PSY306 Health psychology Morrison Ch 5 Flashcards
According to WHO what are the leading risks of death globally?
High blood pressure (13% of deaths) Tobacco use (9%) High blood glucose (6%) Physical inactivity (6%) Overweight or obese (5%)
Define health behaviour
Behaviour performed by an individual, regardless of his/her perceived health status, with the purpose of protecting, promoting or maintaining his/her health.
What is the difference between a behavioural pathogen and behavioural immunogen?
Behavioural pathogens: a behavioural practice thought to be damaging to health e.g., smoking (health-risk behaviour)
Behavioural immunogens: a behavioural practice thought to be health protective behaviours e.g., Exercise (health protective behaviour)
What are the seven key indicators (that are multiplitive and cumulative) associated with health and longevity found in the Alameda county study?
- sleeping 7–8 hours a night;
- not smoking;
- consuming no more than 1–2 alcoholic drinks per day;
- getting regular exercise;
- not eating between meals;
- eating breakfast;
- being no more than 10% overweight.
Name five health-risk behaviours associated with high levels of mortality.
- Heart disease: smoking tobacco, high-cholesterol diet, lack of exercise;
- Cancer: smoking tobacco, alcohol, diet, sexual behaviour;
- Stroke: smoking tobacco, high-cholesterol diet, alcohol;
- Pneumonia, influenza: smoking tobacco, lack of vaccination;
- HIV/AIDS: unsafe/unprotected sexual intercourse.
Worldwide, smoking accounts for almost 9% of deaths (12% of males, 6% of females). What does this look like in Australia?
Prevalence of smoking reducing in Australia (from AIHW): 2002 – 20% in 2002 2010 – 16.6% of adults 2014-15 – 14.5% of adults 2019 – 11.6% of adults
What are the smoking inequalities in Australia?
21% prevalence in most disadvantages areas
8% in areas with least disadvantage
42% prevalence among First Nations Peoples
Smoking is thought to be responsible for…
30% of coronary heart disease (CHD) cases
70% of cancers (90% of lung cancer)
80% of cases of chronic obstructive airways disease
What does illicit drug use look like in Australia?
Relatively low prevalence. Australians 14+
43% have used illicit drug in their lifetime
15% in last 12 months
Cannabis most common
How many people worldwide inject drugs?
12.7 million
What are the factors of smoking intiation?
Genetics Curiosity Modelling, social learning and reinforcement. Social pressure Image Self-concept and self-esteem Weight control Risk-taking Health cognitions Stress and distress
Why do people smoke?
- Pleasure or enjoyment of the behaviour, taste and effects reinforces positive attitudes towards smoking;
- Smoking out of habit (psychological and/or physical dependence);
- A form of stress self-management/coping, anxiety control;
- A lack of belief in their ability to stop smoking.
What are some health reasons to stop smoking?
- Stopping at aged 30 – more than 90% of lung cancer risk being avoided AND average of 10 life years gained;
- Stopping at 50–60 – avoid most subsequent risk of developing lung cancer or other smoking-related disease or disability AND average of 5 life years gained.
What are the main aspects considered in continuing unhealthy behaviours and developing dependence?
- Genetics and family history of problem drinking
- Personality characteristics i.e., anxiety, sensation-seeking (controversial evidence)
- Social learning theory (learned behaviour through reinforcement)
What are the health promotion targets for unhealthy behaviours and developing dependence?
Primary prevention – educating children about risks of heavy drinking and ‘safe’ levels of consumption;
Secondary prevention – changing behaviour of those already in heavy drinking (applying behavioural principles to treatment).
What are some negative health consequences of unprotected sexual behaviour?
- unwanted pregnancy
- diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, HIV, and more recently HPV.
What does the modes of transmissions look like in Australia?
