Social Network Profiles of Clients Accessing a Rural Health Department Clinic.

Abstract

Prevention of health risk behaviors such as smoking, alcohol/drug use, and unprotected sexual activity is considered a key national health promotion objective. Individual interventions have not always resulted in an impressive, sustained decline in risk behavior. Research efforts need to be directed at examining individual risk behaviors in relation to social context. The purpose of this study is to explore the risk behaviors and social network characteristics of people accessing a rural public health department, focusing on the relationship between respondents? self-reported behaviors and that of their network members.