final Flashcards
Self Concept
people’s perception of their own self. It asks people to rate their health. These rates have been found to predict morbidity and mortality over other medical and psychological knowledge
Assessment of quality of life
Measures the quality of physical functioning, psychological status, social functioning and disease in order to assess how much the disease and its treatment interferes with activities of daily living.
-essentially, it gauges the extent to which a person’s normal life activities have been compromised
Denial
defense mechanism by which people avoid the implications of an illness. It is common reaction to chronic illness. Patients act like the illness is not severe, as if it will go away, or it will have few long term implications. BUT denial can sometimes be a blessing because it can serve as a protective function by keeping the patient from having to come to terms with the full range of problems
Avoidance coping
similar to denial. “I wish that the situation would go away”
Emotional Response to Chronic Illness
Denial
Anxiety
Depression
All debilitating on recovery and often worsens chronic sickness
Acting Coping
Taking initiative to not get brought down by the sickness either by direct problem solving, distancing, or positive focus. Active coping predicts good adjustment to several disorders; lower distress
*developing a realistic sense of ones illness, the restrictions it imposes, and the regimen it requires is an important process of coping with chronic illness
IMPORTANT
Perceived Control of an illness
Belief in control and a sense of self efficacy are generally adaptive for chronic illness. Self efficacy may prolong life
Facilitating adjustment
- rehab: learning how to use ones body as much as possible to achieve a goal
- adherence: taking the medications daily
- burden on others who now have to take care of you
Gender differences
- more women care for the chronically ill
- women receive less support when they are chronically ill
- less likely to get married after being diagnosed with an illness
- women are more likely to be institutionalized
*Positive reactions occur even when diagnosed with a chronic illness because people percieve that they have narrowly escaped death, of they find new meaning in their daily lives
IMPORTANT
*Being optimistic and thinking positively can help combat psychological factors like depression, anxiety, and stress which negatively impact disease.
IMPORTANT
Support Networks
- Individual therapy
- psychotherapeutic interventions
- Patient education
All important for dealing with the stress of having a chronic illness
Stress Management
relaxation training and stress management techniques can help deal with chronic illness.
-mindfulness based stress reduction has helped to improve adjustment to medical illness
Social Support
- Chronically ill patients who report good social relations are more likely to be well adjusted to their illness
- social supports can also influence health outcomes favorably
- Family support
- support groups
- HOWEVER, social supports can be threatened by chronic illness
