health psychology 1

Question 1

What is the definition of health according to the WHO?

Answer 1

a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Question 2

Describe the biomedical approach to health and illness?

Answer 2

it focuses solely on normal and abnormal physical process within the body, and the physical process of disease

Question 3

Outline some limitations of the biomedical approach

Answer 3

• only focuses on the physical state of the body (ignores the WHO definition of health)
• reflects a ‘treatment paradigm’ focused on disease
• does not recognise psychology or society in cause and treatment
• does not recognise psychosocial benefits of some preventative activities
• does not consider social influences on access to prevention and care

Question 4

What is a ‘treatment paradigm’?

Answer 4

A treatment philosophy

Question 5

Give examples of how the biomedical approach may overlook prevention of disease

Answer 5

• half of all cancers are caused by smoking, alcohol and/or being overweight
• half of all disability-adjusted life years are attributed to environmental, occupational, behavioural and metabolic risk factors

Question 6

Define the biopsychosocial approach to health and illness

Answer 6

focuses on how psychological and social factors are involved in physical disease processes

Question 7

In the biopsychosocial approach, what does the word ‘psychological’ actually consist of?

Answer 7

• behavioural factors
• cognitive factos

Question 8

What are some behavioural factors involved in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 8

• health protective behaviours
• self management
• screening behaviours
• health risk behaviours

Question 9

Give examples of ‘health protective behaviours’ in the biopsychosocial model?

Answer 9

• exercise/physical activity
• diet/nutrition
• sleep

Question 10

Give examples of ‘self management’ behaviours from the biopsychosocial model

Answer 10

• vaccination
• self surveillance (TSE, BSE)

Question 11

Give examples of ‘screening behaviours’ from the biopsychosocial model

Answer 11

• hypertensions, blood cholesterol screening
• mammogram, cervical smear
• dental checks
• PSA

Question 12

Give examples of ‘health risk behaviours’ from the biopsychosocial model

Answer 12

• smoking
• alcohol/drug use
• unsafe sex
• risky driving

Question 13

What is a placebo?

Answer 13

an inert or innocuous ‘treatment’

Question 14

What is the placebo effect?

Answer 14

a measurable, observable, or felt improvement in health not attributed to treatment

Question 15

What is the nocebo effect?

Answer 15

when an inert substance produces symptoms of harm

Question 16

How common is the placebo effect?

Answer 16

It is observed in around half of people

Question 17

Give an example of the placebo effect in action

Answer 17

the ‘efficacy’ of Prozac for mild depression is largely a placebo effect

Question 18

Give an example of the nocebo effect

Answer 18

beliefs and expectations have a greater influence on the experience of menopause than measurable physiological changes

Question 19

How do the effects of placebo and nocebo work?

Answer 19

• the effects are due to a combination of psychological and physiological mechanisms
• e.g expectancy, classical conditioning, health-related behaviour

Question 20

How can the biopsychosocial approach explain some issues (use example of stress)?

Answer 20

• prolonged stress impairs immunity
• stress depends on the perception of a situation
• perception of a situation is affected by social support

Question 21

How can social support protect people?

Answer 21

• lower physiological reactivity to stress
• lower risk of premature death
• lower risk of dementia

Question 22

Who does the biopsychosocial approach place responsibility of health on?

Answer 22

the individual and society

Question 23

What are the strengths of the biopsychosocial approach?

Answer 23

• treats the whole person
• acknowledges biographical and psychological factors
• recognises the influence of social context

Question 24

What are the limitations of the biopsychosocial approach?

Answer 24

• macro-level factors such as legislation, infrastructure, service provision are often ignored
• a focus on individual behaviour may distract from social responsibility for health
• often little acknowledgment of cultural factors