Análise do Comportamento aplicada à promoção da saúde: uma revisão de escopo

Abstract

Behavior Analysis, as a descriptive and experimental science, capable to indicate the causes of complex behaviors, offers a mean to study and modify many social issues. However, the field of public health, and more specificaly the field of health promotion, has been seldom studied by behavior analysts. As a scoping review, the presente study researched the data produced by studies in the application of Behavior Analysis to health promotion, with the purpose of identifying the types of intervention that are being applied, as well as possible methodological and conceptual gaps in researches. Studies were coleted from five databases: Lilacs, PubMed, ERIC, Scopus e PsycINFO. Studies were analyzed for bibliometrics, type of research, target behaviors and population, research designs and also in relation to criteria for the evaluation of health promotion initiatives, proposed by the WHO (social participation, empowerment, equity, sustainability, multi-strategic actions and a holistic conception of health). Publications should match inclusion criteria to be considered a Behavior Analysis study. A total of 89 studies were analyzed. Data collection indicated that the majority of the studies were conducted in the United States (89,8%). Most represented types of research were predictores/determinants studies (34,8%), interventions (25,8%) and discussion papers (25,8%). Among the studies that planned some form of intervention, the majority (77%) reache no more than three, of the six WHO criteria of evaluations. Based in these data, we argue for a higher approach by behavior analysts to modern discussions in health promotion