Discipline of Health Behaviour Sciences (HBS)

Health Behaviour Sciences (HBS) focuses on the knowledge and skills relevant to the understanding of health and illness, and the application of this knowledge to prevention, promotion, treatment and rehabilitation.

HBS is concerned with behavioural events, their causes and outcomes on an individual, population and societal basis.

HBS is not concerned with any one specific disease or population. It has a contribution to make at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of prevention or intervention. HBS is concerned with events relating to individual and population health and illness, the health care system, and in particular the behaviour of health providers and patients.

HBS is both a basic and applied science. We draw on a body of theory and experimental data, and apply these concepts to issues relating to health and illness. We are committed to an evidence basis in our approach to learning and practice.