Bridging disciplines: an introduction to the special issue on public health and pediatric psychology.

Abstract

Public health reflects a broad variety of activities, with the ultimate goal of reducing disease mortality and morbidity and promoting health of the population as a whole. In the past, population health was measured by a relative absence of diseases, and the focus of public health research and practice was on the control of such diseases (especially communicable and infectious ones). However, more recently, a broader definition of health has been recognized. The World Health Organization views health as not just an absence of something, namely disease, but as a resource for realizing higher aspirations, satisfying needs, and coping with changes in the environment (Young, 1998). With this conceptualization being more widely adopted, the focus of population health has broadened to include social, environmental, and behavioral factors that may jeopardize health, placing individuals at risk for disease. Consequently, there is increased interest in including behavioral science and theory in the dialogue of public health research (Muehrer et al., 2002). Public health efforts aimed at pediatric populations have focused on either preventing problematic health outcomes in children (e.g., injury, childhood obesity, social/emotional problems) or preventing health risk behaviors associated with adult-onset chronic diseases (e.g., smoking prevention to reduce cancer or heart disease). Public health and population-based research and practice have not traditionally been the focus of pediatric psychology. Few articles submitted or published in the Journal have taken a public health focus (Kazak, 2002; La Greca, 1997; Roberts, 1992). However, recent surveys of pediatric psychologists and commentaries on the state of the field of pediatric psychology suggest the field is evolving and expanding. For instance, pediatric psychologists view primary prevention of poor health outcomes and the promotion of optimal physical and mental health in children to be of high priority (Brown & Roberts, 2000; Roberts, 1992). These sentiments are not germane solely to the pediatric psychology community; they are echoed by national health organization priorities and leaders in prevention science research calling for primary prevention and health promotion efforts to begin early in life and to include children, their families, schools, and communities (Perry, 2000; Stokols, 1996). Given the recent importance assigned to prevention of poor health outcomes and health promotion in pediatric psychology and the broader scientific community, this seems a fitting time to highlight current pediatric public health research. In the solicitation of articles for this special issue, we sought articles in the area of pediatric psychology that are related to disease prevention, including primary and secondary prevention efforts. We also were interested in receiving articles that included studies of surveillance that pertain to pediatric populations, issues related to pediatric psychology in rural settings, delivery of and access to care in pediatric populations, economic implications of pediatric psychological services, and health disparities in pediatric populations, as well as articles addressing policy regarding the interface between pediatric psychology and public health. A broad net was cast to attract submissions from individuals of different disciplines, including pediatric psychologists, epidemiologists, health service researchers, and prevention scientists. We received a set of high-quality manuscripts, and include in this special issue articles related to injury prevention and dissemination/diffusion efforts directed at substanceabuse and obesity prevention.