Behavioral Determinants. The behavioral determinants of a health problem can be understood on three levels. Most proximal are those behaviors or lifestyles that contribute to the occurrence and severity of a health problem (for example, a teen smoker’s tobacco use). The second, more distal determinant is the behavior of others who can directly affect the behavior of the individuals at risk (such as the teen smoker’s parents keeping cigarettes in the home). The third and most distal behavioral determinant is the action of decision makers whose decisions affect the social or physical environment that influences the individuals at risk (for example, actions by police to enforce laws that restrict youth access to cigarettes). By thinking about these three levels of behavioral determinants of the health problem, the program planner increases the likelihood that comprehensive and effective interventions will be created.