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Health Psychology

Health Psychology. What Do Health Psychologists Do?. Teachers, research scientists, clinicians Applied health psychologists : licensed practitioners who focus on health-promoting interventions and helping people cope with illnesses. Goals in Health Psych.

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Health Psychology

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  1. Health Psychology

  2. What Do Health Psychologists Do? • Teachers, research scientists, clinicians • Applied health psychologists: licensed practitioners who focus on health-promoting interventions and helping people cope with illnesses

  3. Goals in Health Psych • Pinpoint Psychological, Behavioral, and Social Factors in Disease and Health • Promote and Maintain Health • Prevent and Treat Illness • Improve the Health Care System and Health Care Policy

  4. Where Do Health Psychologists Work?

  5. Training to become a Health Psychologist • General psychology training at the undergraduate level • Special training at the doctoral (Ph.D.) level • Four- to six-year program • 65 Ph.D. programs in health psychology in the United States

  6. Issues • Issues and historical trends that have shaped the development of Health Psychology

  7. I. Increased Life Expectancy • Average life expectancy — • Increased by more than 30 years since 1900 • In the U.S. in 21st century • Women: around 80 • Men: around 75 • Why is this increase important?

  8. II. Changes over the last 100 years The 10 Leading Causes of Death in The U.S. in 1900 • Pneumonia • Tuberculosis • Diarrhea and enteritis • Heart disease • Stroke • Liver disease • Injuries • Cancer • Senility • Diphtheria Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  9. Leading causes of death (today) • Heart disease • Cancer • Stroke • Lung disease (COPD) • Accidents • Diabetes • These top six account for 80% of deaths • They are mostly lifestyle diseases with preventable causes • They are mostly chronic disorders (rather than acute disorders) Source: U.S. National Center for Health Statistics

  10. Behavior and health Actual Causes of Death in the U.S. • Tobacco • Diet /activity patterns • Alcohol • Microbial agents • Toxic agents • Firearms • Sexual behavior • Motor vehicles • Illicit use of drugs Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

  11. III. Rising Health Care Costs

  12. IV. Trends in how illness has been viewed

  13. Western view (traditional) • Biomedical model — illness is caused by physical phenomena (e.g., germs, cell abnormalities) -- reductionistic

  14. Biopsychosocial Perspective • The view that health is determined by the interaction of biological mechanisms, psychological processes, and social influences • Biological mechanisms: genes, evolutionary history, anatomical/biological makeup, nutrition • Psychological processes: coping mechanisms, attitudes toward treatment, personality/outlook on life • Social context: SES, social network, societal and cultural norms (e.g., pervasive consumption of soda)

  15. A Biopsychosocial Model of Depression

  16. The Biopsychosocial Model in practice • Somatic presentations of psychological dysfunction • Chest pain in panic attack • Hypochondriasis • Psychological conditions secondary to illness • Post M.I. Depression • Psychological sequelae of stroke • Stress disorders associated with traumatic injuries

  17. The Biopsychosocial Model in practice • Physical symptoms responsive to behavioral interventions • anticipatory nausea • enuresis • tension & migraine headache • early labor (clip from “The New Medicine”)

  18. The Biopsychosocial Model in practice • Psychological presentations of organic problems • hypothyroidism presenting as depression • steroid-induced psychosis • Somatic complications associated with behavioral factors • mismanagement of diabetes • noncompliance to medications

  19. The Biopsychosocial Model in practice • Behavioral risk factors for disease or disability • smoking • excessive weight • risk taking • sedentary lifestyle • Problems of health care providers and health care systems • Physician-patient relationships • Lack of access to health care

  20. The Biopsychosocial Model in practice (case studies) Small group exercise – using the BPS (then discuss assessment targets using the BPS – next slide)

  21. Biological Review • current status of illness / background of illness (usually found in the medical history chart) • medications • pain • family history • lifestyle habits (e.g., nutrition and exercise)

  22. Psychological Review • Affective/emotional • Cognitive (e.g., thinking, beliefs, memory, attention, learning, interpreting, problem-solving) • Motivation

  23. Social Review • Patient’s interaction with health care staff • Family / friends support • Socioeconomic status (SES) • Environment to which patient will return (job?) • Cultural factors

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