Psychological perspectives on health and illness Flashcards
How is psychology defined?
- Its the formal study of mind and behaviour
- Conclusions are based on systematic observation and experiment
What is health psychology?
- Health psychology is concerned with all aspects of health and illness across the lifespan.
- Devoted to understanding the psychological influences on health and illness and peoples behaviours in response to illness.
Why do we need health psychology?
- Mind-body relationship (psychological and social factors are also influential factors in health and illness)
- why do married men live longer than those who are not?,
- Why is attending church or praying good for our health?
What are the 4 main goals of health psychology?
1) To promote and maintain health (e.g. stop smoking, buckle belts)
2) To prevent and treat illness (e.g. reduce high blood pressure)
3) To focus on cause and detection of illness: influence of personality, cognitive processes,
4) To improve health care system/health care policy
Who were the first people in history to identify the role of bodily factors in health and illness?
The Ancient Greeks (Hippocrates)
Psychoanalytic contributions to health psychology
Main contributor is Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and his work on Conversion hysteria
When and how did Health psychology begin?
- Formally began in 1970s,
- Health psychology division in America was developed in 1979,
- British psychological society set up a section in 1986, which was formerly recognized in 1997
Changing patterns of illness
1900s before- infectious diseases or war were main cause of death,
- 1960s=chronic diseases main cause of death,
- 1990s=New infectious disease main cause of premature death.
- Today=Most deaths are caused by heart disease, cancer and strokes. studies suggest this a by-product of our lifestyles
What illnesses are related to psychological and behavioural factors
-Heart disease and stroke,
-Cancer,
-HIV/AIDS,
-COPD,
TYPE 2 Diabetes,
-poor birth outcomes,
-Chronic pain conditions,
-Infectious illnesses
What are the main points of the Biomedical model?
- Illness and injury are biological problems with biomedical solutions,
- It ignores psychological and sociocultural factors that are important in diagnosis, treatment and recovery,
- Limiting model
What are the main points of the Biopsychosocial model?
- Illness and injury have biological, psychological and sociocultural components,
- Diagnosis and treatment should take into account all of the above components,
- Mind and body cannot be distinguished in illness and health
What are the main other areas of psychology relevant to medicine
- Clinical/abnormal,
- Developmental,
- Neuropsychology,
- Social,
- Cognitive,
- Occupational
Quantitative studies used for research in psychology
- Only measurable data is gathered and analysed,
- Questionnaires, surveys, scales,
- Objective,
- Large samples
Qualitative studies used for research in psychology
- In-depth understanding of human behaviour and reasons that govern it,
- Individual in-depth interviews, focus groups, narratives, observations,
- Subjective,
- Used in sociological and market research,
- Small samples
What are some common research methods
- Randomised controlled trials,
- Laboratory experiments,
- Quasi-experiments,
- Cross sectional surveys,
- Longitudinal surveys,
- Field experiments
