Chapter 7: Physical Disorders and Health Psychology

Question 1

Application of behavioral science to preventing, diagnosing and treating medical problems

Answer 1

behavioral medicine

Question 2

one part of behavioral medicine. Studies psychological facts that promote and maintain good health.

Answer 2

health psychology

Question 3

How do psychological and social factors influence medical illness?

Answer 3

Two primary paths:

1) psychological factors can influence basic biological processes
2) long-standing behavior patterns may put people at risk for disease

e.g. AIDS, 50% of cases are linked to lifestyle and behavior patterns

Question 4

stress response

Answer 4

the more stressed you are, the worse off you’ll be. If you have a sickness, you will be more sick.

Question 5

physiological response of an individual

Answer 5

stress

Question 6

event that evokes stress response

Answer 6

stressor

Question 7

belief in one’s own ability to influence the environment

Answer 7

self-efficacy

Question 8

Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus (AIDS)

Answer 8

stress of AIDS diagnosis can be devastating

higher stress and low social support speed disease progression

reduce stress > improve system functioning

Treatment: HAART–highly active antiretroviral therapy (drug)

Question 9

something important but I don’t quite know why

Answer 9

manipulating the environment to prevent illnesses, if we can’t, then figuring out how to lessen the illness

Question 10

Cancer

Answer 10

psychological and behavioral contributions to cancer: perceived lack of control, inadequate or inappropriate coping responses (e.g. denial), overwhelming stressful life events, lifestyle, psychological factors involved in chemotherapy

cancer is influenced by psychological, behavioral, and social factors

“Treatment”: learning how to handle stress and having support helps fight cancer. CBT.

Breast cancer benefit from supportive interventions

Question 11

Cardiovascular Problems: hypertension

Answer 11

hypertension: high blood pressure

major risk factor for stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease

causes wear and tear of the blood vessels

essential hypertension is the most common form–no verifiable physical cause

Question 12

Cardiovascular Problems: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Answer 12

blockage of the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscle

psychological and behavioral risk factors: stress, anxiety, anger, poor coping skills, low social support, lifestyle (smoking, drinking), type A behavior pattern

Question 13

Chronic Pain

Answer 13

acute: follows an injury, goes away by itself
chronic: may begin acutely, but does not go away by itself

severity of pain does not predict reaction to it (e.g. someone is severe pain can continue working and seek little to no medical intervention while someone with mild pain goes to great lengths to cure the pain)

*pain: the actual hurting (subjective)
vs.
*pain behaviors: overt manifestations of this experience (e.g. changing the way one sits or walks, continually complaining about pain to others, grimacing, and most important, avoiding various activities)

gate control theory

Question 14

gate control theory

Answer 14

Chronic Pain

explains psychological and physical pain. Impulses from painful experience travel up the spine and through the dorsal horns of the spinal column (“gate”). Regulated by nerve fibers opening/closing the gate

Question 15

Chronic Fatigue

Answer 15

lack of energy, marked fatigue, pain, low-grade fever

most common in females

causes: high-achievement oriented lifestyle, fast paced lifestyle combines with stress and illness, psychological misinterpretation of consequences of illness
treatment: meds are ineffective, CBT is promising

Question 16

Modifying Behaviors to Promote Health

Answer 16

AIDS highly preventable by changing behaviors

diet, exercise, promotion of health and wellness

Example: Smoking in China

• 320 million smokers
• smoking is a symbol of freedom, seen as socially beneficial, mistaken belief that health consequences can be managed
• intervention: children of smoking fathers were given psychoeducation to help father stop

Example: Stanford Three Community Study

• studied three communities in central California that were alike in size and type of residents
• target was reduction of risk factors for CHD
• positive behaviors that were introduced focused on smoking, high blood pressure, diet, and weight reduction
• Tracy wasn’t shown any interventions, no real change
• Gilroy media intervention, great improvement
• Watsonville intensive instruction the best improvement