Formation and early history of the American Academy of Health Behavior.
OBJECTIVE
To document the formation and early history of The American Academy of Health Behavior.


METHODS
Recollections and interactions with selected founders of The Academy active in building the organization through its formative years.


RESULTS
A professional organization came into existence whose sole mission is fostering research skill development and research dissemination across health behavior-related disciplines that increases the likelihood of improved translation and evidence-based practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Creation and survival of this organization required visionary leadership, dedicated early adopters, a commitment to excellence, and outreach to new researchers.
McDermott
Robert J
RJ
Florida Prevention Research Center, Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard (MDC 056)Tampa, FL 33612, USA. rmcdermo@health.usf.edu
Glover
Elbert D
ED
D000047:Academies and Institutes / Q000266:history* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D015438:Health Behavior; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States