68% of transmissions occurred among men who have sex with men
5% of transmissions were attributed to male-to-male sex with injecting drug use
20% of transmissions were attributed to heterosexual sex
3% of transmissions were attributed to injecting drug use
4% were of an undetermined mode of transmission.
What were the results of the NATSAL 2003 follow up on condom use?
Increased use in males and females;
M 43% to 51% vs. F 30% to 39%
What are some of the barriers to condom use?
Some negative attitudes to condom use shared by males and females:
- Reduces spontaneity of behaviour or reduces sexual pleasure.
- Unrealistically optimistic estimates of personal risk of infection.
Women face additional barriers:
- Anticipated male objection to a female suggesting condom use (denial of their pleasure);
- Difficulty/embarrassment in raising the issue of condom use with a male partner;
- Worry that suggesting use to a potential partner implies that they or their partner is HIV positive or has another STI;
- Lack of self-efficacy or mastery in condom usage.
What are the risks of an unhealthy diet?
Fat intake and cholesterol: Excessive saturated fat intake, if not burned off through exercise, can cause arteries to harden or blockages to build up. Coronary artery disease is a major predictor of angina and heart disease.
Salt: High salt (sodium chloride) intake has been implicated with persistent high blood pressure, i.e., hypertension, however mixed evidence to whether the relationship is linear.
Definition of obesity…
‘normal weight’ if their BMI is between 20 and 24.9
mildly obese or ‘overweight’ (grade 1) if their BMI is between 25 and 29.9
moderate or clinically obese (grade 2) if their BMI falls between 30 and 39.9
severely obese (grade 3) if their BMI is 40 or greater.
What does the current obesity rate look like in Australia?
- Increasing in 18+
- 2 in 3 adults were overweight or obese in 2017-18
- 1 in 4 children and adolescents
What are some of the negative consequences of obesity?
Hypertension; Heart disease; Type-2 diabetes; Osteoarthritis; Respiratory problems; Lower back pain; Some forms of cancer; Psychological ill-health; Mortality.
What causes obesity?
Simple explanation:
Obesity results when energy intake grossly exceeds energy output (Pinel, 2003)
Genetic explanations:
-Obese individuals are born with more fat cells.
-Obese persons inherit lower metabolic rates.
-Obese persons may have deficiencies in a hormone responsible for appetite control, or lack of controle.g., leptin studies.
-A neurotransmitter, serotonin, involved in producing satiety (i.e., where hunger is no longer felt) may have a role in obesity reduction.
Behavioural and environmental factors:
-Sedentary lifestyle e.g., watching TV, computing;
-Lack of physical activity slows down metabolism;
-Overeating e.g., portion size too high;
-Eating the wrong food e.g., high saturated fat;
-Stress can lead to overeating and fatty food intake.
**Note that extreme diet restriction is also unhealthy.
Define adherence
This term suggests that a person sticks to, or cooperates with medication advice (or lifestyle changes, behaviours; NICE 2009) – viewed as a behavioural process influenced by individual and environmental factors (e.g., health-care practices, system influences)
Why do people not adhere to health advice?
Patient-related factors: e.g., culture, age, personality, knowledge, personal and cultural beliefs, attitudes towards illness and medicines, self-efficacy beliefs
Condition-related factors: e.g., symptom type, perceived severity, pain, comorbidities, prognosis
Treatment-related factors: e.g., the number, type, timing, frequency and duration of dosage of medications, side-effects, expense
Socio-economic factors: low educational level, costs of treatment, access to health care, social isolation
System-related factors: communications with health-care providers, presence of traditional healing beliefs and systems.
What are some health-protective behaviours in regards to diet?
- To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.
- Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five food groups every day:
Vegetables of different types and colours, and legumes/beans
Fruit
Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties, such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley
Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans
Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat - Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.
- Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding.
- Care for your food; prepare and store it safely.
How many deaths are linked to low intake of fruit and vegetables globally per year?
1.7 million
Why don’t people eat enough fruit and vegetables?
