Description/Mission Statement

The Health Decision Making and Communication Special Interest Group (HDMC SIG) provides a forum within the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) to advance the theory, science and practice of health decision making and communication, particularly as applied in behavioral medicine. The HDMC SIG has a special interest in understanding informed decision making by patients and the general population, shared decision making between patients and health professionals, and clinical decision making by health professionals.

The HDMC SIG accomplishes its mission through 1) fostering collaboration among its members, 2) developing and offering activities through SBM venues that will enhance the collective knowledge of health decision making and communication among SBM members, 3) providing high-quality peer review of abstracts and manuscripts on decision making and communication submitted to SBM meetings and publications, and 4) providing guidance on the science of health decision making and communication to SBM committees, SIGs and councils.

The HDMC SIG is the point of contact for liaisons between SBM and other organizations relevant to health decision making and communication such as the Society of Medical Decision Making and the Society for Judgment and Decision Making.

 

Opportunities to Engage with the Health Decision Making and Communication SIG

1. To join the SIG roster or to be added or removed from the listserv: Log in to the Members Only section of the SBM website, click My Profile, and then edit the SIG section under the Professional tab. If you have questions or difficulty, email info@sbm.org.
2. Join a committee to get more involved with the SIG and network with your peers and mentors. Contact the SIG Chair if you are interested in learning more.
3. Join the SIG LinkedIn group to see updates from SIG members about events, achievements, research collaborations, and career opportunities!

 

 

Communications Committee (bimonthly newsletter, researcher spotlight, social media)

Members: Kerstin Hundal (Chair), Natasha Allard, Arianna Brito, Grace Brannon, Hoda Fakhari, Sara Fleszar-Pavlovic, Jacqueline Hua, Savanna Kerstiens, Jackelyn Payne, and Aantaki Raisa.
Want to get involved? Sign up here to join the Communications Committee!
Click here to see our latest newsletter. 

 

Awards Committee (award review and selection)

Members: Jinghua An, Joely Centracchio, Rebecca Delaney, Jacqueline Hua, Jennifer Kowalsky, Jennifer Manganello, Jackelyn Payne, Jennifer Taber, and Erika Waters.
Want to get involved? Sign up here to join the Awards Committee!

 

Awards

The HDMC SIG currently offers three awards for members:

• HDMC SIG Early Career Award
  • 2025 Award Recipient: Shena Gazaway, PhD
  • 2024 Award Recipient: Shannon M. Christy, PhD     
• Sara J. Knight HDMC SIG Service Award
  • 2025 Award Recipient: Sara Fleszar-Pavlovic, PhD    
  • 2024 Award Recipient: Jamie L. Studts, PhD    
• HDMC SIG Student/Trainee Abstract Award
  • 2025 Award Recipient: Diana Litsas
  • 2024 Award Recipient: Savanna Kerstiens
  • 2023 Award Recipient: Kirsten Paulus

 

SIG History

Previous Chairs
2024-2025 Malwina Lewicka, PhD
2023-2024 Sara Fleszar-Pavlovic, PhD
2022-2023 Marleah Dean Kruzel, PhD
2021-2022 Courtney Scherr, PhD
2020-2021 Shannon Christy, PhD
2019-2020 Lisa Carter-Bawa, PhD
2018-2019 Aisha Langford, PhD
2017-2018 Megan Oser, PhD
2016-2017 Sarah E. Lillie, PhD
2015-2016 Christine Rini, PhD
2014-2015 Erika A. Waters, PhD
2013-2014 Jennifer L. Hay, PhD
2012-2013 Suzanne C. O'Neill, PhD
2011-2012 Marc T. Kiviniemi, PhD
2010-2011 Jamie Studts, PhD
2009-2010 Sara J. Knight, PhD

 

Outlook articles written by HDMC SIG members

2024: Navigating the Landscape of Conflicting Health Information: The Paradox of Progress
2023: Measuring Climate Distress
2021: The Highs and Lows of Scientific Publishing: The Work We Have to Do
          Shared Decision Making in the Context of Lung Cancer Screening: Liability or Asset?
2020: Vaccinophobia in the Time of Covid-19: Current Status and Future Direction
          We Don’t Know What They “Don’t Know”: Why Researchers Should Allow “Don’t Know” Responses to Perceived Risk Survey Items
          We Need to Start Talking About the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine NOW
          Physical Activity Interventions During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ethos of a Problem
2019: Cheers to Good Health? Challenges and Opportunities in Communicating Alcohol-related Cancer Risk
2018: Emerging Strategies for Promoting Health Decision Making
2017: Health Decision Making 101
2016: A Conversation with Mary Politi about Decision Aids, Clinical Trial Disparities, and Health Insurance Enrollment
2015: Promoting Shared Decision Making in Lung Cancer Screening
2014: Health Decision Making SIG Explores what Makes a 'Good' Health Decision
2013: General News from the Health Decision Making SIG and Hot Topics in Health Decision Making
2012: Health Decision Making (HDM) SIG Update
2011: Health Decision Making SIG Update
2010: Health Decision Making SIG Update
2009: Health and Decision Making SIG News