Health psychology and behaviour change

Question 1

What are the 3 main types of health behaviours and elaborate on them?

Answer 1

Health behaviour - behaviour aimed at preventing disease i.e exercising to stop yourself from getting sick

Illness behaviour - behaviour aimed at seeking remedy i.e seeing a doctor when sick

Sick role behaviour - behaviour aimed at getting well i.e taking pills when sick

Question 2

2 classifications of health behaviour?

Answer 2

Health-seeking i.e exercising, healthy eating, attending health checks
Health-damaging i.e smoking, substance abuse

Question 3

Why might knowledge of risk factors not

influence a patients behaviour?

Answer 3

Unrealistic optimism - patients continue to practice health damaging behaviour due to inaccurate perceptions of risk and susceptibility

Question 4

What are some influences of risk?

Answer 4

1. Lack of personal experience with problem
2. Belief that preventable by personal action
3. Belief that if not happened by now, its not likely to
4. Belief that problem infrequent

Question 5

What does NICE recommend us as doctors do to change patients’ behaviour?

Answer 5

Work with your patient’s priorities
Aim for easy changes over time
Set and record goals
Plan explicit coping strategies
Review progress regularly (this really matters)
Remember the public health impact of lots of you making small differences to individuals