Handbook of Concepts in Health, Health Behavior and Environmental Health

Health and illness are universal human experiences, yet how they are understood, perceived, and lived varies widely across individuals and populations. These differences are shaped by the social, cultural, and environmental contexts in which people live, as well as by the choices they make throughout the life course. Health behaviors—whether protective or harmful—play a pivotal role in shaping health outcomes. Behaviors such as dietary practices, alcohol use, smoking, physical activity, sexual health behaviors, medication adherence, preventive screening, and vaccination can either reduce vulnerability to disease or heighten health risks. Understanding these behaviors across both healthy and at‑risk populations remains a central priority in public health and is essential to improving population health worldwide.

Equally important, individual behavior does not occur in isolation. As emphasized by the World Health Organization, health is profoundly shaped by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. Social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental factors systematically influence health opportunities and outcomes, contributing to persistent health inequities. These broader determinants of health—and their intersections with individual behavior—form a central focus of this handbook and the wider series.

This volume is the inaugural title in a handbook series on health behavior and illness prevention, commissioned by Springer in Singapore. It brings together authoritative, interdisciplinary perspectives on core health concepts, health behavior, environmental health, health promotion, health literacy, intervention design, and research methods. Structured across three books and multiple thematic parts, the series provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing health behavior and illness prevention at individual, community, and societal levels.

The present handbook addresses foundational concepts of health, the nature and determinants of health behavior, and the environmental conditions that shape both. It integrates theory with practice and adopts a critical, equity‑focused perspective. Rather than privileging deficit‑based or individual‑blame models, the volume situates health‑compromising behaviors within broader structural and systemic contexts. For example, limited health literacy may reflect unequal access to education, which itself is often rooted in marginalization, poverty, and power imbalances. By unpacking these deeper drivers, the handbook advances a more just and nuanced understanding of health behavior.

Contributors include leading researchers, educators, and practitioners specializing in health, health behavior, and environmental health. Their collective expertise enriches current understanding of health and illness prevention and offers evidence‑informed insights to support policy, practice, and research. This handbook will be an essential resource for students, scholars, and professionals across the health sciences who seek to advance health equity and improve population well‑being globally.

Professor Pranee Liamputtong is a distinguished medical anthropologist whose research focuses on the health and well-being of women, children, immigrants, refugees, the elderly, ethnic minorities, and transgender individuals. Her work is particularly dedicated to maternal and neonatal health, sexual and reproductive health, gender and sexual well-being, psychological health, and chronic illnesses influenced by climate change. Her recent studies have examined gender and sexual health concerns among Asian women, refugee and immigrant women, youth, and transgender women from ethnic minority backgrounds. In Vietnam, she has investigated the effects of air pollution on maternal and neonatal health. Additionally, her research explores the health and overall well-being of ethnic minority women. As a leading social science researcher, Professor Pranee has authored numerous books on qualitative research methodologies and various social and health-related topics. Her books include Qualitative Research Methods, Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice, Handbook of Qualitative Cross-Cultural Research, Researching the Vulnerable, Handbook of Research Sensitive Research in the Social Sciences, Social Determinants of Health, Focus Group Methodology, Research Methods in Health Social Sciences, Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. These works are widely recognized and used in both Australia and internationally. Before joining VinUni, Professor Pranee served as a Professor of Public Health, where she taught Qualitative research methods, Social determinants of health, Gender and health, Cultural diversity in healthcare, and Health communication. At VinUniversity, she has contributed to both medical and nursing degree programs, teaching courses such as Health Communication, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Research Methods in Nursing, and Qualitative Research Methods in the medical program. She has also mentored numerous undergraduate students in the MD and BN programs, guiding them through research projects as part of their studies and career development. Additionally, she has provided mentorship to faculty members in their research and publication efforts. Currently, Professor Pranee serves as Professor of Social Science and Chair of the Research Committee within CAS as well as Leader of the Living Lab pillar at the Center for Environmental Intelligence (CEI).