This book shows the important links between social conditions and health and begins to describe the processes through which these health inequalities may be generated. It reviews a range of methodologies that could be used by health researchers in this field and proposes innovative future research directions.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has designated the topic of real-time data capture as an important and innovative research area. As such, the NCI sponsored a national meeting of distinguished research scientists to discuss the state of the science in this emerging and burgeoning field. This book reflects the findings of the conference and discusses the state of the science of real-time data capture and its application to health and cancer research. It provides a conceptual framework for minute-by-minute data capture- ecological momentary assessments (EMA)- and discusses health-related topics where these assessements have been applied. In addition, future directions in real-time data capture assessment, interventions, methodology, and technology are discussed.Despite the rapidly growing interest in the methodology of real-time data capture (e.g. journal special issues, widely attended conference presentations, etc.), to date no single book has focused solely on this topic. The volume will serve as an important resource for researchers, students, and government scientists interested in pursuing real-time health research, and will nicely complement our lists in epidemiology, public health, and oncology.

The WHO/HBSC Forum 2007 process engaged policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from throughout the WHO European Region in an evidence-review process dedicated to "Social cohesion for mental well-being among adolescents", supporting follow-up to the European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health in 2005. The process entailed: analysis of data on adolescent mental well-being, mental health and social capital; review of policies and interventions to improve adolescent mental health and well-being; and identification of lessons learned through these initiatives.

Why do some areas have a higher prevalence of mental illness than others? This book explores the concept of social capital & its implications for mental health policy. It reviews methods of measuring social capital, analyses the implications of research for future policy developments & makes recommendations for practice & research.

As interest in social capital has grown over the past decade—particularly in public health —so has the lack of consensus on exactly what it is and what makes it worth studying. Ichiro Kawachi, a widely respected leader in the field, and 21 contributors (including physicians, economists, and public health experts) discuss the theoretical origins of social capital, the strengths and limitations of current methodologies of measuring it, and salient examples of social capital concepts informing public health practice. Among the highlights: Measurement methods: survey, sociometric, ethnographic, experimental The relationship between social capital and physical health and health behaviors: smoking, substance abuse, physical activity, sexual activity Social capital and mental health: early findings Social capital and the aging community Social capital and disaster preparedness Social Capital and Health is certain to inspire a new generation of research on this topic, and will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in public health, health behavior, and social epidemiology.

This book presents a detailed and updated review of the widespread changes that take place during adolescence, adopting a preventive perspective that reflects physical, social, cognitive, and emotional changes. It addresses a broad range of aspects, including: the preventive programs and their systemic effects; the role of environment in influencing the healthy behaviors of adolescents and young adults; the use of e-Health technology in health and behavioral interventions for adolescents; and the clinical and prognostic implications of primordial prevention in healthy adolescents. All of these elements are subsequently reviewed using a multidimensional approach, in order to offer extensive information on the complex changes that characterize adolescents’ physiological, psychological, and neurobiological development. In addition, the book depicts the preventive strategies currently used in various social settings (school, family, sport club, health policies) aimed not only at reducing lifestyle risk behaviors, but also at improving resilience, happiness, social involvement, self-esteem, and sociability. This update is essential in the light of the fact that, to date, prevention has mainly been directed towards adolescents with physical or mental disorders rather than their healthy peers. As such, the book offers a valuable tool for pediatricians, child and adolescents psychiatrists, and for all professionals involved in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.