Public health Flashcards
what is epigenetics
the study of how genes interact with the environment
- changes in an organism due to changes in gene expression rather than alterations to the genetic code itself
what is allostasis
the stability through change, or homeostasis, of our physiological systems to adapt rapidly to changes in our environment
what is allostatic load
long term over taxation of our physiological systems leading to impaired health - the price of allostasis
What is public health
the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised efforts of societyw
what are the key concerns of public health
inequalities in health
wider determinents of health
prevention
What are the 3 domains of public helath
health improvement
health protection
improving services
what is health improvement (give an example)
societal interventions aimed at preventing disease, promoting health and reducing inequality
e.g. vaccines, education, housing
what is improving services (give an example)
organisation and delivery of safe, high quality sevices for prevention treatment and care
e.g. clincial effectiveness, audits
What are the determinents of health
genes
environment
lifestyle
access to healthcare
what are some wider determinents of health
education
socioeconomic status
uneployment
housing
physical environment
what makes up Marlow’s hierarchy of needs from bottom to top
physiological needs (e.g food, water)
Safety needs (security, housing, job)
Belongingness and love needs (friendship, family)
Esteem needs (self-esteem, confidence)
Self-actualisation (morality, creativity
What are health interventions
tactics to improve public health (e.g. promoting screening, vaccination)
what three levels can health interventions be at
individual level (childhood vaccine)
community level (playground)
population level (public health campaign)
What is the difference between vertical and horizontal equity
horizontal- equal treatment for equal need (e.g. same treatment for the same disease)
vertical- unequal treatment for unequal need (e.g. increased funding in more deprived areas)
How can equity be examined
access to healthcare, healthcare outcomes, health status, resource allocation
what is health psychology
the role of psychological factors in the cause, progression and consequences of health and illness
what are health behaviours
a behaviour aimed at preventing disease (e.g. eating healthier)
what are illness behaviours
a behaviour aimed at seeking remedy (e.g. going to the doctor)
what are sick role behaviours
a behaviour aimed at getting well (e.g. resting, taking medication)
what two types of health behaviours are there?
health promoting and health damaging behaviours
what is the main theory of why people undertake health damaging behaviours
unrealistic optimism - individuals carry on with behaviour as they dont believe that the problem will effect them
Occurs due to
- lack of personal experience with the condition
- belief that its not preventable by the action
- belief that if its not happened by now it wont happen
- belief that the problem is infrequent
What are the components of the health belief model
Individuals will change if they:
- believe that they are susceptible to the condition (perceived susceptibility)
- believe that the condition has serious consequences (perceived seriousness)
- believe that taking action will reduce their susceptibility to the condition (perceived benefits)
- believe that the benefits of taking the action outweigh the costs (perceived barriers)
There may be internal or external cues
What are examples of internal and external cues to behaviour change
internal- pain
external - GP advice
What are some advantages of the health belief model?
it can be applied to a wide range of health behaviours
it included cues to action which is unique\
its a long standing model
what are some criticisms to the health belief model?
it does not differentiate between first time and repeat behaviours,
it does not consider the influence of emotions and behaviour
cues to action often arent present
alternative factors may also influence behavioural change
What is the theories of planned behaviour model
proposes the best predictor of a behaviour is intention to change the behaviour
What determines someones intention in the theories of planned behaviour model?
a persons attitude to the behaviour (e.g. I dont think smoking is good for me)
subjective norm (perceived social pressure to give up the behaviour)
percieved behavioural control (perceived ability to perform the behaviour)
What 5 things bridge the gap between intention and behavioural change in the theories of planned behaviour model?
perceived control- individual feels they are capable
anticipated regret- individual reflects on feelings once failed
Preparatory actions- dividing the task into small sub goals to improve self-efficacy and satisfaction
implementation intentions- most important. The if and then plans.
Relevence to self
advantages of the theory of planned behaviour model
can be applied to a wide range of behaviours
useful in predicting intention
takes into account the importance of social pressure
Criticisms of the theory of planned behaviour model
lack of a temporal element and direction or causality
no sense of how long the behaviour may take
rational choice model so does not take into account emotions
assumes attitudes, subjective norms and percieved control can be measures
relies on self-reported behaviours
what is the transtheoretical model of behaviour change
it is a model that suggests individuals are located at discrete ordered stages rather than on a continuum- each stage indicates an increased likelihood of changing behaviour
What are the stages of the transtheoretical model of behavioural change
precontemplation
contemplation
preparation
action
maintenance
relapse
What are advantages of the transtheoretical model of behavioural change?
- acknowledges individual stages of readiness
- accounts for relapse and allows backwards movement between the stages
- gives a time frame
what are criticisms of the transtheoretical model of behavioural change
- not all people move through every stage
- change might operate on a continuum rather than discrete stages
- does not take into account values, habits, culture, social or economic factors.
What is motivational interviewing
a councelling approach to initiate behaviour change by resolving ambivolence - helping someone to see smoking is bad
What is the social norms theory?
suggests that social norms (which are the behaviours and attitudes most common in groups) are one of the most important factors in influencing behaviour
What are some problems with the social norms theory
sometimes the perceived social norms of the group are not the actual social norms
does not work when the risk behaviour is the norm
people often overestimate risk taking behaviour and understimate protective behaviours
what is the nudge theory
the idea that changing the environment to make the best option easier can influence behaviour change- e.g. putting fruit by checkouts
How doe transition points influence behaviour
there are transition points in life which may make a person more or less likely to change their behaviours- e.g. getting a job, unemployment, having children
List some theories of behavioural change
health belief model
theory of planned behaviour
transtheoretical model of behavioural change
motivational interviewing
social norms theory
nudge theory