WEEK 1 Flashcards
What is Public health?
The art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society
Define epidemiology?
The study of the distribution, determinants and control of disease in populations
What are four aspects of the population perspective of medicine?
1) Large studies on epidemiology informing diagnosis, prognosis and treatment
2) Developing preventive health programmes
3) Developing guidelines and considering access and equity
4) Health economics
How do we collect population data on health?
UK surveillance systems (British paediatric surveillance system) Research studies (case control/randomised control trial)
Define clinical communication
Any communication that takes place in a clinical setting
Why is clinical communication important?
It is the means by which you represent yourself as a competent, caring professional leading to better outcomes for patients and relatives
What are three reasons why clinical communication fails?
1) Fear of being powerless to help
2) Ignorance (lack of knowledge or training)
3) Culture (everyone behaves this way)
What is the expected response relating to clinical communication in 2020?
Empathy Honesty and understanding Openness Sharing knowledge Support Kindness
What is the role of Medical sociology?
Seeks to understand the social contexts within which health, illness and medicine are formed, experienced and practiced, providing a disciplinary framework for the teaching of empirical evidence and utilises relevant theories and concepts to enhance understanding of that evidence
What are four aspects of the Biomedical model?
1) Reductionist: explains illness by simplest possible process
2) Single-factor causes: looks for cause of disease rather than contributory factors
3) Focus on illness not health
4) People not responsible for illness
What are the four aspects of the Biopsychosocial model?
1) Holistic: looks at all levels of explanation
2) Multi-factorial model for causes: assumes health and illness are influenced by many causes
3) Focuses on health and illness as a continuum
4) People’s behaviour influences health and they can change their behaviour (responsibility)
What are the biological aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?
Gender Physical health Genetic vulnerability Immune function Neurochemistry Disability IQ (+psychological) Substance abuse (+social)
What are the psychological aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?
Attitudes/beliefs Emotions Self-esteem Coping and social skills Personality Behaviour IQ (+biological) Family relationships (+social) Trauma (+social)
What are the social aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?
Socioeconomic status Family background Education Social support Substance abuse (+biological) Family relationships (+psychological) Trauma (+psychological)
What are the three aspects of the biopsychosocial model of disease and illness?
1) Biological
2) Psychological
3) Social
What are stigmatising conditions?
Conditions that set their possessors apart from ‘normal’ people, marking them as socially unacceptable or inferior beings
What is courtesy stigma?
Stigma associated with relatives of stigmatised individuals because of their affiliation with them rather than any characteristics of their own
What are two types of stigma?
Discredited=obvious to others (normally physical disorders)
Discreditable=relatively hidden (normally mental disorders)
What are three ways of managing stigma?
Passing=not telling anyone
Covering=avoiding situations where it comes up
Withdrawal=standing up and being proud (usually with discredited stigma)
What is health psychology?
The process of using psychology to understand health
What does health psychology challenge?
The notion that the mind and body are two separate entities
Give two examples of health-related behaviours
1) Smoking and diet contributing to CHD
2) Lack of help seeking behaviours (screening attendance) leading to later cancer diagnosis
What is a key paradigm of health psychology?
Stress and it’s effect on disease
What is medical ethics?
A branch of philosophy relating to how and why medical practitioners should behave in a certain way
What are the two facets of societal systems involving ethics?
1) Social animals➜ethics➜needs➜well-being➜performance➜successful society
2) Social animals➜ethics➜trust➜collaboration➜performance➜successful society
Why is ethics so important in medicine?
1) Increased need: meet patients at a time of intense vulnerability
2) Medical power: Pts trust in doctor’s knowledge (Patient risk=Doctor Power)
3) Decisions made have far-reaching ramifications for individuals and society
