Yori Gidron - Behavioral Medicine: An Evidence-Based Biobehavioral Approach

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This book has been a journey into my learning, research work, and steps in behavioral medicine and health psychology. You are warmly invited to join the outcome of this journey.

Behavioral medicine is the interdisciplinary field of psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, which investigates the bi-directional relationships between psychosocial factors and health outcomes. It also investigates the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of such associations, a domain called psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). It also includes development and scientific testing of new psychological interventions to affect health outcomes. This book covers all these topics, from doctor-patient communication and patient adherence to preparation for surgery and from psychological risk factors of heart disease to psychological prognostic factors and interventions in cancer.

I included a problem-based learning (PBL) approach and a multi-level analysis, by beginning and ending each clinical chapter with a hypothetical case. The chapter then provides the epidemiology and biomedical background of the disease, the psychological predictors of onset or prognosis in this condition, the PNI findings possibly explaining such associations, and psychological interventions relevant to that health condition. Each clinical chapter ends by returning to the hypothetical case, applying the covered evidence to better treat that patient. The entire book takes a strict evidence-based approach.

Behavioral Medicine: An Evidence-Based Biobehavioral Approach by Yori Gidron, Ph.D., a leading investigator of mind-body interactions, beautifully embodies just that because the author writes with both his head and his heart. He clearly discusses the latest research on disease and mechanisms of psychosocial effects on it. At the same time, he conveys understanding and compassion for those suffering with serious illness. He provides useful case examples of helpful and hurtful clinical interactions, assisting the reader to better understand and improve patient care. Health professionals from every discipline will better mind their patients bodies after reading this book.

David Spiegel, M.D.

Willson Professor and Associate Chair of

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Stanford University School of Medicine

I wish to dedicate this book first to the memory of my beloved parents, Michael and Erika Gidron; may they rest in peace. We lost them also due to my and our professional ignorance. I dedicate this book also to my beloved children, Aviv, Oriane, Idann, and Aner Gidron, who I wish good health and fulfilment in life.

There are numerous people I must thank: Laure-Anne Thieren for her tolerance and help for many years, as well as my sister Ada and brother Amos and their families; my professors, Joel Norman, Richard Schuster, Ruth Kimchi, Shlomo Breznitz, Patrick McGrath, Karina Davidson, Ray Klein, Vincent Lolordo, and Michael Sullivan; my peer students, Nethanel Snow and Farhad Dastur; and many colleagues and mentors including Reuven Gal, Arik Shalev, Sara Frieedman, Moshe Farchi, Shmulik Ariad, Rivka Berger, Miriam Argaman, Harel Gilutz, Mahmoud Hueihel, Alain (Ilan) Ronson, Darius Razavi, Bianca Gordon, Johan Denollet, Ivan Nyklicek, Nina Kupper, Martijn Kwaijtaal, Flortje Mols, Manos Karteris, Brigitte Velkeniers, Jo Nijs, Martin Zizi, Reginald Deschepper, Filip Germeys, Antonio Giangreco, Alexis Cortot, Eric Lartigau, Sophie Lelorain, Delphine Grynberg, Mathias Chamaillard, Julian Thayer, Hideki Ohira, Luca Vannucci, David Spiegel (the book evaluator), and Giulia Plat for entering the references. I thank my dear past and present doctoral students, Bina Nausheen, Emilie Arden-Close, Rachel Sumner, Marijke De Couck, Danial Herzog, Bibiana Fabre, Einav Levy, Eowyn Wittenberghe, Eva Reijmen, and Laura Caton, and many master students. If I forgot someone, please forgive me. I also thank each patient and study participant who took part in my studies along this voyage, to whom we owe our knowledge. Special thanks for Redford Williams initial important comments.

Every book is a persons own story, his or her summary and interpretation of what they know, in this case of behavioral medicine. This is my story. I hope it will serve many of you well.

Shalom,

Yori Gidron, PhD

Chair of Psychooncology

SCALab, Lille University, France

French National Cancer Institute - lINCA