David B. Portnoy PhD, MPH

David B. Portnoy, PhD, MPH have three main areas of interest: 1) How individual differences and situational influences affect health risk-taking behaviors, health decision-making, and health-related attitudes. In particular I have studied how the extent to which people consider the long-term consequences of their health decisions can influence their health behavior related to nutrition and cancer self-exams. In addition I have studied how waiting for potentially upsetting medical test results can reduce subsequent recall of important information needed to make an informed treatment decision. 2) The measurement, theory and use of risk perceptions in predicting health behavior, and how to communicate health risks effectively, especially about tobacco. 3) A final area of interest focuses on the use of technology (computer delivered interventions and virtual reality) for health behavior change