Health Behaviors Flashcards
Acute Ilness/Disorder
short-term medical illnesses often result of viral/bacterial invader
- usually curable
- major COD until 20th C
Most important factor giving rise to health psychology?
change in illness patterns in technologically advanced societies
- shift from acute to chronic diseases has helped develop health psych since psychological & social factors are often implicated in cause
Chronic Illness
slowly developing & long-term diseases
- often uncurable & can only be managed
Chronic Illness → Costs to HC System
rapidly rising costs
2000 - 2010:
- Canada → 9 - 11%
- USA → 13 - 18%
→ chronic diseases require continual treatment & monitoring
Health Behaviors
- definition
- ___ ___, ___ ____ & ___ ___ _, ___ & ____ that relate to… ___ ___, ___ & ___.
personal attributes (such as beliefs, expectations, motives, values, perceptions & other cognitive elements),
personality characteristics, (including affective & emotional states & traits)
& overt behavior patterns, actions & habits that relate to health maintenance, restoration & improvement.
Health Behavior
- simple definition
behaviors undertaken by people to enhance or maintain health
Health Habits
health-related behavior that is firmly established & often performed automatically, without awareness
- develop in childhood & stabilize around age 11/12
Types of Health Behaviors (3)
1) Preventative
2) Illness
3) Sick-role
1) Preventative
any activity undertaken by individual who believes themselves to be healthy
- for purpose of preventing/detecting illness in asymptomatic state
2) Illness
any activity undertaken by individual who percieves themselves to be ill
- to define state of health
- to discover suitable remedy
2) Illness Health Behavior
- refers to?
- crucial premise?
- way in which symptoms are percieved, evaluated & acted upon by person experiencing pain/discomfort or signs of organic malfunction
- illness & illness experience are shaped by sociocultural & social-psychological factors
3) Sick-role
* define “sick-role”
any activity undertaken by individual who considers themselves to be ill for purpose of getting well
Sick-role: social role characterized by certain exemptions/rights/obligations & shaped by society & cultural tradition
Behaviour is viewed as affecting & being affected by …
multiple levels of influence
Focus of Health Psych (4)
1) Health Promotion
2) Prevention & Treatment
3) Etiology & Correlates of Health, Illness, & Dysfunction
4) Health Care Systems & Formulation of Health Policy
2) Prevention & Treatment
* (2) types of primary prevention
1) behavior change methods
2) preventative
3) Etiology & Correlates of Health, Illness, & Dysfunction
examining behavioral factors that contribute to health/illness/dysfunction
4) Health Care Systems & Formulation of Health Policy
study of the impact of health institutions & health professionals on people’s behavior
- develop recommendations for improving health
Health Education
attempts to close gap between what is known about optimum health practice & what is actually practiced
- aimed at bringing about behavioral change in individuals/society (away from behaviors presumed detrimental & towards healthy ones)
Health Promotion
- core belief
- definition (5)
core belief that good health is a personal & collective achievement
- process of enabling people to improve & increase control over their health
- commitment to deal with challenges of reducing inequities
- extending scope of prevention
- helping people cope
- creating environments conducive to health
Role/Significance of Behavioural Factors (4)
- Reduce deaths due to lifestyle related diseases
- Increased individual longevity (delay time of death)
- May increase # of years a person can live without complications of chronic disease
- potentially reduce costs & strain on HC system
Levels of Influence (5)
- Intrapersonal
- Interpersonal
- Institutional
- Community
- Public policy
- Intrapersonal
individual factors
- Interpersonal
family, friends, etc.
- Institutional
organizational factors (how they encourage/discourage adoption of HB)
- hospitals
- government
- educational institutions
- Community
community programming
- trends
- Public policy
Governmental
- policy dictates how institutions treat issues
Changing Health Behaviors
factors to consider (12)
- Demographic
- Age
- Gender
- Values
- Personal Control
- Social Influences
- Personal Goals
- Perceived Symptoms
- Access
- Place/Location
- Education/Cognitive Factors
- Supportive Environment
- Demographic
- Age
- Gender
1) race, SES, age, gender
- Values
- Personal Control
4) cultural & personal values
5) percieved locus of control over one’s health
- Social Influences
- Personal Goals
6) family, friends, peers, media
7) motivation
- Perceived Symptoms
- Access
8) more likely for people to engage in health behavior that is beleived to reduce percieved symptoms
* asymptomatic people may not deal with health issues
9) access to HC delivery systems
- Place/Location
- Education/Cognitive Factors
- Supportive Environment
10) rural vs. urban
11) health literacy
12) social support network, community resources
Barriers to Changing Health Behaviors
(3)
1) little immediate incentive
2) long-term cumulative damage may not be apparent for years
3) resistant to change → unwilling to change bad habit (may be enjoyable, addictive etc.)
