as a model for those in other areas of behavioral medicine to consider the wider policy implications of their research, as well as the need to educate the public. Frequently, an investigator's focus of attention becomes more and more narrow as he or she attends to the important details of research design, data analysis, and the next grant application. I encourage these investigators to consider the broader implications of their studies and to submit papers based on their research emphasizing the public and health policy consequences of their results. Moreover, they need to accept responsibility for educating the public about the practical implications of their findings. As noted earlier, it is my intent to have Anna/s be not only one of the premier research journals publishing behavioral medicine research, but also one that is read and cited by a broader audience. Finally, we try to be responsive to concerns and interests of SBM members and other readers of this journal. A number of individuals have commented that the value of Anna/s would be enhanced by including a subject index in each issue. We hope you find it useful. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions regarding ways to improve Annals of Behavioral
Medicine. Dennis C. Turk, Ph.D. Editor
BROADENING THE AUDIENCE FOR BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE RESEARCH: A NEED TO FACILITATE THE PUBLIC'S SCIENTIFIC LITERACY
Annals of Behavioral Medicine is one of the major publication outlets for empirical research on all aspects of health, disease, and illness. The ever-expanding knowledge base has continued to reinforce the interrelationship of biological, psychosocial, economic, and behavioral factors across the spectrum of health. It is essential that the policy ramifications of this research be identified and presented. Thus, Annals will not only include empirical studies and topical reviews, but will also publish papers with implications for health practice and health policy. All too often, investigators publish their important research in narrowly-defined scientific journals that do not achieve widespread visibility. It is my intention to publish not only papers for consumption by subscribers to this journal, but also to have these papers disseminated broadly through the general media and to health policy decision-makers. One of my missions as editor is to use Annals as a vehicle to promote scientific literacy and public education regarding links between psychological, social, economic, and environmental factors and physical ones. Recently, the Center for the Advancement of Health, founded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation, has designated the dissemination of public information about behavioral medicine research as one of their priorities. I hope to work closely with the Center in this important endeavor. In this issue of Annals, I am delighted to include the first health policy paper devoted to a topic of great concern, not only to researchers and clinical practitioners in behavioral medicine, but to all Americans, and indeed, to all who inhabit our planet - - namely, the consumption of tobacco. It is fitting that this topic be the initial paper on health policy to appear in Anna/s, since the evidence concerning the deleterious health effects of nicotine are overwhelming. Cigarette smoking is considered to be the greatest single cause of preventable death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 417,000 preventable deaths each year, not to mention the additional chronic medical problems associated with tobacco use. Tobacco smoke is not only detrimental to the individual, but it pollutes our shared environment. It has been estimated that 9% of the deaths attributable to tobacco result from "second-hand" smoke released into the environment. Furthermore, 5-6% of prenatal deaths are associated with women who smoke; and tobacco consumption has been related to 17-27% of low birth weight deliveries, resulting in high levels of health services and excessive health care expenditures. In the United States there is tremendous concern among the public and the government regarding illicit drug use and alcoholrelated deaths. Substantial efforts and financial resources are being
invested to control these problen~. Deaths a,~ociated with tobacco use, however, account for over 20 times the number associated with illicit drug use, and 16 times the number of those associated with automobile accidents, Despite these statistics, only minimal attempts have been made to regulate tobacco use. The policy paper on tobacco regulation published in this issue was prepared by four of the most eminent investigators who have identified the health damaging effects of tobacco - - Bob Kaplan, Tracy Orleans, Ken Perkins, and John Pierce. Their paper should be read as not only a call to arms, but as an action plan. These authors propose four specific policy actions-- regulation of tobacco as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, enactment of a federal excise tax on tobacco products, ban on tobacco advertising directed at children and youth, and reimbursement for smoking cessation services-- and most importantly, Kaplan et al. go beyond simply making suggestions to providing impressive results from empirical research and econometric studies supporting their recommendations. It is incumbent on all health care professionals and researchers in behavioral medicine, even if they do not directly work in the areas of tobacco abuse, to become conversant in the arguments raised and proposals made by Kaplan et al. The paper by Kaplan et al. should serve as a model for those in other areas of behavioral medicine to consider the wider policy implications of their research, as well as the need to educate the public. Frequently, an investigator's focus of attention becomes more and more narrow as he or she attends to the important details of research design, data analysis, and the next grant application. I encourage these investigators to consider the broader implications of their studies and to submit papers based on their research emphasizing the public and health policy consequences of their results. Moreover, they need to accept responsibility for educating the public about the practical implications of their findings. As noted earlier, it is my intent to have Anna/s be not only one of the premier research journals publishing behavioral medicine research, but also one that is read and cited by a broader audience. Finally, we try to be responsive to concerns and interests of SBM members and other readers of this journal. A number of individuals have commented that the value of Anna/s would be enhanced by including a subject index in each issue. We hope you find it useful. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions regarding ways to improve Annals of Behavioral
Medicine. Dennis C. Turk, Ph.D. Editor