- Perception that vegetables only eaten with dinner
- Feeling that recommended serves too large
- Lack of preparation time
- Lack of knowledge and skills for preparation
- Attitudes and social norms impact consumption in adults
- Lack of confidence to cook vegetables in men, young adults, and low-income groups
What types of food preferences are learned early in the family home?
- cooking methods: e.g., home-cooked/fresh vs. ready-made/processed;
- products: e.g., high-fat vs. low-fat, organic vs. non-organic;
- tastes: e.g., seasoned vs. bland, sweet vs. sour;
- textures: e.g., soft-crunchy, tender-chewy;
- food components: e.g., red/white meat, fruit/veg, carbohydrates.
What was the result of the ‘food dudes’ health intervention targeting fruit and vegetable intake in pre-school and primary school children?
- Learning theory techniques used
- Increased taste exposure to fruit and vegetables
- Modelling healthy behaviour through cartoon youth characters
- Reinforcement by child-friendly rewards (e.g., stickers and crayons)
- Long term effects
What are the health-protective guidelines for physical activity in Australia?
Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.
• Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.
• Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.
• Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.
What are the physical health benefits of exercise?
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and, some forms of cancer e.g., colorectal and breast;
- Increased functioning, quality of life and strength, and reduced fatigue and side effects in cancer treatment;
- Strengthens heart muscle, increases cardiac and respiratory efficiency;
- Muscle strength, coordination and balance can be gained from resistance-strengthening exercise (reduces risk of falls and fractures).
What are the psychological health benefits of exercise?
- Reduces anxiety and depression;
- Heightens self-esteem and self-image;
- Increases levels of pro-social behaviour;
- Delays neuronal dysfunction (e.g., cognitive decline).
What biological mechanisms are activated through exercise?
- Releases the body’s natural opiates into the blood stream, producing a ‘natural high’ and acts as a painkiller;
- Stimulation of the release of catecholamines such as noradrenaline and adrenaline, countering any stress response and enhancing mood;
- Muscle relaxation, which reduces feelings of tension.
Why do people exercise?
Desire for physical fitness;
Desire to lose weight/change body shape and appearance;
Desire to maintain or enhance health status;
Desire to improve self-image and mood;
As a means of stress reduction;
As a social activity.
What are the barriers to exercise?
Lack of time; Cost; Lack of access to appropriate facilities and equipment; Embarrassment; Lack of self-belief; Lack of someone to go with/support.
What are 2 broad purposes of health screening?
- To detect early asymptomatic signs of disease in order to treat;
- To identify risk factors for illness to enable behaviour change.
What is the criteria for establishing health screening programs?
- The condition should be an important health problem, i.e., prevalent and/or serious.
- There should be a recognisable early stage to the condition.
- Treatment at an early stage should have clear benefits to individual (e.g., reduced mortality) compared with treatment at a later stage.
- A test with good sensitivity and specificity should be available.
- The test should be considered acceptable by the general population.
- Adequate facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be in place.
- Issues of screening frequency and follow-up should be agreed.
- The costs (individual and health care) should be considered in relation to the benefits (individual and public health).
- Any particular subgroups to target should be identified.
What factors are associated with non-uptake of screening behaviour?
- Lower levels of education and income;
- Age (e.g., younger women tend not to attend risk-factor screening);
- Lack of knowledge about the condition;
- Lack of knowledge about the purpose of screening;
- Lack of knowledge about potential outcomes of screening;
- Embarrassment regarding the procedures involved;
- Fear that ‘something bad’ will be detected;
- Fear of pain or discomfort during the procedure;
- Lack of self-belief (self-efficacy) in terms of being able to practice self-examination correctly.
What are the benefits of vaccination?
- Vaccination is the oldest form of immunisation, antigen is introduced to the body to produce antibodies
- Leads to the virtual eradication of infectious diseases
e. g., smallpox, diphtheria and polio.
