ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the several priority risky health behaviors and describes the effect of violence on individuals and communities. It explains the HIV-infection-and-transmission process and the health consequences of anorexia, bulimia, and obesity. The chapter explores each of the several risky behaviors by examining the behavioral antecedents, factors that influence the behaviors; the frequency of the behavior across age groups; and the long-term health implications of the behaviors. It examines relevant theories developed by psychologists and other health researchers that may explain the antecedents of risky health outcomes. Although health professionals are increasingly attentive to issues of domestic violence, it is unlikely that one’s will know the true prevalence rates of interpersonal and domestic violence in the United States. Suicide is also a global health issue. The studies suggest that a country's economic status, along with individual and societal factors, is important determinants of suicide rates.
