Week 1: Overview Flashcards
What is the world health organisation’s definition of health?
The state of complete physical, social and spiritual well-being, not simply the absence of illness
What does the WHO definition of health overlook?
The psychological, cultural and economic aspects
What is the more relevant and inclusive definition of health?
Health is a state of well-being with satisfaction of physical, cultural, psychosocial, economic and spiritual needs, not simply the absence of illness.
What does health psychology do?
Challenges the mind-body split and the biomedical model by suggesting a role for the mind in both the cause and treatment of illness
What does health psychology suggest causes illness?
Suggests illness is caused by a multitude of factors and not by a single causal factor. Attempts to move away from a simple linear model of health and towards a model of health inclusive of biological, psychological and social factors
Who does health psychology claim is responsible for illness?
Because of the illness being regarded as a result of a combination of factors, the individual is no longer seen as solely responsible
However, the recognition of the role of behaviour may put the individual responsible again.
How does health psychology claim illness should be treated?
The whole person should be treated and not just the physical changes that have taken place.
What is the relationship between health and illness?
People are in a constant transit between health and illness throughout the course of their life.
Health and illness exist on a continuum
What is the role of psychology in health and illness?
Health psychology claims psychological factors are not only possible consequences of illness but as contributing to it at all stages along the continuum from being healthy through to being ill.
What are the aims (2) of health psychology?
To develop and test a theory of health behaviour
To put theory into practice
How do we put theory of health behaviour into practice?
Promoting health behaviours
Preventing illness
Which theories (4) underpin the theory and research in health psychology?
The biopsychosocial model
Understanding health as a continuum
The dual (direct/indirect) pathway model
Incorporating variability
What is the biopsychosocial model?
Represents an attempt to integrate psychological and environmental aspects into the traditional biomedical model of health.
What are some biological aspects of the biopsychosocial model?
Gender Physical illness Disability Genetics Immune function Stress reactivity
What are some of the psychological aspects of the biopsychosocial model?
Learning/memory Attitudes/beliefs Personality Behaviours Emotions Coping skills Post trauma
What are some of the social/environmental factors of the biopsychosocial model?
Social support Family background Cultural traditions Social/economic status Education
Explain the health as a continuum model
Psychology is involved in:
- illness onset (beliefs and behaviours)
- illness adaption (once the person becomes ill - help seeking, coping, social support)
- illness outcomes (quality of life, longevity, behaviour and adherence)
Explain the dual pathway model
There are direct and indirect pathways towards a health outcome.
Direct: The way a person experiences their life has a direct impact upon their body which can change their health status
Indirect: The way a person thinks, influences their behaviour which in turn can impact upon their health
Why should we incorporate variability into health psychology theory
There is variability between people for example two people might both know that smoking is bad for them but only one stops
Knowledge (smoking is harmful) alone does not always predict behaviour
illness severity (severity of heart attack) does not always predict health outcomes
What is the role of a health psychologist within health promotion
Promote positive health behaviours and reduce harmful health behaviours such as diet smoking alcohol and drug abuse
Advise on attitudes beliefs and behaviours that contribute it with health and how they might be changed
Design public health programs in areas such as behaviour change related to exercise alcohol cigarettes drug consumption and injury and cancer prevention
Work with community members and professionals to improve health and well-being by estimating the distribution of disease identifying health behaviour in modifiable determinants
What is the role of a clinical psychologist in clinical settings
Develop education and behaviour change programs to help people to recover from or self manage chronic illness trauma injury or disability
Design treatments to reduce problems that can accompany and contribute to illness and injury such as chronic pain addiction poor sleep eating problems anxiety depression and emotional reaction such as anger and grief
Help people to cope with the diagnosis of medical treatment of acute health problems and to facilitate medical care
Assist people to cope a terminal illness including the impact of loss bereavement death and dying
Design and test interventions to improve health systems and relationships between health professionals doctors nurses and psychologists and monitor impacts on health determinants encourage recovery from illness and injury
