Exam 2 - Health Psychology Flashcards
What is the socioeconomical model proposed in the context of health disparities?
Answer: The socioeconomical model suggests that individuals’ development occurs within broader environments, but many studies fail to consider this complexity. This model underscores the impact of socioeconomic factors on health outcomes and highlights the necessity of studying individuals within their broader environmental contexts.
How can allostatic load contribute to health disparities, and how is it measured?
Answer: Allostatic load refers to the cumulative physiological toll placed on the body due to repeated stress responses. People who experience greater levels of discrimination often activate their stress response more frequently, leading to higher allostatic load. This load can be measured by assessing stress hormones and other physiological markers.
What are the three ways Braveman suggests discussing health disparities?
Braveman proposes discussing health disparities as:
a) An indicator of health,
b) An indicator of advantage and disadvantage, and
c) A way of comparing health across different groups.
Explain the concept of moderator effects in the context of health disparities.
Answer: Moderator effects refer to psychological factors that influence the relationship between an indicator of advantage/disadvantage and health outcomes. For instance, discrimination may affect health outcomes differently depending on an individual’s sense of purpose or other psychological variables.
Provide examples of mediator effects in understanding health disparities.
Mediator effects explain how certain factors impact health outcomes. For instance, discrimination may predict reduced perceived control, which in turn affects health outcomes. Similarly, higher education may lead to more perceived control and social support, thereby influencing participation in healthy behaviors.
Why do researchers focus extensively on health behaviors when studying health disparities?
Health behaviors serve as indicators of unequal access to health resources and services. Research, such as Pampel et al.’s study, shows disparities in health behaviors based on factors like education level, highlighting the importance of studying these behaviors in understanding health inequalities.
What are the “Life’s Essential 8,” and how are they relevant to assessing health?
The “Life’s Essential 8” are measures or activities used to determine if someone is living a healthy life. They include criteria such as sleep patterns, healthy eating habits, and smoking status. Some of these measures can be directly assessed, while others, like blood glucose levels, require laboratory testing.
How does Michael Schober’s work on smoking questionnaires contribute to understanding health behavior measurement?
Schober’s research emphasizes the importance of designing precise measures for health behaviors. His work highlights the complexities of interpreting responses to questions about behaviors like smoking, underscoring the need for clear guidelines and specificity in measurement instruments.
Define health behavior and discuss the three main aspects to focus on when studying it.
Health behavior refers to actions or inactions that impact health outcomes. When studying health behavior, researchers consider:
a) Inaction versus action,
b) Distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy behaviors, and
c) Intentions behind behaviors, such as following cues from wearable devices.
How do health behaviors differ based on personal situations, and what are the three categories of health-related activities?
Health behaviors vary depending on an individual’s circumstances. Three categories of health-related activities include:
a) Health maintenance behaviors, such as regular exercise and healthy eating,
b) Symptom-based actions, which focus on alleviating current ailments or injuries, and
c) Sick-role activities, undertaken post-diagnosis to address specific health issues, such as following medical advice and adjusting responsibilities accordingly.
What was the primary measure used in the study discussed during the Wednesday talk on exercise and brain development?
How were participants categorized based on their activity levels, and what was observed regarding their brain activity?
What concerns were raised by the audience regarding the common methods of measuring exercise?
The primary measure used in the study was asking participants to rate how often they engage in walking, jogging, and running – three activities considered to be healthy behaviors.
Participants were divided into high activity and low activity groups based on their scores on the measure of walking, jogging, and running frequency. Their brain activity was then observed and compared between these two groups.
Concerns raised by the audience included the exclusion of other forms of physical activity besides walking, jogging, and running, the choice between continuous versus dichotomous measurement, and distinguishing between exercise for health versus exercise out of necessity.
What are the three categories commonly used to measure exercise intensity in large panel studies?
The three common categories used to measure exercise intensity are strenuous (e.g., running, soccer), moderate (e.g., fast walking, tennis), and mild (e.g., easy walking, bowling).
How do health behaviors differ across various life stages according to the Wednesday discussion?
What factors influence negative health behaviors, according to the discussion?
Health behaviors differ across different life stages. In childhood and adolescence, the focus may be on establishing good eating habits and avoiding unnecessary risks. In young and middle adulthood, building social networks and seeking proper healthcare are important. In older adulthood, remaining active despite declining health and adhering to medication regimens become crucial.
Negative health behaviors can be influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status (e.g., affordability of healthy food), environmental factors (e.g., proximity to exercise facilities), and societal pressures (e.g., peer pressure). Additionally, certain personality traits and commonalities across unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and lack of exercise, were noted.
How was health behavior assessment adapted to accommodate Native American cultural perspectives?
Health behavior assessment was adapted by incorporating the concept of the medicine wheel, which emphasizes the balance of emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual components of health. This approach aligns with the World Health Organization’s definition but is tailored to the cultural context of Native American communities.
What are some examples of complementary and alternative medicines used by Native Americans?
Complementary and alternative medicines used by Native Americans can include practices such as prayer, meditation, hypnosis, and acupuncture. These practices often reflect non-Western approaches to healthcare.
