Introduction

The Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine (ASBHM) is a volunteer-run organisation. It is established as one of the national societies constituting the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM). "Behavioural health and medicine" is defined as "the interdisciplinary field concerned with the development and integration of psychosocial, behavioural and biomedical science knowledge and techniques relevant to health and illness and the application of this knowledge and these techniques to prevention, etiology, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation" (Charter of the ISBM, 1990). The scope of behavioural health and medicine extends from research efforts to understand basic brain-body mechanism interactions; explorations of clinical diagnoses, the development, conduct and evaluation of interventions; to undertaking public health disease-prevention and health-promotion strategies. The ASBHM supports this definition, and aims to serve the needs of all health-related disciplines concerned with the integration of behavioral and biomedical sciences.

Goals

The goals of the ASBHM include the following.

1. To develop and maintain liaison with the ISBM and with collaborating professional organisations.
   
2. To encourage and co-ordinate communication among professionals and academics in health-related disciplines, including behavioural and biomedical science researchers and clinicians, without regard to specific discipline loyalties.
   
3. To stimulate research, clinical, preventive and training activities through formal meetings and the promotion of collaborative undertakings.
   
4. To develop guidelines for the implementation of behavioural medicine training and research activities at various levels.
   
5. To serve as information resource for clinicians and academics with an interest in behavioural health and medicine, by facilitating access to scientific and professional journals and computerised information systems, and by the organisation of scientific meetings.
   
6. To organise an annual national conference, providing opportunities for exchange of scientific information, professional views, and debates.

Structure

The ASBHM functions as a national society, as well as the society that represents ISBM in Australasia. Individuals specialising in any field of behavioural health and medicine, broadly defined, and who support the aims of the ASBHM, shall be eligible to become members of the ASBHM.

Executive Committee

President
Jenny Bowman
jenny.bowman@newcastle.edu.au

Past president
Helen Lindner
h.lindner@latrobe.edu.au
Elizabeth G. Eakin
e.eakin@sph.uq.edu.au
Linda Cameron
l.cameron@auckland.ac.nz

President Elect
Sheleigh Lawler
s.lawler@uq.edu.au

Secretary
Chris Stephens
c.v.stephens@massey.ac.nz

Treasurer/Membership Secretary
Dr Kerry Sherman
Kerry.Sherman@psy.mq.edu.au

Newsletter Editor
Roeline Kuijer
roeline.kuijer@canterbury.ac.nz

New Zealand Membership Coordinator
Kerry Chamberlain
k.chamberlain@massey.ac.nz

PROMISE Representatives
Carina Chan
cky.chan@auckland.ac.nz
Paula Wye
Paula.Wye@newcastle.edu.au

Executive Committee Members
Kylie Hesketh
kylie.hesketh@deakin.edu.au
Clare Hume
clare.hume@deakin.edu.au
Nadine Kasparian
n.kasparian@unsw.edu.au
Alison Marshall
alison.marshall@qut.edu.au
Rob McNeill
r.mcneill@auckland.ac.nz
Kerry Sherman
Kerry.Sherman@psy.mq.edu.au
Corneel Vandelanotte
Corneel_Vandelanotte@health.qld.gov.au

Membership Application

Click here for membership information and application.