Health Psychology and behaviour change

Question 1

What is health psychology

Answer 1

Emphasises the role of psychological factors in the cause, progression and consequences of health and illness.

Aims to put theory into practice by promoting healthy behaviours and preventing illness

Question 2

What are the three main categories of health behaviours

Answer 2

Health behaviour
illness behaviour
sick role behaviour

Question 3

What is a health behaviour

Answer 3

a behaviour aimed to prevent disease (e.g. eating healithy)

Question 4

What is a illness behaviour

Answer 4

a behaviour aimed to seek remedy (e.g. going to the doctor)

Question 5

What is a sick role behaviour

Answer 5

any activity aimed at getting well (e.g. taking prescribed medications and resting)

Question 6

What are examples of Health damaging/impairing behaviours

Answer 6

smoking , alcohol & substance abuse, risky sexual behaviour,
sun exposure, driving without a seatbelt

Question 7

What are examples of health promoting behaviours

Answer 7

taking exercise, healthy eating , attending health checks,

medication compliance, vaccinations

Question 8

What is health promotion intervention at a population scale

Answer 8

The process of enabling people to exert control over the determinants of health, thereby improving health

Question 9

What is intervention at a individual level

Answer 9

patient centered approach. Care responsive to individual needs

Question 10

What forms does health promotion take

Answer 10

Health promotion/ awareness campaigns

Promoting screening and immunisations

Question 11

What is unrealistic optimism

Answer 11

Individuals continue to practice health damaging behaviour

due to inaccurate perceptions of risk and susceptibility

Question 12

What are perceptions of risk in unrealistic optimism influenced by

Answer 12

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 13

What is the NICE guidance on behaviour change

Answer 13

1. Planning interventions
2. Assessing the social context
3. Education and training
4. Individual-level interventions
5. Community-level interventions
6. Population-level interventions
7. Evaluating effectiveness
8. Assessing cost-effectiveness

Question 14

What is the health belief model

Answer 14

Individuals will change if they:

• believe they are susceptible to the condition
• believe it has serious consequences
• believe that taking action reduces susceptibility
• believe that the benefits outweigh the costs

Question 15

What are the cues to action

Answer 15

Internal- something that experienced by the patient e.g. symptoms

External- something that happens to the patient e.g. GP advice

Not always necessary for behaviour change

Question 16

What are the criticisms of the health belief model

Answer 16

Alternative factors may predict health behaviour such as outcome expectancy (whether if a patient feels healthier as a result) and self efficacy (can’t believe they can make the change)

Doesn’t consider influence of emotions on behaviour

Does not differentiate between first time and repeat behaviour

Cues to action are often missing in HBM research

Question 17

What is the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 17

Proposes the best predictor of behaviour change is intention

Intention governed by three factors

• attitude to behaviour
• perceived social pressure to undertake behaviour or subjective norm
• perceived behavioural control: the feeling of self efficacy (the ‘i can’ feeling)

Question 18

What 5 ways can we help people act on their intentions in the theory of planned behaviour

Answer 18

• Perceived control: taking control and responsibility for their own health
• Anticipated regret: reminding patients of consequences based on previous experiences
• Preparatory actions: dividing tasks into small goals
• Implementation intentions: getting patients to think about ‘if and then’ plans e.g. if you make a cup of tea in the morning, put your tablets next to the kettle
• Relevance to self: ensuring the advice is tailored to them and is achievable for them.

Question 19

What criticisms are there for theory of planned behaviour

Answer 19

Interactions between attitudes, intentions and perceived behavioural control

Habits and routines bypass cognitive deliberation

Assuming that attitudes, subjective norms and PBC can be measured

Relies on self reported behaviour

Question 20

What is the stages of change model/transtheoretical model

Answer 20

Pre-contemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance

Question 21

What are the advantages of the transtheoretical model

Answer 21

Acknowledges the individual stages of readiness

Accounts for relapse

Temporal elements

Question 22

What is social norm theory

Answer 22

Providing accurate information on what the majority are doing to highlight high risk taking behaviour outside of the norm

Question 23

Critiscm of the social norm theory

Answer 23

What happens if the problem behaviour is the majority and therefore normative.

Hard to target behaviours within subgroups

Doesn’t take into account if others in an individuals circle also consider risky behaviour as a norm.

Can manipulate the truth

Question 24

What other factors to consider in behaviour change

Answer 24

Personality traits
Risk perception
Impact of past behaviour/habit
Automatic influences on health behaviour
Predictors of maintenance of health behaviours
Social environment